*Maria POV*
I watched as she walked out, her heels clicking against the marble floor like she wanted the whole office to hear her leave. The moment the door closed, I turned and looked at Chris. He looked at me at the exact same time, and we both shrugged our shoulders.
I broke the silence first. "I will continue to say this again, you were blind then to date such a senseless lady."
He let out a tired breath and leaned against the desk. "Well, because you're my friend, I will agree. Maybe I wasn't seeing clearly then. I was even begging her to come back. And now, forgetting everything she did, she came here trying to claim what was never hers."
He was staring at me gently when he said it, and that look gave me goosebumps. We were friends, not a romantic couple. I kept telling myself that.
I straightened my blazer and grabbed my bag. "I'm leaving now before others notice that we are the only ones in the office doing nothing."
He nodded. "Okay, you can go now. And don't overwork." He said it with that quiet tone he used ever since Lisa's last scene in the lobby. I laughed, but the sound was short.
Seriously, was this the same lady who thought she could fight me for a man? A man she would fail to keep even before she started? The thought made me tired.
I went to my office. My assistant was already waiting with a folder. I handed him the documents I had prepared for the meeting. Everything was marked, tabulated, and ready. No loose ends. That was how I worked.
When the meeting time came, we walked into the hall together. Our partners were seated, expectant, and a little skeptical. Jewelry was not Chris's usual industry, and they knew it. So I started presenting. I walked them through the market research, the supplier agreements, the launch timeline, and the projections we had gathered so far.
I was not asking them to gamble. I was showing them why the jewelry opening would be successful. By the end, they were nodding. Questions turned into suggestions, and suggestions turned into commitments. At the close of the day, we had an agreement on paper.
In the evening, the office was almost empty. Chris was waiting downstairs near the back exit, where staff could not see us. We stood there for a second, the city noise low behind us.
"Get in," he said. "I would like to treat you to a meal for celebration."
I slid into the passenger seat. "Yeah, you better do. Without me, you would not have secured these partners."
He smirked as he started the car. "And that's because I have not done jewelry before."
"Stop giving yourself excuses," I said, and he laughed.
*Chris POV*
I did not plan to get this close to her. It just happened, day by day, ever since she came to my private lodge to go over the launch deck late one night. I remember thinking I would keep it professional. That lasted about a week.
I could not believe how comfortable I felt with her in my space. She would kick off her shoes, spread papers across my coffee table, and argue with me until she was right. Anytime she won a project, I took her out for dinner. It became our thing. Celebration without speeches.
Lisa, on the other hand, had been stirring trouble from the sidelines. Who knew what stupid thing she was planning this time? She hated being irrelevant, and Maria made her feel that way without trying.
We had another party tonight. We needed to attend. The partners expected to see our faces, to be given respect in person. I just hoped Lisa would not show up. From what I could see, she loved inserting herself into wealthy circles, even when she had no invitation.
The venue was full of people who wanted something from me. Investors, vendors, social climbers. They approached with smiles and empty pitches. I do not sign contracts with empty shells. I kept my answers short and my eyes on the door, waiting for Maria to come back from the restroom.
I left her alone for two minutes and that was enough. I heard my name.
"Chris."
Lisa walked toward me in a tight-fitting dress, moving like the room owed her attention. People turned. She was basking in it, chin up, smile sharp.
Then it happened. Pow. Her heel snapped. She went down hard, clutching air, her bag spilling across the floor. Mascara, lipstick, phone, all of it.
The room did not rush to help. It just stared. Someone muttered, "Who is the clown?"
I did not move to pick her up. I stepped forward to block her path to me. "Lisa. This is a private event."
Her mouth opened, ready with something cutting, but one of the partners turned to Maria, who had just returned. "Ms. Maria, shall we discuss the next collection?"
And that was it. The attention slid off Lisa and landed back on the work. On Maria.
As we walked away from the mess, I leaned in. "Told you. No contract with clowns."
She rolled her eyes, but I caught the way her pulse jumped at her throat. "Still friends, remember?"
"Sure," I said, opening the car door for her. "Friends who celebrate. Get in."
I did not know when "friends" became the worst lie I told myself. But tonight I would take dinner, her roasting me the whole ride home, and the relief that Lisa's heel broke before she could break anything else.