Chloe found Ethan at the hotel bar that evening, sitting alone with a glass of wine in his hand. The place was quiet, washed in soft lighting, the kind that made conversations feel private even when they were not. He looked tired, distracted, his shoulders tense as if the day had stretched longer than it should have. Chloe paused for a second before approaching, noticing that his jacket was loosened and his tie was gone. He looked more human like this, less like the composed executive everyone admired.
She walked over and took the seat beside him without asking.
“You look like you could use company,” she said lightly.
Ethan glanced at her, surprised but not displeased. “I thought you’d be resting.”
“I tried,” she replied. “Didn’t work.” She motioned to the bartender. “Same thing he’s h
