Two days passed since Caliste's unexpected reunion with Caelum Vellaria.
She had buried herself in work ever since designs, sketches, project meetings, deadlines anything that could keep her mind from wandering back to the tall man with silver-gray eyes and a smile that saw far too much.
But fate, as always, had a wicked sense of humor.
It was nearly noon when her secretary entered her office, holding a folder and wearing that uncertain expression that usually meant trouble.
"Miss Winslow, Mr. Vellaria is here to see you," she said carefully.
Caliste froze mid-sketch, her pen hovering just above the tracing paper. "Caelum Vellaria?"
Her secretary nodded. "He said he's here on behalf of the Velmore Holdings' new expansion campaign. Mr. Velmore is in a board meeting, so he asked his cousin to check the progress."
Caliste blinked twice, trying to compose herself. Of all the possible people Lucian could have sent…
"Send him in," she finally said, straightening her posture.
The door opened moments later, and there he was effortlessly striking in a dark blue suit, his hair slightly tousled, and that easy confidence radiating off him like sunlight. He carried no briefcase, no formal airs, just that casual charm that instantly disarmed anyone who met him.
"Miss Winslow," he greeted, his lips curving into a faint smile. "You look even busier than the last time we met."
Caliste stood, maintaining her professional tone. "Mr. Vellaria. I wasn't expecting you. Please, have a seat."
"Caelum," he corrected gently as he sat across from her. "You used to call me Caelum."
Her breath caught for a moment, but she quickly looked down at the folders on her desk. "That was a long time ago. Things are different now."
He tilted his head, watching her for a few seconds longer than necessary before replying, "You're right. Things have changed… but you haven't. Not really."
She ignored the weight of his gaze and focused on flipping open the presentation binder. "Let's begin. These are the drafts for the Velmore expansion three concepts, all tailored for luxury clientele."
For the next fifteen minutes, Caliste spoke with precision her tone clipped, her explanations clear. She pointed out color schemes, architecture-inspired silhouettes, and the brand's aesthetic evolution.
Caelum listened, but there was a glint in his eyes that wasn't entirely businesslike.
When she finished, he leaned back and said, "You've outdone yourself, Caliste. These designs are brilliant."
"Thank you," she replied, her voice steady.
"But," he added with a faint grin, "I can't help but feel like you're holding back."
She frowned slightly. "Holding back?"
"You design with emotion, always have. I remember seeing your first sketch years ago at the Velmore atelier. There was something raw about it like every stroke was breathing." He paused, his tone softening. "Now it feels… guarded."
Her fingers tightened slightly around the pen. "That's called professionalism, Mr. Vellaria. I don't let emotions interfere with my work anymore."
He smirked. "Pity. It was your emotions that made your work unforgettable."
The silence that followed was thick enough to drown in. Caliste busied herself with reorganizing her sketches, unwilling to look at him.
But Caelum stood, walking to the window where her mannequin displays stood illuminated by sunlight. His gaze swept across the flowing fabrics and muted tones — elegant, sophisticated, restrained.
He turned slightly toward her. "Do you ever miss it?"
"Miss what?"
"Creating for yourself. Not for a brand. Not for anyone's approval."
She hesitated, unsure how to answer. That part of her the passionate designer who sketched until dawn just to express the fire inside her had died three years ago, buried somewhere between heartbreak and betrayal.
"I don't have time for that anymore," she said finally.
He studied her face quietly, then stepped closer. "That's not true. You just stopped allowing yourself to feel."
Her chest tightened. She looked up, meeting his gaze. "You don't know me anymore, Caelum."
He smiled faintly. "Maybe not. But I'd like to."
The air shifted instantly. Caliste froze, eyes widening slightly at the meaning behind his words.
Before she could respond, a soft knock came at the door. Her secretary peeked in, saving her from answering. "Miss Winslow, Mr. Velmore just ended his meeting. He's asking for the campaign progress report."
Caliste straightened her skirt, grateful for the interruption. "Tell him I'll bring it myself."
When the door closed again, she turned back to Caelum, her tone brisk. "If that's all, I should deliver this to Lucian."
Caelum stepped closer, stopping just a few feet away. "I'll walk with you."
"There's no need.."
"I insist," he said, smiling in that easy, maddening way that made it hard to argue.
---
The elevator ride was quiet.. too quiet. Caliste kept her eyes on the numbers flashing above the door while Caelum leaned casually against the side panel, watching her reflection in the glass.
