Two weeks later, Amara sat across from Jaden at her apartment's kitchen island. Their hands brushed occasionally as they worked side by side—him reviewing development projections, her adjusting brand positioning slides for a press launch.
It had become a rhythm.
Late nights, whispered jokes, gentle touches that lingered longer each time. Neither of them had labeled it—but whatever it was, it had grown roots.
"Do you ever slow down?" she teased, pouring them each a glass of wine.
"Only around you," he said without missing a beat.
She rolled her eyes, smiling. "Charmer."
"Only when it's real."
The air grew still between them—comfortably close, no longer full of the restraint they'd once carried.
She leaned in.
He met her halfway.
The kiss was soft, steady, and sure. Not rushed, not desperate—just right.
The next morning, Amara's phone rang.
She was still wrapped in a post-sunrise glow, Jaden's arms loose around her waist. She slid out of bed, answering quietly.
"Mia?"
Her assistant's voice was tight. "Check the news. Right now."
Amara pulled up the headline on her tablet. Her heart stopped.
"Cole & Partners Under Investigation for Contract Irregularities. Anonymous whistleblower claims internal manipulation."
She scrolled, pulse hammering. Words jumped out at her like poison:
"Leaked documents… ethics concerns… Bennett Creative involvement unclear…"
Her name. Tied to a scandal that could crush her.
Jaden emerged from the bedroom, half-dressed, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
She looked up at him—conflicted, afraid.
"Tell me you didn't know," she said.
His face darkened as he read the screen. "What the hell…?"
"Jaden. Look at me."
"I didn't leak anything. I didn't do this." His voice was firm, but his hands were clenched. "But someone wants to tear us down."
She stepped back, heart racing. "And if I'm collateral?"
His jaw tightened. "You're not."
But she could see it in his eyes—he wasn't certain of anything anymore.
And suddenly, neither was she.