Amara's POV
After Damian left to meet Serena, I quietly returned to my desk, trying to focus on the work I'd left unfinished. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop thinking about him. The way he looked at me earlier, the way he held my hand outside the building... it lingered in my mind like a dream I didn't want to wake up from.
A few minutes passed, and then I saw her.
Serena.
She stormed out of Damian's office with a furious expression on her face. Her heels clicked sharply against the floor as she walked past, casting a sharp glance in my direction but saying nothing. Then she disappeared down the hall.
Something wasn't right.
Before I could gather my thoughts, a message popped up on my phone.
It was from Damian-sent to the company's group chat.
My heart skipped a beat.
I opened it, and my breath caught as I read:
> To all Knight Tech employees, stakeholders, and members of the board:
In light of recent circulating images and speculative discussions, I am issuing this brief clarification.
Yes, the photo is real.
No, this company's integrity, operations, or ethics are not in jeopardy because of it.
The woman in that image is a respected employee. Any slander, gossip, or malicious behavior toward her will be considered workplace harassment and dealt with accordingly.
Knight Tech remains focused on innovation, not rumors. Thank you for your professionalism.
- Damian Knight
My hands trembled.
He didn't deny the photo-the one taken outside the building, where we were standing close, hands brushing, eyes locked. He didn't cover it up. He defended me... in front of everyone.
But that didn't stop the whispers.
"He posted it himself?"
"Omo! She must be special."
"Are they dating?"
"She's so lucky."
"It makes sense now... why she's always around him."
The messages in the office chat came fast. The glances around the office grew more frequent. I could feel it-eyes on me, judgments, curiosity, envy. It was too much.
Way too much.
I picked up my phone and quickly sent Damian a private message:
> "I'm sorry, but I have to leave. This is too much for me to handle."
I shut down my system, grabbed my bag, and walked out.
---
When I got home, I just wanted to breathe. I barely reached my door when I heard a voice call out from behind.
"Amara!"
I turned and my eyes widened. "Mia?"
She smiled and jogged up to me, throwing her arms around me. "Oh my God, I didn't expect to see you today! It's been so long!"
I forced a small smile. "It's really good to see you."
But she could tell something was off.
"You okay?" she asked, her smile fading.
I didn't say a word. I unlocked the door and let her in with me.
Once inside, she glanced at me again and frowned. "You look pale. Are you sure everything's fine?"
And just like that, I broke.
Tears welled up in my eyes and spilled down my cheeks. I sat on the couch, and Mia immediately rushed to sit beside me, holding me tightly as I cried.
"What happened?" she asked softly.
I poured everything out. About Damian. About the photo outside the company building. About how it went viral, and how the entire office now looked at me differently. About his public message, and how the attention was suddenly too much.
She listened quietly, nodding and gently rubbing my back.
"You need to rest," she said. "Don't let this pressure eat you alive. You're not in the wrong, Amara."
We sat there a while in silence, and she later told me about her own life. "I'll be traveling next month," she said casually. "Probably won't be coming back anytime soon."
I looked up at her. "Really?"
"Yeah," she smiled faintly. "A new opportunity came up. It's a big step."
Before I could ask more, her phone rang. She checked the screen and stood up. "Amara, I need to go. But I'll call you, okay? We'll talk more."
I nodded, still feeling fragile. "Thanks, Mia."
She gave me a quick hug and left.
I locked the door behind her, then lay on the couch in silence. My mind kept replaying everything-Damian's eyes when we stood outside, the photo, his message, and now the way the world seemed to shift beneath my feet.
Everything had changed.
And I didn't know if I was ready for what came next.
The moment I saw Amara's message, a weight dropped in my chest.
> "I'm sorry, but I have to leave. This is too much for me to handle."
I couldn't blame her. The office was buzzing with gossip, and even though I tried to shut it down with my announcement, I knew that kind of attention-especially for someone like Amara-was overwhelming.
She didn't ask for this. I dragged her into it.
I leaned back in my chair, my jaw clenched.
A few minutes later, I had to attend a boardroom meeting with senior managers and a few department heads. It wasn't the kind of meeting I could postpone-especially not after that message I sent out. I needed to make things crystal clear to the people who mattered most in this company.
