The following morning at Velé Corporation, the air was heavy with tension. The echo of heels against marble floors was sharper than usual, and the quiet hum of computers felt louder than ever.
Andrew Velé stepped into the building wearing his usual crisp black suit. His tie was perfectly knotted, his hair neatly combed, but his expression—cold and unreadable—sent everyone's mood into panic. The staff whispered as he passed. Even the security guards lowered their eyes.
He didn't greet anyone. He walked straight to his office, his presence alone commanding silence. Inside, the walls of glass separated him from the rest of the world, yet he couldn't stop his gaze from wandering—to the desk across the floor.
Selina Whyte.
She was already at her station, sorting files, pretending not to notice his glances. Her hands trembled slightly as she typed, but she refused to look up. The events of the previous day—his temper, his harsh tone—still echoed in her mind. She didn't know what to make of him anymore.
Andrew's jaw tightened. He didn't understand himself either. One moment he wanted to yell, the next, he wanted to apologize. But his pride wouldn't let him. So instead, he buried himself in work, hoping the storm inside him would fade.
Then his phone buzzed. A text from Gabrielle flashed on the screen.
"I heard your company's morning air is heavier than usual. Lighten up, man. Don't scare your staff."
Andrew almost smiled but didn't. Gabrielle always had a way of teasing him out of his silence—but not today. He shut the phone off and leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair.
Meanwhile, Selina's phone buzzed too. It was her mother, Mrs. Linda Whyte.
"Your father did it again. He took Sammy's lunch money to gamble. I'm tired, Selina."
Selina's breath caught. Her eyes stung, but she blinked hard, forcing herself not to cry at work. Not here. Not now. She typed back quickly:
"I'll send something when I get home. Just stay calm, okay?"
Her fingers hovered over the screen before she placed it down. She exhaled shakily and went back to her files—but her heart wasn't in it.
Just then, the elevator doors opened.
Every head turned.
A soft click of heels, a trail of expensive perfume, and a wave of confidence followed as Scarlett Velé stepped into the office. She wore a white silk blouse tucked into a fitted champagne pencil skirt that shimmered faintly under the lights. A slim gold belt hugged her waist, and her heels were the kind that could silence a room.
Scarlett smiled like she owned the place and technically, she did.
"Aiden," she said, spotting Andrew's assistant. "Is my brother around?"
Aiden stood quickly, nervous. "Uh—Miss Velé, he's in a meeting. Maybe you could—"
But Scarlett raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Oh, come on. Since when do I need permission to see my own brother?"
Before Aiden could respond, she was already walking toward Andrew's office.
Inside, Andrew had just gotten up to get some files when the door swung open. Scarlett stepped in, her perfume instantly filling the room.
Andrew sighed. "Scarlett, don't you knock anymore?"
She grinned. "Not when it's family."
Selina, startled, stood up from her seat by the filing cabinet, clutching the documents she had just arranged. Her eyes met Scarlett's.
For a second, time froze.
Scarlett blinked, recognizing the woman she had met days ago—the one she mistook for her brother's girlfriend.
"Oh, it's you," Scarlett said, her tone playful, lips curling into a smile. "So, you work here?"
Selina hesitated. "Yes. I'm Mr. Velé's secretary."
Scarlett chuckled softly, turning to Andrew. "Secretary? Interesting choice, brother."
Andrew's face darkened. "Scarlett, stop."
But she ignored him, walking around the office as if inspecting a painting. "You never liked having female secretaries, remember? You said they were a 'distraction.' But this one… I can see why you changed your mind."
Selina flushed, gripping the papers tighter. "Miss Velé, with all due respect—"
Scarlett turned, eyes glinting with mischief. "Oh, don't be so formal. We're practically family now, aren't we?"
Andrew's patience snapped. "Scarlett, that's enough. Go home."
Scarlett raised her hands in surrender, smiling. "Fine, fine. Don't explode, brother. I'll leave you two lovebirds alone."
She winked and walked out, leaving a thick silence behind her.
Selina's pulse was racing. "Lovebirds?" she muttered under her breath, shaking her head. "Unbelievable."
Andrew was staring at her. Not speaking. Just staring.
Selina finally met his gaze. "You could've stopped her earlier, you know."
He didn't answer. His chest rose and fell, his jaw tightened, and before she could step away—he moved.
In one sharp moment, Andrew crossed the distance between them. His hand caught her wrist just as she tried to leave. Selina gasped.
"Let me go," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Andrew didn't speak. His eyes searched hers, deep and conflicted. It wasn't planned, not even thought through—just a pull he couldn't resist. Before logic could intervene, he leaned in and kissed her.
It was quick, impulsive, and filled with the tension they'd been fighting for weeks.
Selina froze.
The shock hit her harder than the contact. And then—she reacted. Her hand flew before she could stop it.
SLAP.
The sound echoed through the office.
Andrew stood still, breathing heavily, the mark already forming on his cheek. Selina's own hands were shaking as tears welled in her eyes—not of sadness, but of anger, confusion, and disbelief.
"How dare you," she whispered. "Don't ever—ever—do that again."
She turned and stormed out, leaving the door swinging behind her.
Andrew stood alone.
For a long moment, he didn't move. His reflection in the glass looked like a stranger. He touched his cheek lightly and exhaled. "What the hell did I just do?"
Outside, Scarlett was in the hallway, having seen just enough through the glass door. Her lips curved into a knowing grin.
"Oh, brother," she murmured to herself. "You're in deep this time."
She pulled out her phone, already typing.
"Mom, you won't believe what I just saw."