**
For the next few days, Ava Collins made a concerted effort to remain unnoticed. She arrived at work before anyone else, stayed late, and kept her head down. However, working so closely with Liam Kingsley made it nearly impossible to hide.
Every glance they exchanged, every time their hands brushed over the same document—it all felt charged, alive, and risky. She could sense the curious stares of her coworkers as well. In an office filled with sharp eyes and even sharper tongues, rumors spread quickly.
One afternoon, as Ava entered the break room, the hushed conversation of two employees abruptly stopped. She only caught snippets—"the boss," "his assistant," "late meetings." Her heart raced. She turned away, pretending not to hear them, but their whispers trailed her out the door.
Later that day, Liam called her into his office again. His expression was hard to read, though his eyes softened when they met hers.
"You've been avoiding me," he said plainly.
Ava hesitated. "People are starting to talk. I don't want to complicate things for you."
Liam sighed and leaned back against his desk. "Let them talk. I'm not bothered by office gossip."
"But I am," she replied quietly. "You're their boss. I'm just… me."
For the first time, his confidence wavered. "Do you think I don't worry about that too? About what this means for us?"
She looked up in surprise; there was a vulnerability in his voice that she hadn't expected from someone perceived as unshakeable.
He stepped closer and lowered his voice. "Ava, if I could go back in time, maybe I would have stopped that first kiss. But now? I can't bring myself to regret it."
Her heart ached at his words. She wanted to express that she felt the same way, but the sound of footsteps outside made her freeze.
Liam noticed too; instantly, his tone shifted back to businesslike professionalism. "Thank you for the reports, Miss Collins. You can leave them on my desk."
Ava set down the file with trembling hands. As she turned to leave, he whispered, "Be careful. People are watching."
As she closed the door behind her, she felt the weight of his warning.
In their world—a world governed by rules, money, and appearances—love remained their greatest secret of all.