The room went silent the moment I walked in.
I could feel the tension-the unspoken questions sitting on everyone's lips. I took my seat at the head of the table and got straight to the point.
"If anyone here has questions about the photo, I'll address them now," I said calmly.
One of the older executives, Mr. Cole, cleared his throat. "So... you're confirming that the image is real?"
I didn't flinch. "Yes. It's real."
Another voice followed quickly. "So there's something going on between you and the staff in question?"
I paused, locking eyes with the speaker. "What happens in my personal life-so long as it does not affect my professional conduct or this company's integrity-is not up for public discussion. But yes, anything can happen between us. That's my personal matter."
Whispers rippled across the room.
I let them talk-for exactly ten seconds-before raising a hand.
"But let me be clear. Whoever took that photo and leaked it will be found. And when they are, they'll either be fired or face legal consequences. We have policies, and this kind of privacy violation won't be tolerated under my leadership."
Some people shifted uncomfortably in their seats.
"Knight Tech is a company built on innovation, trust, and respect. That extends to every member of this team-regardless of who they are or who they're associated with. I won't allow workplace gossip to distract us from what we're here to do."
Silence.
No one dared push further.
I glanced at the time and stood up. "This meeting is over. I've said all I need to say."
As I walked out of the room, I pulled out my phone again. I opened Amara's message. I thought about calling her. Telling her everything face-to-face. But I knew she needed space right now.
Still, I had to do something.
So I sent her a voice note:
> "Amara... I understand why you left. I'm sorry you had to go through that today. I'll handle this. Just please... don't shut me out."
I stared at the screen for a while, then finally hit send.
Whatever this was between us-it wasn't just about a photo.
It was already becoming something deeper.
And I wasn't about to lose her now.
The next morning, an updated policy was sent out through HR-one that reminded every employee about confidentiality, workplace respect, and social media conduct.
But I didn't stop there.
A clear warning followed from me directly in the group chat.
> "Any further sharing, posting, or discussing of images or rumors regarding myself or any staff will result in immediate disciplinary action. This is your only warning."
I watched the reactions roll in like a silent storm.
Some replied with a simple "Understood."
Others liked the message without a word.
But the atmosphere in the office shifted.
People were whispering less, glancing over their shoulders more. A few looked genuinely scared-because now they knew this wasn't a joke. It wasn't just gossip anymore. It had consequences.
I stepped out of my office for a brief check on the floor, and the room fell silent. Eyes dropped to keyboards. Conversations died mid-sentence.
Good.
Let them feel it.
I didn't want fear-I wanted respect. Respect for privacy, for professionalism, and most importantly... for Amara.
She hadn't come in today.
And even though her absence hit me harder than I expected, I knew she needed time. I just hoped she'd let me explain when she was ready.
Amara's POV
I woke up to dozens of messages.
Some were from coworkers.
Some from unknown numbers.
Some just said, "Are you okay?"
Others... not so kind.
I didn't respond to any of them.
I couldn't.
After crying in Mia's arms last night, I barely had the strength to get out of bed. She'd tried to comfort me, promised things would pass, even shared her own news about leaving town soon. But I barely registered any of it.
My mind was still stuck on one thing-that photo.
Not just because it exposed something I wasn't ready to face... but because of what came after. The looks. The whispers. The assumptions. Like I'd somehow done something wrong.
I picked up my phone again and stared at Damian's voice note.
> "Amara... I understand why you left. I'm sorry you had to go through that today. I'll handle this. Just please... don't shut me out."
His voice was calm. Sincere. That same deep tone that used to make me feel safe.
And now?
Now I didn't know what to feel.
A part of me wanted to run back to the office, demand that everyone stop treating me like some side story in a drama. But another part of me... just felt tired. Embarrassed. Hurt.
I dropped the phone on the bed and pulled my knees to my chest.
Everything was too much.
My phone buzzed again. This time, it was Mia.
> "Heading to the airport to sort my travel. I'll call you later, okay? Love you."
I didn't reply.
I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, wondering how everything changed so fast. One picture... and suddenly I wasn't just Amara Rivera, a hardworking employee at Knight Tech.
I was that girl in the CEO's arms.
And I hated it.
---