As the days of the trip went by, Ethan found himself spending more time with Chloe than he had planned. It started harmlessly, shared coffee before early meetings, sitting side by side during presentations, quiet conversations late in the evening that were meant to be about work but slowly drifted into something more personal. It felt easy, almost too easy, and that was what unsettled him the most.
Chloe had a way of listening that made him feel understood without trying too hard. She noticed when he went quiet, when his smile faded, when the weight of expectation pressed too heavily on him. When he talked about pressure and responsibility, she did not interrupt or rush him. She simply listened, and Ethan realized how much he had been craving that kind of attention.
His phone stayed face
