Ariana spent the night restless, unable to sleep. It had been five years since her father's passing, yet tonight felt heavier than usual. She sat by the window, staring into the void, her mind spiraling with the events of the day.
The room was silent, the air thick with unease, until the faint sound of an engine broke through. Ariana glanced toward the entrance, startled by the sight of Leonardo's car parked outside. She froze, her heart pounding as she watched him from the window.
He stood by the car, his posture rigid, his head tilted slightly upward, looking directly at her window—or so it seemed. She gasped and quickly moved away from the window, her back pressed against the wall. No, he can't see me from this distance… Can he?
Still, she couldn't resist peeking through the curtains once more, her hands trembling. He was still there, unmoving, his gaze fixed at her window. Her breath hitched as she tried to decipher his expression, but the dim light and shadows obscured his face.
Why is he here? What does he want now?
A sudden chill ran down her spine as she heard the faint creak of footsteps approaching her room. Panic bubbled within her, but she remained rooted in place, straining to hear. Was he coming inside?
Her thoughts spiraled, colliding with flashes of the day's events. Hannah. The meeting. The audacity. She clenched her fists, anger rising within her like a storm.
Hannah's words echoed in her mind:
"I've been seeing him every day."
"He told me about the nature of your marriage."
"We want a divorce."
Ariana scoffed at the memory, her lips curling in disdain. A divorce?
But beneath the anger, a pang of betrayal lingered. Her mind drifted to Leonardo—the man she once thought might stand by her. How naive. He's nothing but a hypocrite, chasing after the same woman who left him shattered once before.
A single tear slipped down her cheek, but she wiped it away forcefully, as if denying herself the luxury of pain. She stood taller, her resolve hardening. This is the end of one chapter and the start of another.
The sound of footsteps faded, and the house fell silent once more. Ariana turned away from the window, her mind racing but her heart steady. Tomorrow, she vowed, would be different. She would no longer be the woman trapped in her circumstances.
And with that, she walked toward her bed, ready to face whatever the next day would bring.
The next day, Ariana was scheduled to be at the office by eight in the morning. Rushing to leave the house on time, she skipped breakfast, deciding she'd have it at the company cafeteria instead.
She barely managed to get herself ready, glancing in the mirror as she finished. The faint shadows under her eyes from a restless night were concealed with light makeup, but the heaviness in her heart lingered. Letting out a deep sigh, she grabbed her bag and left.
At the company, she headed straight to the cafeteria after clocking in. The aroma of fresh pastries and coffee was a brief comfort as she scanned the room. Spotting a quiet corner, she moved toward it, but just as she sat down, she saw Liam waving at her from across the room.
With a tray of breakfast in hand, he approached her table, setting down a cup of steaming milk and a plate of warm pastries. His easy smile lightened the mood as he sat opposite her.
"Good morning," he said warmly. "You seem… distant. Did you have a rough night, or is it just another hectic morning?"
Ariana smiled faintly, appreciating the gesture but unsure how to respond. She wasn't one to share her personal struggles, especially not with a colleague.
"It's nothing," she replied after a moment, her voice calm but distant. "Just the usual chaos of mornings. Thanks for this." She gestured toward the tray.
Liam leaned back in his chair, studying her for a moment. "You know, sometimes it's okay to admit things aren't fine," he said softly, his tone genuine. "But if you'd rather talk about something else, I can provide endless office gossip instead."
That made her chuckle despite herself. "Office gossip, huh? Sounds tempting. Go on, then—what's the latest?"
Liam grinned, launching into a lighthearted story about a ridiculous mix-up in the marketing department. For a while, Ariana let herself relax, grateful for the distraction.
As the conversation continued, she couldn't help but think how simple moments like these—small acts of kindness—were a rarity in her life. But she also knew better than to dwell on fleeting comforts. She had work to focus on and challenges ahead to face.
at her office she immediately immersed herself in the mountain of tasks waiting for her. The bustling energy of the workplace felt like the perfect escape, a chance to distract herself from the turmoil of the previous night.
Her desk was piled high with reports, emails to respond to, and project outlines requiring her attention. She rolled up her sleeves, determined to focus solely on the tasks at hand. Every minute spent analyzing data, drafting proposals, and fielding calls became a way to quiet the storm in her mind.
By mid-morning, she found herself unusually productive. Her hands moved quickly over the keyboard, her mind sharp and focused. Colleagues passed by her desk occasionally, exchanging pleasantries, but she remained politely distant, avoiding anything that could derail her concentration.
The hours slipped by as she buried herself in her work. Every completed task brought a small sense of accomplishment, but it was more than that—it was a reprieve. The demands of her job left no room for lingering thoughts about yesterday's confrontation or the emotions it had stirred.
During a brief break, Ariana leaned back in her chair and sipped her coffee, staring at the screen in front of her. A faint sigh escaped her lips as her mind momentarily drifted back to last night's events. Shaking her head, she forced herself to refocus.
"This isn't the time," she murmured to herself. "You have work to do."
By the end of the day, Ariana had managed to cross off nearly every item on her to-do list. The exhaustion she felt was physical rather than emotional, and she welcomed it. She knew she couldn't avoid her problems forever, but for now, throwing herself into her responsibilities gave her a much-needed sense of control.
As she packed up her belongings to leave, a faint resolve settled in her chest.didn't know what she should do with leon but she needs to talk to him for sure.