(Ella's POV)
I had spent years perfecting the art of control.
Control over my business.
Control over my emotions.
Control over my own damn heart.
But ever since that night—since Leo Sterling showed up at my door, since he touched me like he actually cared, since he saw through the cracks I had spent years sealing shut—I felt that control slipping.
And I hated it.
The conference room at Sinclair Enterprises was a glass-walled masterpiece, perched at the top floor of my headquarters, overlooking the city skyline.
I sat at the head of the long, black marble table, my posture sharp, my expression unreadable. The Sterling Enterprises team was seated across from me, going over the final integration details for our luxury resort collaboration.
And Leo?
Leo was sitting directly across from me, completely relaxed, his green eyes locked onto mine like he was barely listening to the conversation.
His dark navy suit fit him too well, the open collar of his shirt revealing just enough to be distracting.
I shifted slightly, tapping my nails against my tablet, pretending like I wasn't hyper-aware of him.
"Miss Sinclair, we'd like to finalize the branding placements for the resort," one of Leo's executives said.
I nodded, keeping my voice smooth. "Sinclair Enterprises will have full control over the luxury spa suites and VIP wellness lounges."
Leo leaned forward slightly, his lips curving. "And the penthouses?"
I raised a brow. "What about them?"
He tilted his head. "You agreed to the brand integration, but you never specified whether you'd allow private product placements in the presidential penthouses."
I exhaled slowly, hating how he was playing this game.
"You're asking me to let high-profile clients experience Sinclair luxury while staying in your properties," I mused. "That would be beneficial to you."
Leo smirked. "And you."
I tapped a finger against the table, studying him. "We'd have to negotiate terms. I don't let my brand be used as decoration, Sterling."
His smirk widened, and for a second, I saw the flicker of something behind those dark green eyes—something intrigued, something amused.
Something hungry.
"Of course," he murmured. "You don't give anything up without a fight, do you?"
I leaned forward slightly, matching his energy. "I wouldn't be here if I did."
The room went silent.
For a second, it wasn't about business anymore.
It was about us.
Leo's gaze dropped—just slightly—to my lips.
My stomach tightened, but I refused to look away.
Then, his best friend and assistant, Lena, cleared her throat. "Shall we go over the contract revisions?"
I snapped back, blinking. "Yes, of course."
Leo chuckled under his breath, but he didn't say anything else.
But he didn't have to.
Because I knew what he was thinking.
This wasn't over.
By the time the meeting ended, my head was a mess.
I needed distance. Air. Anything to clear the way Leo had been watching me all damn morning.
I made my way back to my office, shutting the door behind me.
I pulled out my phone. No messages from Zack.
It had been three days since we last spoke.
And I wasn't sure how I felt about it.
I had spent years chasing his attention, waiting for something that was never mine. And now, he was the one giving me silence.
I should have felt free.
Instead, all I felt was a strange, hollow ache in my chest.
I shook my head, locking my phone. I didn't have time for this.
I made the mistake of thinking I could avoid him for the rest of the day.
But Leo Sterling was not the kind of man who was easily ignored.
Not when I stepped out of my office and found him leaning casually against the glass walls of the hallway, waiting.
His green eyes flickered as he saw me, a slow, knowing smirk curling his lips.
I exhaled sharply, already annoyed. "Do you just wait outside women's offices in your free time?"
His smirk widened. "Only the interesting ones."
I rolled my eyes, pushing past him, but he fell into step beside me.
"Ella."
I hated the way my name sounded in his mouth. Like he was tasting it. Like he already owned it.
I kept walking. "I don't have time for your games, Sterling."
"You sure?"
I scoffed, glancing at him. "You think I don't know what you're doing?"
He raised a brow. "And what am I doing?"
I stopped walking, turning to face him. "You think if you push enough, if you corner me enough, I'll just fall into your hands like every other woman in your life."
Leo was quiet for a second. Then he stepped closer—too close.
His voice dropped, low and smooth. "I don't want you in my hands, Sinclair."
My breath hitched.
His green eyes held mine hostage, dark and unreadable. "I want you to come to me willingly."
I clenched my jaw, refusing to let my body react.
"I hate to disappoint you," I said smoothly. "But that won't happen."
Leo tilted his head, like he was amused. Like he wasn't even slightly discouraged.
And that's when I realized—
He liked the chase.
"Whatever you say, Sinclair," he murmured, stepping back.
Then, without another word, he walked away.
And the worst part?
I was still standing there, still feeling the heat of his presence, still trying to catch my breath.
Because for the first time, I wasn't sure if I wanted him to stop chasing me.