The next few days passed like ripples after a storm — calm on the surface, yet carrying an undertow no one could see.
Alina Ross tried to convince herself that she had things under control. She had gone back to her lists, her schedules, her morning coffees and meetings. But the control she prided herself on didn't feel quite the same anymore.
Because every meeting, every memo, every passing moment seemed to have him somewhere in it.
Adrian Vale.
She could still hear the calm confidence in his voice whenever she closed her eyes. The way he said her name — Ms. Ross — like it meant something sharper, heavier.
And that was dangerous.
---
A Collaboration That Wasn't Supposed to Happen
By Wednesday morning, Aurora's boardroom buzzed with talk of the new campaign partnership. Aurora and Vale Enterprises had agreed — reluctantly — to jointly manage the city's biggest tech launch of the season. It was good business, but for Alina, it was personal torment.
The door opened.
He entered.
Adrian Vale, dressed in a charcoal suit that looked far too expensive for someone who acted so casually about it. His presence filled the room without effort.
Sophie leaned toward Alina and whispered, "You're doomed."
"Shut up," Alina hissed.
He greeted the room smoothly, shook hands with the executives, then — finally — looked at her.
"Ms. Ross," he said, polite, with that faint glimmer of amusement.
"Mr. Vale," she replied evenly.
Their handshake was brief but firm. Electricity. Or maybe annoyance. Maybe both.
The boardroom lights reflected in the glass wall behind him, outlining the city skyline like a silent witness.
Alina reminded herself: professionalism.
He's just another business partner. You're not supposed to notice his eyes.
---
The Meeting
As the discussion unfolded, Alina noticed how easily Adrian controlled a room — not by speaking the loudest, but by making everyone listen. His tone was calm, his arguments sharp, his focus absolute.
He challenged her twice during the presentation, both times forcing her to defend her strategies in front of the board. She did — gracefully, brilliantly — but her pulse wouldn't slow afterward.
When the meeting adjourned, Sophie caught her frown. "You're still thinking about how he looks when he argues, aren't you?"
"I'm thinking about how I want to throw my pen at him," Alina replied, gathering her files.
"Same thing," Sophie said cheerfully.
---
Coffee Break
A few hours later, Alina stood in the break room, watching the coffee machine hiss and pour. The bitter aroma filled the air. She was lost in thought when a familiar voice broke the silence.
"Still prefer black coffee, I see."
She stiffened. "You're everywhere, aren't you?"
Adrian leaned against the counter beside her, crossing his arms casually. "It's not my fault we both like caffeine and ambition."
She exhaled slowly, refusing to look at him. "You're enjoying this, aren't you? Watching me get annoyed."
He tilted his head slightly. "I don't enjoy seeing you annoyed. I enjoy watching you try not to be. There's a difference."
Her heart skipped.
She covered it with a smirk. "Still overconfident, I see."
"Only when I'm right."
Silence stretched — soft, charged. The hum of the coffee machine filled the space like background tension.
She grabbed her cup and turned to leave, but his next words stopped her.
"You were good in the meeting," he said quietly.
She froze. The compliment, unexpected and genuine, caught her off guard.
"I know," she said, masking the flicker of warmth with a cold tone.
Adrian's lips twitched. "Of course you do."
---
The Aftermath
That night, Alina sat in her apartment, trying to finish the campaign proposal. But her concentration scattered every time her phone lit up.
She wasn't waiting for a message.
Not really.
Except she was.
When none came, she threw her pen aside and sighed. "You're ridiculous," she told herself.
But deep down, she wondered if he'd been thinking about her too.
---
Adrian's Office
At the same time, across the city, Adrian leaned back in his chair, his office half-lit by the glow of his monitor. He'd been going through numbers for hours, but his focus drifted.
To her.
To the way her eyes had flashed when she argued. To the way she tried not to smile when she won a point. To the subtle scent of her perfume when she brushed past him.
Liam entered with a raised brow. "You've been staring at the same spreadsheet for twenty minutes."
Adrian didn't look up. "I'm thinking."
"About work?"
A pause. "Something like that."
Liam smirked. "You mean someone like that."
Adrian finally looked up, the faintest ghost of a smile on his lips. "You have no idea what you're talking about."
"Sure," Liam said. "Totally. And I'm not going to tell HR that our CEO has a crush on his rival."
Adrian sighed. "Good night, Liam."
Liam chuckled on his way out. "Night, boss."
---
A Strange Calm
By Friday, the tension between them had changed. It wasn't cold anymore — it was warm in a way neither wanted to name. When they crossed paths in the hall, their eyes lingered a moment too long.
When they argued, it wasn't pure frustration anymore — there was laughter hiding behind it.
It was becoming dangerous.
And neither of them knew what to do with that.
---
End Scene
That evening, as the offices emptied, Alina walked past the large glass windows and saw Adrian still at his desk across the building. He was alone, sleeves rolled up, pen in hand, focused.
She stopped without meaning to.
For a brief, suspended second, he looked up. Their eyes met — two separate worlds, one unspoken thought.
Then she turned and walked away.
Her pulse was unsteady.
Her mind, even more so.
The alliance was uneasy.
But it was already starting to feel inevitable.