Amara's POV:
This is my last day of this internship, and I am excited as well as nervous because these 3 months were actually good, I got exposure, learnt a lot, and yes, met a few really helpful persons.
"Ama, come and have your breakfast," mom called from the kitchen."Coming," I replied as soon as I could, cause a delay for 1 second means calling mom here while yelling at me. I carried my stuff and left the room.
"Mom, where is Jia? I haven't seen her since this morning. Has she already left for work?" I asked mom because this was the first time we didn't share a morning together."Yeah, she told me to wish you 'Good Morning' because it's a lot of work there in the office, so she left early," said mom, and I nodded. After having my breakfast, I said Goodbye to mom and left for the office.
I was early today, so I simply took my seat and started my work. I began drafting an email to the manager about my internship completion and everything I had learned. My fingers were typing steadily until I heard my boss's voice coming from behind.
I turned instinctively, ready to greet him, but my breath caught when I saw him. The angel from the magazines, the man who had accidentally stepped into my thoughts far too many times—standing casually beside Carter, his presence making the office lights feel dim in comparison. Black coat, perfectly set dark hair, and those piercing blue eyes that seemed to search beyond the surface. They weren't just colleagues—they looked like old friends, sharing a low chuckle that made me feel like an intruder into a world I didn't belong.
"Miss Salvatore," called Mr. Carter William, pulling me out of my haze. I straightened myself quickly, almost fumbling my words.
"Good morning, Carter. Good morning, Mr. Mickelson," I greeted both of them, my voice soft but steady.
Carter returned the greeting with his usual warmth. But Vihaan didn't. Instead, his brows furrowed slightly, curiosity flickering in his ocean-blue eyes.
"Miss Salvatore? As far as I know, you two are sisters, and she is Jia Morgan. Then you being a Salvatore, how?"
And there it was. The question I had dreaded—the string tugging at the carefully wrapped bundle of my identity. For a heartbeat, the world went quiet, and all my hidden anxiety rushed up like a tide threatening to drown me. My throat dried; my lips parted but no sound came out. Why today? Why him? Why now, on my last day?
"Sir, sorry to interrupt, but we need to leave now. The council board meeting is about to start," said a man stepping toward them.
Vihaan's gaze lingered on me for a fraction longer, sharp but not unkind. "Umm, yeah, then excuse me, Carter. I need to leave. See you, Miss Amara." His voice was gentle, like an unexpected lifeline.
I couldn't bring myself to reply. My lips curved into the smallest smile, one that barely masked the storm inside me. He walked away, and I stood frozen, my heart hammering. Why does everything have to turn like this? Why now?
"Amara, it's the last day of your internship, so what's the plan after this?" asked Mr. William.
"Just three days of break and my college vacations will end, so rewinding the college again," I answered him as if giving a speech.
"That's good. But you know, Amara," he said, leaning back slightly in his chair, "you have a spark that not every intern carries. Don't let it fade when you go back. Keep questioning, keep learning. That's what will take you far."
I couldn't help but smile genuinely this time. "Yeah, thank you, Carter. I'll keep that in mind."
"Good," he said with a proud nod, "and don't forget, if you ever want guidance, my door is open."
I felt a small warmth spread in my chest — maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to end the internship on this note after all.
Jia's POV:
I was still thinking about yesterday's incident and was literally not able to forget it. The thought kept replaying like a stuck record. I wanted to rethink it until it becomes clear to me—am I really jealous of my Ama, or was it just the overwhelming stress of work that made me react that way yesterday?
"Jia, Mr. Mickelson has called you," said Daizy.
"Called me? Why?" I asked in astonishment, my voice coming out higher than I intended. This was the first time he had ever called me.
"I clearly don't know, but be easy, it's not anything serious, he might be asking you about your internship," Daizy replied with her ever-enticing smile.
"Ok, I will see," I told her, though my heart was already beating faster, and left.
"May I come in, Sir?" I asked with a knock at his cabin.
"Yes, Jia, please come in." Mr. Mickelson's voice was calm, almost too calm—it carried that quiet authority that made you straighten your back without even realizing it.
"Have a seat, Jia," he said while gesturing towards the chair in front of the table.
"Thank you, Sir," I said while sitting, trying to hide how my palms had suddenly gone cold.
"I wanted to talk to you about your internship. How was it? You learned something?" he asked me, finally shifting his attention from his papers to me.
That one look was enough to make my carefully built composure wobble. We never had any conversation before, but I must say—if this is how he talks, then he's better off not talking to any other girl, because he sounds way too good, way too nice, the kind of voice that could make anyone fall in love without even trying.
"It's really nice working here as an intern. I really never expected my teammates to be this cooperative," I replied, full of enthusiasm but also aware my words were tumbling out a little too fast.
"Just as an intern, not as a full-time employee," he said in a slightly concerned tone.
"No, no, no, I didn't mean this. What I am saying is it's really good to work here, whether as an employee or as an intern," I blurted out as fast as I could.
And then he started giggling. A quiet, genuine laugh that filled the room. My heart stuttered. I froze, confused about what to say, how to react, or even how to breathe.
"Relax, Jia, I was just trying to make this ambiance a bit less tense," he said while composing himself.
"By the way, Jia, what's your full name, just for your certificate purpose?" he asked in a calm voice.
"Umm, it's Jia Morgan, sir," I replied, suddenly hyperaware of every syllable, as if my name carried a new kind of weight.
"Ok, Jia, nice interacting with you. Keep working hard," he said while handing me a case report.
"Thank you, sir," I said, my voice steadier now but my heart nowhere close to calm. Saying this, I left the cabin with a smile that lingered longer than I intended.
Maybe I was overthinking yesterday… or maybe this was the beginning of something I wasn't ready to admit yet.