The office was alive with the sound of chatter, the buzz of phones, and the clicking of keyboards. Empire Brands always seemed to hum with energy on a Monday morning, but Courtney felt more restless than usual. The weekend had left her unsettled, her thoughts torn in too many directions.
The tennis match replayed in her head in flashes—Sean's easy laughter, the way he steadied her hand on the racket, the warmth in his gaze when he congratulated her on a decent serve. He had been attentive, kind, and genuinely fun to be around. But every time she thought about him, another image forced its way in: Dwayne, standing at the edge of the court, his eyes dark and unreadable. His jaw tight, his hands fisted at his sides as though he was holding himself back from tearing something—or someone—apart.
She had never seen him like that before. Jealous. Possessive. And even though he hadn't said a word about it, she felt the weight of his disapproval pressing on her since that afternoon.
