Unfulfilled love

SILENT ECHOS

The steady hum of the air conditioning and the soft clicks of keyboard keys filled the office floor, but *Vici's mind wasn’t on the glowing screen in front of her*.

She sat behind her desk, perfectly poised in a tailored navy-blue suit, yet her thoughts drifted—back to last night.

*Donovan Grey.*

She leaned back slightly, crossing her legs as she tapped her pen against the desk. His calmness, the way he observed without giving too much away... it unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.

*"He wasn’t what I expected."*

The words were quiet, spoken only to herself.

Her assistant walked in with a stack of reports and Vici snapped back into work mode, accepting them without a word. She flipped through the pages, nodding where necessary, but her mind still wandered.

Why did he feel so composed? So... unreadable?

*Selene’s voice echoed in her mind from last night*: *“He’s not just some business guy, Vic. He’s calculated. Clean.”*

Still, something didn’t sit right. That stare. That lingering look he gave her as she left.

Almost like... he knew something she didn’t.

Her intercom buzzed. “Ma’am, you have a visitor. A Mr. Easton from M.H. Holdings. No appointment.”

Vici frowned. *Unscheduled visits weren’t her style.* She closed the file and stood.

*"Send him in. But only ten minutes."*

As she walked toward the glass door, heels clicking sharply, her mind shifted again—to the blind date, and the fact that Donovan never even asked for a second one.

*That’s what annoyed her the most.*

Not his silence.

Not his politeness.

But that damn self-control.

*What game are you playing, Donovan Grey?*

---

As Vici waited for Mr. Easton to walk in, her eyes drifted toward the skyline beyond her glass walls. The city buzzed as usual, but her mind wasn’t in sync with its rhythm. She was still thinking about the dinner.

Just then, *across town*, a secured phone vibrated on *Donovan’s desk*. His assistant stepped in, a leather folder in hand and a neutral expression.

*“The file you requested on Victoria Monroe is complete. Everything’s in here—background, family, business dealings… and the rest.”*

Donovan didn’t look up immediately. When he did, he simply took the folder, slid it into the drawer, and nodded.

*“Thank you. I’ll read it myself.”*

Back in Monroe Luxe Headquarters, Vici had no idea that her past was being unearthed—scrutinized. Evaluated.

She exhaled slowly, unaware of the silent chess match that had just begun.

Her phone buzzed on the table—*a message from Hart*.

*“Girl, you vanished last night. Give me details. Was he hot or a fraud?”*

Vici smirked slightly, typing back: *“He was… confusing.”*

Just as Mr. Easton stepped in, she slid her phone aside and stood to greet him—expression cold, posture commanding.

*Business first. Confusion later.*