Across the city, Emily sat in her dimly lit room, hunched over her laptop, drowning in a sea of paperwork. The soft hum of her computer and the distant city sounds were the only company she had. Her eyes burned from exhaustion, but she refused to stop. She had been clawing her way back into her career, desperately trying to prove she was still worthy.
Yet, no matter how hard she worked, a single thought kept creeping back into her mind.
Him.
Her boss. The man who had unknowingly shattered her walls. The way he looked at her, the way his presence filled the room—why did it feel so different? So… dangerous?
A sharp chime pulled her from her thoughts.
Emily blinked, glancing at her screen. An email notification blinked ominously. She clicked it.
And froze.
The subject line read:
FINAL SUMMONS.
Her heart dropped.
Her fingers trembled as she clicked the email open, scanning the words over and over again, hoping she had read them wrong. But the truth was cold and merciless.
Her breath hitched.
"This is it," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. "My last chance. If I fail now... everything is over."
Panic surged through her veins. Her chair scraped against the wooden floor as she shot up, grabbing her bag in a rush. There was no time for hesitation. No time for doubt.
She had to go.
Racing outside, she barely registered the cold night air biting at her skin. The world around her was a blur. Her mind only had room for one thought:
Get to the office.
She hailed a taxi with a desperate wave, her voice shaking as she spoke.
"Please—I need to get to my office. Fast."
The driver, sensing the urgency, nodded and sped off.
The city lights blurred past the window, but Emily's thoughts were racing even faster.
"If I fail now, everything I've worked for will be gone. Every truth, every secret, will stay hidden if I can't get this job back."
Her pulse pounded in her ears, drowning out everything else.
By the time the car screeched to a halt in front of her office building, her hands were clammy, her throat dry. She barely muttered a thanks before pushing the door open and stepping into the towering glass structure.
Inside, the lobby stretched before her—cold, pristine, and indifferent. It was a place filled with endless possibilities, yet tonight, it felt like a battlefield.
Her gaze darted around until they landed on a figure—Ana, one of the workers.
Emily rushed toward her, her breath uneven.
"Excuse me, Ana," she whispered, barely audible over the hum of the building. "Do you know where… where I need to go for my job meeting?"
Ana frowned, concern flickering in her eyes.
"You have to go to the 69th floor. Af—"
But Emily didn't wait.
"Thank you," she said, already sprinting toward the elevators, missing whatever Ana was about to say.
As she jabbed the button impatiently, her hands trembled.
"I won't let this slip away. Not again."
Ethan sat behind his desk, his fingers drumming lightly against the polished surface. The room was dimly lit, casting sharp shadows along the walls. He had barely touched the untouched stack of files before him. His mind was elsewhere.
The shrill ring of his phone snapped him back to reality. He glanced at the screen.
Father.
His jaw tightened.
Reluctantly, he answered.
His father's voice came through, cold and devoid of warmth.
"Come to the hotel. There's an important meeting for the company's future. If you're late… then think about your own."
The line went dead before Ethan could respond.
He exhaled shakily, staring at the silent phone in his hand. He wasn't surprised. He was never given a choice.
Without a word, he picked up his own phone and dialed Oliver's number.
"Come to my office. We need to go," he said, his voice steady.
Minutes later, Oliver burst in, his expression laced with concern.
"Boss, what happened?"
Ethan hesitated. Then, in a softer voice, he muttered, "I know you have a lot of questions about me… but remember, I fell down the stairs. That's all there is to know."
The lie was weak. And Oliver knew it.
Oliver smiled slightly, choosing not to push further. "Boss, I just care about your health. I believe whatever you say."
Then, as if just remembering, Ethan ran a hand through his hair. "Oh, I forgot to tell you—we need to go to the hotel. My father called. There's an important meeting."
Oliver nodded. "Alright, Boss. Let's get this over with. Should I help you? You're still hurt."
Oliver extended his hand.
For a moment, Ethan hesitated before taking it with a rare, soft smile.
Together, they made their way to the elevator. As they stepped inside, the air between them grew thick with tension—an unspoken weight neither addressed. A few employees stood with them, their presence stiff and awkward.
Ethan, sensing the discomfort, forced a smile. "How's work? Anyone facing any problems?"
A chorus of forced smiles followed. "No, Boss. Everything is fine."
The elevator dinged.
The doors slid open.
And then… time stopped.
Emily stood just outside the elevator, her heart racing.
And there he was.
Ethan.
Their eyes locked.
A rush of emotions surged between them, unspoken yet deafening.
Ethan's breath caught in his throat. His world tilted.
Emily's heart pounded violently against her ribs. Something inside her stirred—something raw, something she had buried deep.
A memory flashed in her mind—
Arms wrapped around her. A whispered promise in the dark.
"When two hearts beat as one, they are soulmates."
She never saw his face that night. Only his eyes.
And now… those same eyes were staring back at her.
The world faded. The people around them disappeared. The city, the office, the problems—none of it mattered.
It was just them.
Two souls, tangled in fate.
Ethan wanted to move. To speak. To say something—anything. But all he could do was feel.
Then, Oliver's voice shattered the silence.
"Ethan, we need to go."
The spell broke.
Ethan blinked, reality crashing back.
Emily stood frozen, her lips parted slightly, still lost in whatever just happened.
Ethan let Oliver guide him away, but just before stepping out of sight, he stole one last, lingering glance at her.
Emily, standing motionless, whispered under her breath:
"What just happened?"
And deep in his heart, Ethan already knew—
Fate had just brought them back together.