The soft hum of the city outside filtered through the windows of Malia's office, but inside, the air felt thick with tension. Her phone buzzed incessantly on her desk, each notification another reminder that time was running out. The overseas expansion deal, the one she had worked for so tirelessly, was now teetering on the edge. And looming over everything was Nixus, whose presence in her life and business was beginning to feel suffocating again.
She had thought, maybe foolishly, that the worst was over. But every time she made a move forward, every time she took one more step toward her independence, Nixus found a way to slide back into the picture. He had promised that he would respect her decisions, that he would give her the space she needed, but his actions spoke louder than his words. His emails, his phone calls, and his constant presence in meetings—it was all a reminder that, no matter what, he still saw himself as a force in her world.
