The days after Ethan's apology felt like walking on ground that shifted beneath her feet. Liana tried to return to her routine, tried to silence the ache his presence had reignited, but everything felt heavier, her mornings, her thoughts, even the air around her.
She kept the letter he left on her nightstand, unopened, its edges softening from how often she moved it from place to place without ever breaking the seal. Sometimes she found herself staring at it while getting ready for work, wondering what words he had written with shaking hands. Other times she shoved it into a drawer, as if hiding it would make the storm in her chest disappear. But it didn't.
Still, she forced herself to focus on work. After the scandal Camille created, Liana's company fought hard to clear her name. And there was one person who stepped forward to defend her with such quiet confidence that even the board members had listened: the new CEO, Adrian Hale.
Liana had only met him twice before, once in an elevator and once during a meeting, but the memory of those interactions lingered. He had a presence that softened a room, tall and impeccably dressed, with a calm voice that felt strangely soothing.
He didn't try to intimidate, didn't raise his voice, didn't use power as a shield the way so many executives she had met before did. Instead, he listened. He asked questions. He treated her with a respect she wasn't used to receiving. And that morning, when she stepped into his office after receiving a message from his assistant, she wasn't prepared for what he was about to give her.
Adrian stood by the window, sunlight outlining him like a soft halo around his frame. When he turned to face her, she felt an unexpected warmth settle low in her stomach. He smiled, not flirtatious, not overconfident, but genuine. "Liana. Thank you for coming."
She sat, clasping her hands lightly in her lap. "You wanted to see me, sir?"
He chuckled gently. "Adrian, please. You work directly under me now. Titles get old quickly."
Her brows lifted. She hadn't known that. "I do?"
His smile widened. "You will, if you accept what I'm about to offer." He walked toward his desk, opening a folder and sliding a set of documents toward her. "A new project. High-profile. Highly delicate. And I want you to lead it."
She blinked, stunned. "Lead it? Me?"
"Why does that surprise you?" he asked softly as he took the chair across from her. "You're sharp. Stable under pressure. You understand market shifts faster than most of the department combined. And-" he paused, lowering his voice, "-I don't tolerate watching talent being punished for scandals they didn't create."
Her chest tightened. If she hadn't known better, she could have mistaken his tone for someone who genuinely wanted her to heal. Someone who saw her worth. Someone who wasn't trying to own her, but empower her.
She looked through the project file, scanning the summary. As she read, her heart skipped. The project was a massive marketing collaboration with an international firm, one that happened to be a direct competitor to Cole Industries. Ethan's company.
Liana swallowed. "You… you know this puts my work directly against Ethan's firm."
Adrian nodded once. "I'm aware. Is that a problem for you?"
She hesitated, fingers gripping the edge of the folder more tightly. It should have been a problem. The thought of standing on the opposite end of Ethan in a professional setting sent a twist of something complicated through her chest. But the other part of her, the part that still flinched at the memory of betrayal, pain, and loss, told her it might be time she built something on her own, something no one could take credit for except her.
"No," she said finally, lifting her chin. "It's not a problem."
Adrian's expression softened as though he had expected nothing less. "Good. Then the project is yours."
Her breath hitched. It felt surreal. After everything she had been through, someone was trusting her to lead something monumental. She couldn't stop the small smile that formed. "Thank you. Truly."
His gaze lingered on her a moment longer, calm and unreadable. "You deserve it, Liana. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
The rest of the week was a blur of preparations, meetings, late hours, and brainstorming sessions. And every day, Adrian became a stronger presence in her life, sometimes professionally, sometimes as someone who simply noticed when she needed to step away from her laptop and breathe. She didn't miss the subtle ways he supported her: the way he redirected heated conversations to protect her, the way he sat beside her during major discussions instead of across the table, grounding her quietly.
Their chemistry grew naturally. Not explosive or chaotic like what she had shared with Ethan. Adrian's presence felt steady, warm, like gentle reassurance rather than wild fire.
One evening, after they finished a final round of presentations, Adrian suggested grabbing dinner to celebrate their progress. The restaurant he chose was soft-lit and elegant, far from the noisy places she used to go with Ethan. Adrian held doors for her, asked questions about her day, and made her laugh with dry, unexpected humour. Something in her eased in his presence, as if she could breathe differently around him.
At one point, he looked at her with a softness that sent a flutter through her chest. "You're stronger than you think, Liana."
She lowered her eyelashes for a moment. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just learning not to break so easily."
His voice gentled further. "Either way, I admire you."
Her heart tightened, this time in a way that didn't hurt.
For the first time in months, she felt herself leaning toward someone without fear. She didn't know whether it was friendship or something more, but it was real.
And that terrified her too.
As the gala approached, a major industry event where their project would be officially announced, Liana found herself growing both excited and anxious. Adrian had arranged for them to attend together as representatives of the new collaboration. She spent the afternoon preparing, choosing a gown that balanced elegance with subtle boldness, wanting to show she had risen from everything thrown at her.
When Adrian arrived to pick her up, his eyes widened slightly, admiration coloring his voice. "You look stunning."
Something warm spread in her chest. "Thank you."
They entered the gala side by side. Cameras flashed. People whispered. Liana felt her confidence settle around her shoulders like a second skin. Adrian's presence at her side only made her feel steadier.
What she didn't know was that Ethan was already there. And he was watching.
He stood near the far end of the hall, talking to a group of investors, but his words faltered the moment he saw her walk in. He froze; breath caught in his chest as his eyes locked on her. She looked radiant, calm, strong, more self-assured than he had ever seen her. But what made something inside him snap was the sight of Adrian's hand resting lightly on the small of her back as he guided her through the crowd.
Ethan's jaw clenched. His fists curled. A dangerous tension rippled through him like a fuse being lit.
Liana and Adrian were approached by several executives, and she handled each conversation with grace. But Adrian's subtle protective stance around her didn't go unnoticed, especially by Ethan, who was already unravelling.
When Ethan finally pushed through the crowd toward them, Liana saw him too late. She stiffened instinctively, her chest tightening at the expression on his face, raw, burning, and barely controlled.
"Liana," Ethan said, voice low but trembling. "Can we talk?"
Adrian stepped slightly forward, his tone calm but firm. "She's in the middle of something. You need to wait."
Ethan turned his glare onto him. "This has nothing to do with you."
"It does," Adrian replied evenly. "Because she's with me tonight."
The surrounding guests began to sense the tension, whispers rising. Liana felt panic rising in her throat. "Ethan, please, don't make a scene."
But Ethan's heart was already spiralling. Seeing her beside another man, hearing her defend him, remembering the letter she still hadn't responded to, every emotion he had bottled up broke through at once.
Adrian placed a hand on her arm, lightly, reassuringly. It was a simple gesture. Gentle. Harmless.
But to Ethan, it was the spark that hit gasoline.
He stepped forward, eyes blazing. "Get your hands off her."
Adrian straightened. "Or what?"
There was no hesitation. No thought. Only a blur of instinct and jealousy and fear. Ethan's fist connected with Adrian's jaw with a violent crack that echoed through the hall. Gasps erupted. Cameras turned instantly. Adrian stumbled back, shock flashing across his face.
Liana froze, horror rushing through her.
Ethan stood there breathing hard, chest heaving, fury burning through him. But underneath the rage was unmistakable pain.
He didn't just see them together.
He broke.
And the entire room watched it happen.
That moment shattered everything, her newfound stability, Ethan's control, and the fragile balance between past and present.
Liana stood in the centre of it all, her heart pounding as the world around her spiralled into chaos.
And she knew, with chilling clarity, that nothing would ever be the same after this.