"You still get nervous when someone looks at you too long," he remarked suddenly.
Her head turned sharply. "Excuse me?"
He shrugged. "You used to do that when we were at events. You'd hide behind Lucian or your sketches when the reporters asked about you."
"That was a lifetime ago," she said coldly.
He smiled faintly. "Still, it's a charming habit."
Her patience thinned. "Mr. Vellaria, if you're here to make me uncomfortable.."
"I'm here to remind you you're still human," he interrupted softly, his voice suddenly gentler. "You work, you breathe, you exist — but you don't live, Caliste. And I can't help but wonder why."
The elevator chimed as they reached the executive floor. Caliste stepped out immediately, her heels clicking sharply against the marble. "You shouldn't concern yourself with my personal life."
"Maybe I shouldn't," he said as he followed, "but something tells me I already am."
---
Lucian's office loomed at the end of the corridor tall glass doors, frosted with the Velmore insignia. Caliste inhaled deeply, knocking once before entering.
Lucian was behind his desk, sleeves rolled up, eyes flickering up from a document. "Miss Winslow," he greeted coolly. "Mr. Vellaria."
"Cousin," Caelum greeted with a teasing smirk. "Still alive under all that paperwork, I see."
Lucian's eyes narrowed slightly, then shifted to Caliste. "Do you have the finalized concepts?"
"Yes." She handed him the folder, her tone purely professional. "All three proposals are ready for your review."
Lucian flipped through the designs briefly, expression unreadable. "Impressive work as always, Miss Winslow."
"Thank you, sir."
Caelum's brows lifted slightly at the way Lucian addressed her Miss Winslow, distant and formal, as though the years they'd shared meant nothing now.
When Caliste excused herself, Caelum turned to watch her leave his gaze lingering just a moment too long.
Lucian noticed.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Lucian's voice turned sharp. "What are you doing, Caelum?"
Caelum met his gaze calmly. "Observing."
"Don't play games."
His cousin's smile faded, replaced by quiet honesty. "She's different now, Lucian. Stronger. But there's still something in her eyes that breaks."
Lucian's jaw tightened. "Stay out of it."
"Maybe you should stop pretending you don't care," Caelum countered softly.
Lucian didn't reply only turned back to his papers, though his knuckles had turned white where he gripped his pen.
Caelum's eyes glinted with something unreadable before he added, "You might want to decide what she is to you, cousin… before someone else does."
Then he left.
---
Downstairs, Caliste stepped out into the company's private garden terrace the one she often used to clear her mind. She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, her heart still restless from the earlier conversation.
Her peace lasted less than a minute.
"Beautiful view," came a voice behind her.
She turned and found Caelum leaning casually by the railing, his tie loosened, his smile softer now almost genuine.
"Are you following me?" she asked, half teasing, half serious.
"Maybe," he said with a shrug. "Or maybe I just wanted a better view."
She frowned. "Of the skyline?"
His eyes caught hers. "Of you."
Her breath hitched. "Caelum, please.."
"Relax," he said with a grin, raising his hands. "I'm not trying to make things complicated. Just honest."
"You don't even know me anymore."
"Maybe not," he said quietly, stepping closer, "but I'd like to change that."
The sincerity in his tone caught her off guard. For the first time, Caliste didn't see flirtation in his eyes only curiosity, maybe even admiration.
She turned her gaze back to the skyline, trying to steady herself. "You shouldn't say things like that, Caelum. People talk."
"Let them," he murmured. "I've been through worse rumors."
Her lips curved faintly despite herself. "You always were reckless."
He smiled. "And you always tried to fix what others broke."
They stood there in silence for a while, the city lights flickering below them like distant stars.
"Lucian won't like you being here," she said softly.
"I'm not here for him," Caelum replied without hesitation.
She turned her head slightly, meeting his gaze that quiet intensity that seemed to see right through her walls.
"I'm here for you, Caliste."
Her heart skipped a beat, and before she could respond, he offered a small smile, stepping back.
"I'll see you around, Miss Winslow," he said lightly, his voice carrying a hint of mischief but also something deeper.
As he walked away, Caliste stood frozen, her pulse unsteady.
She told herself it meant nothing that he was just being kind, teasing, curious.
But as she stared at his retreating figure, she couldn't deny the faint tremor that ran through her chest a feeling she thought she'd buried years ago.
And in the quiet of her heart, a dangerous thought whispered…
> "What if this time, someone actually chose her?"