Catherine POV
She caught her reflection in the glass conference room wall, hands trembling slightly as she replayed their brief interaction in her mind. His eyes had lingered on her longer this time—just enough to ignite a wildfire of hope before snuffing it out with that familiar coldness.
She hated the way he looked at her. Like she was a puzzle he didn't want to solve but couldn't stop examining. Like she was dangerous and tempting all at once.
Her chest tightened, a strange ache she couldn't name.
What did he want from her?
Did he even know?
---
Jason POV
He paced the length of the empty office after she left his sight.
It's just sex.
That's what he told himself over and over.
No complications. No feelings. Just a physical connection he craved—nothing more.
Because feelings were dangerous. Messy. They made people weak.
And he wasn't weak.
Not anymore.
He clenched his fists, trying to shove the thought of her under layers of control and rationality. But every time he closed his eyes, he saw her—the curve of her neck, the way her breath caught when he touched her, the fire in her eyes even when she tried to hide it.
He didn't want to want her.
But maybe he already did.
---
Rina POV
She watched the silent war unfold between them with a knowing smile.
"You're a mess," she told Catherine, nudging her playfully.
Catherine gave a bitter laugh. "You don't even know the half of it."
Rina grinned. "I know enough. And if I were you, I wouldn't fight it."
"Easy for you to say."
Rina leaned in, voice low and teasing. "If Jason Wilson wanted just a fling, he wouldn't be here, sneaking looks like he's afraid someone will catch him."
Catherine rolled her eyes, but the knot in her stomach tightened.
"Maybe you're both pretending more than you admit." "No"…she tries to shake the feeling of. "But just Maybe"
Jason POV
He wasn't ready to admit any of it.
He wouldn't.
Instead, he forced himself to stay distant, to keep the walls up higher than ever.
He approached her desk, eyes cool and unreadable.
"Catherine," he said, voice firm.
She looked up, wary.
"I'm not here for a relationship," he added before she could speak. "Not now. Not ever."
Her lips pressed into a line, but she said nothing.
"Just… don't make this harder than it has to be," he continued. "We both know what this is."
The air between them crackled, charged with everything unsaid.
She swallowed hard, nodding slowly.
Jason turned and walked away, but his mind refused to let go.
Why did it feel like losing her again?
---
Rina & Zane POV
Later that night Rina and Zane head out for dinner together.
"I'm telling you, he's full of surprises," Zane said with a sly grin as they sat across from each other.
Rina raised an eyebrow. "Like pretending he doesn't care when he's clearly obsessed?"
Zane shrugged. "Sometimes the best way to hide is to act like it doesn't matter."
Rina smirked. "Wise words from a guy who's terrible at hiding anything."
"Guess we both have our weaknesses."
Their eyes locked, the playful tension thick between them.
"Dinner was a good idea," Rina admitted.
Zane's grin deepened. "Wait till dessert."
Catherine POV
Later, back at her desk, she found an envelope with no name.
Inside, a note:
> This isn't about feelings.
It never was.
But don't think for a second I'm letting you slip away.
-J
She stared at the words, heart pounding with confusion.
What was he really saying?
Did she want to know?
Or was it better not to ask?
Jason POV
From the hallway, he glanced once more toward her desk.
His expression was unreadable.
But inside, something shifted—a flicker he refused to name.
Jason stared out the floor-to-ceiling window, the city lights flickering below like distant stars he couldn't quite reach. His mind was a storm of restless thoughts — none of them simple.
Catherine.
She was like a spark in the dark, a wildfire he wanted to douse but couldn't stop fanning instead.
He shook his head, trying to clear the pull she had on him — the way she looked at him sometimes, that mix of challenge and something softer. But he wasn't ready to admit it. Not even to himself.
No. He wanted control. He wanted to keep things uncomplicated.
Sex. That was it. Pure, raw, physical. No messy feelings.
But the way she moved, the way she laughed — hell, even the way she fought him — made his resolve waver more than he liked.
He clenched his fists. It's just desire, he told himself. Nothing more.
Yet, every time she was near, the cold mask he wore cracked, if only for a second.
Jason didn't want love. Not now.
All he wanted was Catherine in his bed. No strings. No promises.
Because if he let himself want more… he'd lose the game. He will become weak. That he was trying very hard to avoid.
And he was never a man who lost.
The late afternoon sun filtered through the towering windows, casting long shadows across the sleek office floor. Jason stood by his desk, his fingers drumming a slow rhythm that echoed the storm of thoughts swirling inside him. His gaze flicked to Catherine's empty chair—an ache he refused to name.
He clenched his jaw. No. This wasn't about feelings. Not yet. What he wanted was clear: control. Power. And maybe… release.
The memory of that night—the way her body moved, the way her lips had tasted—haunted him more than he cared to admit. But love? No. This was about possession. About keeping her close in the only way he knew how.
His phone buzzed. Zane's name flashed on the screen. He ignored it at first, then sighed, sliding the call through.
"Jason." Zane's voice was casual, almost teasing.
"Where are you?" Jason's tone was clipped, but there was an undercurrent of something unreadable beneath it.
"Dinner. With Rina."
Jason's fingers tightened around the phone. "Keep it professional."
Zane laughed softly. "Professional? You hired me for my charm and to keep things from blowing up. You want boring, you hire a lawyer."
Jason didn't reply. He stared out the window, trying to push the i
mage of Catherine's face from his mind.
Zane's voice softened. "You don't have to pretend with me, boss. Not everything is business."
Jason's jaw clenched again. "Not everything."