Four Years Later…
Aria hurried through the small apartment, a garment bag draped over one arm and a half-eaten piece of toast in her mouth. "Noah, sweetie, where are your shoes?" she called, voice slightly muffled.
"Here, Mommy!" A curly-haired boy of about three-almost-four came bounding out of the bedroom, one sneaker on and the other in his hand. Noah's dark hair stuck out in unruly tufts, and there was a smudge of cereal on his round cheek. Despite the morning rush, Aria couldn't help a smile at the sight. Noah had inherited her brown waves but those eyes—stormy gray, keen and expressive—were unmistakably his father's. Every time she looked into her son's eyes, she felt a pang, a mix of love and a faint ache of memory. Not that she allowed herself to dwell on the past.
"Come here, bug." Aria crouched and swiftly wiped the bit of milk and cereal from Noah's cheek with a napkin. She popped the toast from her mouth and gently slid the remaining sneaker onto his little foot. "There we go. Ready?"
Noah nodded enthusiastically. "Miss Rosa says I'm the best counter in class. I can count to fifty!" he declared proudly.
"That's amazing!" Aria beamed, ruffling his hair. "You'll have to show me later, okay? Right now, we've got to get you to preschool, and Mommy has a very important meeting."
"'Portant meeting," Noah repeated seriously as he grabbed his dinosaur-themed backpack. "Are you gonna show your drawin's, Mommy?"
Aria laughed softly. "Yes, my drawings and designs. If it goes well, maybe I'll get a really big project to work on."
Noah gave her a toothy grin. "You can do it! You're the best designer in the world!" he announced with the pure confidence only a child could have.
A warm rush of affection filled Aria. She pressed a kiss to Noah's forehead. "Thank you, honey. That means a lot."
Moments later, Aria had ushered Noah out the door and down the two flights of stairs (the elevator in their old building was perpetually out of order). Mrs. Alvarez, their kindly neighbor who often watched Noah in a pinch, was waiting in the lobby to walk him the short block to the preschool.
"You're a lifesaver, Maria," Aria sighed, handing off Noah's hand to the grey-haired woman.
"Nonsense. I love spending time with this little angel," Mrs. Alvarez replied, patting Noah's head. "We'll go get pancakes after I drop him off, won't we, Noah?"
"Pancakes!" Noah cheered, bouncing on his toes.
Aria smiled gratefully, bending to give her son one more hug. "Be good, okay? I'll pick you up this afternoon."
"Okay, Mommy." Noah hugged her tightly, then looked up with a suddenly solemn expression. "Mommy? Are you nervous for your meeting?"
Aria blinked; sometimes Noah was startlingly perceptive. The truth was, she was nervous. This opportunity was a desperately needed break for her career. After years of doing small freelance jobs and working part-time at a boutique, she finally had a shot at something bigger. A friend had recommended her for a contract design project with one of the largest corporations in the city. Even without knowing all the details, Aria knew this could open doors.
She smoothed a hand over Noah's hair. "Maybe a little, but I'll be okay. Knowing you're cheering for me helps."
The boy gave a firm nod, as if this settled the matter. "I'll cheer extra loud, in here." He thumped a little fist to his chest.
With another round of thanks to Mrs. Alvarez, Aria set off for her meeting. The morning air was crisp as she hurried to the subway, and she mentally reviewed her portfolio and presentation during the ride uptown.
Thirty minutes later, she stepped off the elevator into the gleaming lobby of Knight Enterprises' headquarters, nerves thrumming in her stomach. The building soared into the sky, all steel and glass—a testament to modern architecture. Aria clutched her portfolio case a little tighter. She'd heard of Knight Enterprises, of course—who hadn't? They were a multinational conglomerate dabbling in everything from tech to luxury consumer goods. But until her friend Hannah had forwarded her resume to an acquaintance in their design department, Aria never imagined she'd get a call for an interview here.
She still didn't know many specifics—only that the company was looking to commission fresh designs for an upcoming product line launch, and they were considering external designers. It felt almost too good to be true to have made the shortlist. Perhaps her small but creative online portfolio had caught someone's eye.
Aria gave her name at the reception and was directed to the 42nd floor. As she rode the elevator up, she focused on steadying her breathing. You belong here, she told herself. You've worked hard for this—just do your best.
Exiting into a sleek hallway, Aria was met by a young woman with a clipboard. "Ms. Williams? Welcome," the woman greeted politely. "I'm Jenna, from the design team. We spoke on the phone."
"Yes, of course. Nice to meet you." Aria mustered a confident smile.
"If you'll follow me, we have a conference room set up. The team will review your portfolio and hear your ideas. It's informal, nothing to worry about," Jenna said kindly, sensing Aria's jitters.
Aria followed Jenna into a spacious conference room with a breathtaking view of the city skyline. A long glass table occupied the center, and a few people in business attire were already seated—likely department heads or senior designers. They offered courteous nods as she entered.
"Please, have a seat," Jenna said, gesturing to a chair. "We're just waiting for—"
Before she could finish, the door swung open behind them. A hush fell as someone entered. Aria, who had been busy pulling out a few sample lookbooks from her bag, glanced up—and felt the world tilt on its axis.
Damien Knight strode into the room, exuding the same commanding presence that had once made her heart race in a dark hotel bar years ago. He was a vision of cold perfection in a tailored charcoal suit, his expression unreadable as his steel-gray eyes swept over the room—and landed on her.
Aria went rigid, her mind blanking. It can't be. She was dimly aware of Jenna speaking up, "Ah, Mr. Knight, we're just about to start."
Mr. Knight. Damien… Knight. In a single, gut-punching moment, Aria connected the dots—her one-night stranger was none other than the CEO of Knight Enterprises himself.