The morning came too soon.Amara woke to the faint light filtering through her thin curtains, the kind that softened the edges of everything but not the pain. Her eyes were swollen, her throat sore from silent tears. The air felt heavy—like grief had settled in her chest and refused to leave.
She lay still for a long time, staring at the ceiling, her mind replaying Kael's voice from the night before.Six months.That was what they agreed on. Six months of living under the same roof. Six months of pretending to be engaged. Six months of watching the man she loved treat her like a stranger.
She pressed her palm against her chest as if she could quiet the ache there. But nothing eased it.Kael's face haunted her—the sharp anger in his eyes, the disbelief that someone like her could be tied to him. Every memory she had of him once laughing, once soft, now felt like a cruel mirage.
Still, she rose.She always did.
Her reflection in the mirror looked ghostly. Pale skin, red-rimmed eyes, dark hair that fell like a curtain over her face. She gathered it into a low bun, forcing herself into neatness. Her blouse was crisp white, her long skirt pressed. Her armor for the day. The same plain outfit people mocked, calling her old-fashioned or eerie.
She didn't care—until today.Today, their whispers would mean more. Because she knew Kael hadn't kept last night a secret.
And if he hadn't said it himself, someone had.Whispers always found a way to her. They crept like shadows—small, cruel, and impossible to silence.
By the time she arrived at Navarro Corporation, sunlight glinted against the glass tower like a mirror reflecting every imperfection she wanted to hide. The lobby buzzed with energy—heels clicking, voices rising, laughter echoing. But as soon as she stepped in, the sound faltered.
Eyes turned.Smiles twisted into smirks.Whispers bloomed like poison flowers.
"Is it true? She's engaged to Mr. Kael?""No way. She's not even his type.""Maybe Mr. Navarro forced him. You know he's fond of her."
Amara's fingers clenched around her bag strap. Each word stung, but she kept walking, her heels clicking too softly to drown them out. Her heart thudded in her ears as she reached her desk, lowered her gaze, and tried to lose herself in work—numbers, reports, anything that didn't bleed emotion.
She didn't notice him right away.But she felt him.
Kael's presence filled the room before his voice did—sharp, commanding, impossible to ignore."Come to my office."
Her breath hitched. She turned, meeting his cold hazel eyes. For a moment, her heart betrayed her—lighting up at the sight of him, the way it always had. But the warmth died instantly when she saw the hard line of his mouth, the anger simmering behind his stare.
Her co-workers fell silent. The air tightened. She rose and followed him, each step heavier than the last. When the door to his office shut behind them, she saw someone sitting by the window—Jake Miller, Kael's close friend.
Amara barely had time to wonder why he was there before Kael turned to her, fury sparking in his eyes."You didn't waste time, did you?" His tone was sharp enough to cut.She blinked, confused. "I don't understand—""Oh, you understand perfectly," he snapped. "Half the company knows about the engagement. I didn't say a word. That leaves one person—you."
Her lips parted, trembling. "Kael, I didn't—""Don't," he bit out, raising a hand to stop her. His voice was low but dangerous. "I should've known you'd use this to your advantage. My grandfather makes one sentimental request, and suddenly you're spreading it like gossip. Do you have any idea what this looks like?"
Her voice was small, cracking at the edges. "I didn't tell anyone."He gave a humorless laugh. "Right. You expect me to believe that?"
Her throat closed. The injustice of it hurt more than the accusation itself. She wanted to scream that she would never humiliate him, never use his grandfather's kindness that way. But Kael wasn't listening. He was looking at her like she was a stranger—no, worse, a liar.
"This engagement means nothing," he said, each word deliberate and cold. "I'll play along for Grandpa's sake, but once I convince him, it's over. Don't mistake this for anything else."
Something in her chest cracked.But she still nodded, because that was what Amara did—she endured."I understand," she whispered.
Kael stepped closer, his voice lowering. "And don't follow me around. Don't act like we're something we're not. I don't see you that way, Amara. I never have."
The final blow landed like ice water down her spine. Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She simply nodded again, her fingers digging into the hem of her blouse to keep from trembling.
When he turned away, dismissing her, she walked out like a shadow, numb to the stares that followed. Every whisper outside his office felt louder, crueler, sharper.
Inside, Kael stood with his hands clenched at his sides, anger burning hot."She didn't even flinch," he muttered. "Not a shred of guilt."
Jake's throat went dry. He wanted to speak—to tell Kael it wasn't Amara who'd spoken, but him. The secret had slipped out in the haze of whiskey and anger the night before. A careless confession to the wrong ears.But guilt rooted him in silence.He watched Kael pace like a storm barely contained, and shame pressed heavy against his ribs.
When Amara returned to her desk, she sat still for a long time. Her hands shook faintly as she reached for her keyboard. The whispers hadn't stopped.They had simply grown meaner.
Her world, already fragile, was breaking—quietly, piece by piece.And the man she loved was the one holding the hammer.