When we walked in together, it felt like university all over again.

That same wave of attention—the double takes, the half-whispered comments, the heads turning just long enough to make it obvious.

Back then, it was because Val was Val.

Now, it was because she looked like this—standing beside me in a soft cream blouse tucked into dark jeans, her hair loose, her chin tilted just slightly up, every step measured like she owned the place.

Maybe she didn't care about the stares. Maybe she did.

But if I had to guess, she was enjoying every second of it—not because she needed the attention, but because she wanted to make a point.

To Tasha.

And knowing Val… she never had to raise her voice to win a fight.

Sometimes, she just had to walk into the room.

I noticed Derrick before she did, leaning against the reception counter, trying (and failing) to look smooth while the receptionist laughed at something he said.

He spotted us almost immediately and grinned wide, like he'd just seen the first act of a movie he'd been dying to watch.

"Damn," he mouthed, eyes flicking between Val and me, then gave a two-finger salute.

I didn't return it. I already knew that grin would turn into a dozen questions later.

Val stopped just outside the elevator, heels clicking softly against the polished floor.

A second later, Tasha joined us from behind—her steps quiet but steady.

For a brief moment, I almost wished Tasha had taken another route, any other route. But of course she hadn't. Of course she'd seen everything—Val's hand on my arm, the way people were staring, the small smile on Val's face that said she knew exactly what she was doing.

If there was tension in the air, you couldn't see it—at least, not unless you looked closely enough to notice the way Tasha's smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

Val turned slightly toward me, her voice calm, almost sweet.

"Husband," she said, reaching up, "here, let me fix that for you."

I blinked. My tie.

There was nothing wrong with it. It was perfectly fine.

We both knew it.

But she reached up anyway, fingers brushing against the knot like it needed adjusting.

From the outside, it must've looked picture-perfect—a devoted wife fussing over her husband before work.

But between the three of us standing there, it was something else entirely.

Tasha's gaze flickered away.

Val's smile deepened.

And I… well, I stood there, pretending not to notice the invisible battlefield forming between them.

When she was done, Val tilted her head just slightly, her eyes still on me.

"What do you want for lunch?"

I hesitated for a second, glancing briefly at Tasha. Yeah. That question wasn't random.

She wanted her to hear it.

"Uh…" I cleared my throat. "Maybe… grilled chicken with potatoes?"

It wasn't just something to say. It was one of her specialties—something she'd made for me too many times to count.

Her lips curved, soft but victorious.

"Grilled chicken with potatoes," she repeated. "Got it. Anything for my husband."

I could feel eyes on us from every corner of the lobby, people pretending not to stare but failing miserably.

Some smiled. Some whispered.

And I just stood there, holding my briefcase, wondering if it was too early to disappear into thin air.

Then the elevator chimed.

The doors slid open.

Val stepped closer and, before I could even react, kissed me.

Not too long, not too short—just enough for the world to pause and take notice.

When she pulled back, she smiled softly.

"Be good," she said, her tone light, but her eyes said something else. Something sharp.

She turned on her heel and walked off, not even sparing Tasha a glance.

The soft click of her heels faded as she disappeared around the corner.

I stayed frozen for a second, unsure whether to sigh or laugh or both.

Just before the doors closed, Derrick slipped in, barely making it.

He let out a low whistle as the elevator started moving up.

"Damn, bro," he said, chuckling. "You and your wife are really something."

I forced a small smile, rubbing the back of my neck. "Yeah… something."

Tasha didn't say a word.

Her eyes stayed fixed on the elevator panel, her posture still, too still.

The tension was quiet but thick, like something heavy sitting between us that none of us wanted to name.

I could feel it pressing against the back of my mind, the awkward silence stretching longer than it should.

Derrick leaned slightly toward me, voice dropping low enough that only I could hear. "Man… if looks could kill," he muttered under his breath, lips barely moving.

I didn't need to ask whose look he meant. He knew it. I knew it. And the fact that he whispered said enough—Derrick might joke about anything, but he wasn't stupid. Not when Tasha was standing just a few feet away.

I didn't answer though. Because even without looking, I could tell—Tasha wasn't smiling anymore.

Not really.

For the rest of that elevator ride, all I could think about was how Val had made her point without saying a single word.

And I wasn't sure if that made things better… or worse. Much, much worse.

---

As if the universe hadn't already done enough to test me, the moment we stepped into the office, Clarkson's door swung open.

"Kai. Tasha. In my office."

Just like that. No greeting. No context. Just orders.

Beside me, Derrick muttered a quiet, "Good luck, man," and gave my shoulder a quick tap before heading to his desk, that knowing smirk plastered across his face. I didn't even have time to glare at him before turning back toward Clarkson's office.

Tasha was already walking ahead, her steps brisk, focused, like she was trying to outrun something. Or maybe someone. She didn't look back once, not even when I glanced at her.

Inside, Clarkson was behind his desk, flipping through a stack of documents like he was trying to set a world record for page turns. The man barely looked up when we walked in.

"Good," he said, still scanning the papers. "You two will head over to Bilmirage Enterprises this morning. Their finance director requested clarification on our restructuring proposal and how it affects their quarterly projections."

He finally looked up, gaze darting between the both of us. "Since you and Kai have been handling the Bilmirage account together from the start, I trust you'll be able to clear up their concerns."

I nodded once. "Understood, sir."

Tasha echoed softly, "Yes, sir."

Clarkson gave a short approving nod, already returning to his paperwork as he waved us off like we were an afterthought. "Be efficient. Be professional. Don't keep them waiting."

The door closed behind us with a soft click. She went straight to her desk, gathered her tablet and a few files, then nodded for me to follow.

The walk to the parking lot was quiet. Too quiet.

She didn't say a word as we got into her car, didn't look my way as she started the engine. The hum of the air conditioner was the only sound between us.

We drove a few blocks, the company building shrinking in the rearview mirror, before she suddenly pulled over to the side of the road. The car stopped smoothly, the engine still running.

Then she turned to face me.

Her expression was hard to read—somewhere between anger and something else. Something quieter. But not softer.

She didn't speak, not at first. Just looked at me like she was trying to find an answer in my face that she hadn't asked for yet.

And I didn't know what to say.

Didn't know what could make any of this better.

The faint sound of cars passing outside filled the silence, and for a second, I thought maybe she'd changed her mind about saying anything at all. But then her fingers tightened around the steering wheel, knuckles pale, lips pressed into a thin line.

That look told me enough.

Whatever she was holding back—it wasn't small.

And whatever she was about to say, I already knew it wasn't going to be about work.

That's when I realized… maybe this drive to Bilmirage wasn't going to be the professional trip Clarkson imagined.

It was about to be something else entirely.

---

To be continued...

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.