Signed Contracts, Silent Hearts

The boardroom was colder than usual.

Or maybe it was just Ava.

She sat with her back straight, fingers laced tightly on the table before her, facing a dozen sharp-eyed executives waiting for her to fumble. Today's presentation wasn't just another pitch. It was the final stage of a high-stakes partnership deal between Cole Dynamics and a major international firm. And Ethan had assigned her to lead it—alone.

She hadn't seen or spoken to him since the kiss.

No calls. No texts. No silent glances in the hallway. Just… nothing.

And yet, the weight of that moment lingered like a bruise beneath her skin.

She began her presentation, voice even, though her heart thudded with every slide click. Midway through her pitch, she noticed Victoria in the corner of the room, arms folded, eyes narrowed.

Great. She was here to watch her fail.

But Ava didn't falter. She knew the numbers. Knew the strategy. And she delivered every word like her job depended on it—because it did.

The final slide faded into white silence. For a moment, the room held its breath.

Then a slow clap echoed from the doorway.

Ava turned.

Ethan.

In a crisp charcoal suit, no tie, shirt unbuttoned just enough to look effortlessly powerful. He walked in like he owned the moment—because he did.

"That," he said, voice low and unmistakably proud, "was one hell of a pitch."

A few board members chuckled politely. The rest nodded.

Ava felt her throat tighten. It shouldn't mean anything. But it did.

After the meeting, while others lingered to chat and network, she started gathering her notes. Ethan stepped beside her, so close she could smell the familiar hint of his cologne.

"You impressed them," he said, quiet enough for her ears only. "You impressed me."

She didn't look at him. "Was that the point?"

His voice lowered. "Ava, don't shut me out."

She swallowed hard. "You assigned me this to test me. I passed. We can move on now."

He studied her, frustration and something else flickering in his eyes. "Is that really what you think?"

Before she could answer, a new voice broke in.

"Ava, dear."

A chill rolled down her spine as Claudia Cole, Ethan's mother, appeared like a phantom behind them, perfectly composed in ivory and gold.

"I heard your presentation was… adequate," Claudia said, voice sugar-coated but cutting. "You've come a long way since your… departure."

"Thank you," Ava replied, forcing a polite smile.

Claudia's gaze flicked between her and Ethan. "Ethan, darling, your father and I have been talking. It's time we hosted something formal—perhaps a company gala. And I'd love for Victoria to co-host. It would look excellent in the press."

Victoria, who had conveniently slithered up beside Claudia, smiled like a cat with cream. "Of course. I'm happy to represent the Cole family where it matters."

The implication wasn't subtle.

Ava stiffened, biting down words that would cost her job.

Ethan's jaw clenched. "I'll think about it."

Claudia turned her cold gaze back to Ava. "And you, dear, should start thinking about your future too. Not everything you once left behind is yours to reclaim."

Ava stood frozen.

The message was clear: stay in your place.

When they walked away, Ava remained, shoulders squared but soul rattled. The taste of Ethan's kiss haunted her lips, but his silence cut deeper.

She had won the boardroom battle.

But outside of it, she was still losing.

Ava stepped off the presentation stage with her heart racing. Applause still echoed behind her, but she barely registered it. Claudia's words—those veiled, calculated threats—lingered louder than any praise.

Victoria caught up with her, perfectly poised in a crimson power suit, a glass of champagne in hand. "Impressive, Ava," she said smoothly. "You really do have a way of... selling a fantasy."

Ava offered a tight smile. "Thank you. Some of us don't need to use charm as a crutch."

Victoria's eyes sparkled, but her smile didn't waver. "Oh, but you do need something, don't you? Desperation isn't easy to hide. Especially in front of a room full of people who know what loyalty looks like."

Before Ava could respond, Ethan appeared beside them. "Victoria," he said coolly, "don't you have a press meet to charm?"

The tension cracked. Victoria excused herself, but not before letting her gaze linger meaningfully between them.

Ava turned to Ethan. "You didn't have to step in."

"I wanted to."

"Why?" she asked, hating how vulnerable her voice sounded.

Ethan hesitated. "Because I can't keep watching people corner you like this. You deserve better."

"I can handle it."

"I know," he said quietly. "But you shouldn't have to alone."

For a moment, they just stood there—two people clinging to unspoken words.

Then Claudia's voice rose behind them. "Ethan, darling. Come meet Celeste. Her family owns one of our key logistics partners. She's charming and intelligent. Just back from her MBA at Harvard."

Ava froze. The name. The implication.

Celeste. The woman Claudia had been grooming for him.

Ethan's jaw clenched. "Mother, now's not the time."

Claudia's smile didn't falter. "Nonsense. A little mingling is good for your image. Especially with the press watching."

He glanced at Ava, conflicted. But he followed Claudia anyway—leaving Ava behind.

She turned away before she could watch the moment unfold, but not before catching the perfectly timed photo op: Ethan beside a statuesque blonde in a designer gown. Celeste.

Ava blinked fast.

It was all a game to them.

And she was the piece that never belonged on the board.

Ava stared at the screen, her eyes locked on the message.

"Don't mistake kindness for acceptance. Some places weren't built for people like you."

—Claudia Cole

Her hands trembled slightly as she set the phone down, the weight of the day crashing down on her. She'd held her own in the boardroom, but this—this was the true battlefield. A war waged with veiled threats and silken smiles.

She rose from her chair, walking over to the window of her apartment. The city lights blinked back at her like indifferent stars, glittering over lives untouched by her unraveling emotions.

The past was no longer just a memory. It had claws. And it was digging into her present, threatening to shred whatever future she'd tried to rebuild.

Her reflection in the glass stared back, half-lit, haunted.

"I won't run this time," she whispered to no one.

But even as she said it, her chest ached with the truth.

She didn't know if she was walking into a war…

Or back into his arms.