The Proud CEO

The sunlight hit her eyes before the realization did.

Soft linen sheets. A room far too quiet. A scent that wasn't hers—clean, warm, unmistakably him.

Eliana blinked slowly.

Adrian Cole's bedroom.

She sat up, the covers slipping from her shoulder, revealing skin and memory. The night before returned in flashes: his hands, her surrender, their shared hunger.

And now... this.

His absence was the second thing she noticed. The man who had made her forget every rule she lived by was nowhere in sight.

Then, the sound of footsteps.

He appeared, casual in a black T-shirt and gray joggers, two steaming mugs in hand.

"You're awake," he said.

"You disappeared."

"Just to make coffee." He offered her a mug. "No dramatic exits, remember?"

She took it slowly, fingers brushing his. "So... this wasn't a mistake?"

Adrian sat beside her, careful but close. "Do I look like a man full of regret?"

"You look like a man who doesn't usually let things get complicated."

A small smile tugged at his lips. "That's true. But you're not usual."

She stared into her coffee. "This changes things."

"Yes," he agreed. "But not everything."

"I still work for you."

"And I still need you to lead that audit. Impress the board. Show them what I already see."

"You really think this can work?" she asked.

"I think," he said, "we owe it to ourselves to find out."

Back at the office, everything felt different.

Not outwardly. No one whispered. No one stared.

But inside her, something had shifted. Confidence. Fear. A strange vulnerability she wasn't used to.

Victoria passed her in the hallway. Paused. Smirked.

"You look rested," she said.

"Long night," Eliana replied coolly.

"Careful," Victoria warned, leaning in. "He may not regret last night. But the company might."

And just like that, Eliana remembered:

Love was messy. Business was brutal. And she had stepped into both.