The cold wind from the open bus window struck the side of my face, sending a shiver racing down my spine, all the way to my toes. It had been over a week since the incident with Leo, and somehow the weather had only grown colder—like it was mocking the distance between us.
Seven days without a glimpse of him. Seven days without a word. He hadn't returned to his condo, nor had he shown up at the office. Each time I asked his secretary about him, I got the same rehearsed reply:
"Mr. Leo is out of station regarding work."
Out of station… right. More like avoiding me entirely. Avoiding my questions. Avoiding the storm he left behind in my head. The longer it went on, the more my thoughts spiraled, twisting into knots I couldn't untangle.
The bus came to a slow halt near the office, jolting me out of my daze. Without him driving me anymore, my mornings had been thrown off-balance. I had to wake up earlier than usual just to catch the bus, and I often stayed later at work because of the inconvenient schedules. It was exhausting—physically and mentally.
By the time I reached my desk, I couldn't even remember walking there. My mind had been too busy replaying the same moments over and over, like a scratched record. No matter how much I tried to focus, Leo's absence kept pulling me under.
"Hey."
The voice cut through my thoughts. I turned to find Zara standing there, her eyes scanning my face with a look that silently asked, You okay?
"Hey," I replied, forcing a small smile. "You're early."
"I had an important meeting today, so I came in ahead of time. What about you?"
"I've been coming early," I said vaguely.
She tilted her head, the faintest frown tugging at her lips. She knew. Either my expression had betrayed me, or my voice had given me away.
"Tell me what happened."
I put on a brighter smile, trying to make my voice sound lighter than I felt. "It's nothing—just work."
But even as I said it, I knew she didn't believe me. And worse… I didn't believe myself.
She gripped the arms of my chair and spun it around so I was facing her directly. Leaning in close, her eyes locked onto mine. "Don't even try to hide it from me." Her voice dropped to a low, dangerous tone as she leaned even closer, her lips almost brushing my ear. "If you won't speak, I have other ways to squeeze the truth out of you."
When she leaned back, it was with deliberate slowness. She perched herself against the desk behind me, arms folded, gaze sharp and expectant. Zara's presence alone was enough to send a chill through my veins—her temper wasn't something most men could handle.
I pushed my chair back and stood, scanning the office. A few people had started trickling in, their curious glances making my skin itch. "Let's talk somewhere private," I said, jerking my head toward the terrace. The last thing I needed was rumors about me and Leo.
The terrace greeted us with a blast of icy wind, sharp enough to sting my skin and whip through my hair. It carried with it the weight of the past week, the memory of that night clawing back into my mind. We stood by the edge of the building, the city sprawling beneath us, lights blinking faintly against the grey morning. I turned away from her, my eyes fixed on the horizon.
"Leo's gone… somewhere," I said, my voice heavy.
"Gone?" Her brows shot up. "What do you mean gone? Weren't you two living together? I thought things were going well."
"We weren't really living together—it was just the situation that made it happen."
"Yeah, that," she said with a nod. "If things were fine between you two, then why would he leave so suddenly?"
I drew in a slow breath, the cold air burning my lungs. "Well… what happened was—" And I told her. Every moment, every word, every detail from that night spilled out, the cold wind carrying my voice while she listened in silence. She didn't interrupt, didn't question—just stood beside me, her eyes on the same skyline I was staring at, letting me empty my thoughts.
"He grabbed his coat and left. That was the last time I saw him… or spoke to him," I finished, my voice fading into the wind.
"You guys haven't made any contact since then?"
"Yep." I nodded, my gaze fixed on the ground.
"Have you tried calling him?"
"No." My voice was quieter now. "The thought came to me, but it's just…"
"You don't have the courage to call him," she finished for me.
I didn't confirm it. But I didn't deny it either. Endless hours had been spent staring at the screen that displayed Leo's phone number. The thought of calling him never left my mind, but I didn't know if it was the right thing to do. And if I did… I had no idea what I would even say to him.
My face stayed blank, weighed down by an unknown feeling that gnawed at me from the inside. I wasn't angry at him—not exactly. I didn't even know what I felt. I tried explaining it to Zara, even the part where I couldn't name the emotion.
"Oh man! You are so in love." Her eyes lit up, and a huge smile spread across her face.
"Love?" I let out a short laugh. "I don't think so."
"Call it whatever you want," she said with certainty. "But I know this fake relationship is going to turn real. And as for that matter—leave it to me."
The smirk on her lips was dangerous, the kind that told me she was plotting something. I didn't have a good feeling about it.
And love… I still wasn't sure. I'd been in a few relationships before, but I'd never felt anything like this. This was completely different. For now, all I wanted was to see him again and clear the air between us.