Not Suitable For Work

Before Dawn

The rain continued to fall outside the cabin.

A steady rhythm against the roof.

Inside, the fire had burned low, casting a warm amber glow across the room.

Oliver had finally fallen asleep in the armchair after hours of explaining documents and answering Ethan's questions.

For the first time all day...

Everything was quiet.

Ava stood near the small kitchen window, a mug of hot tea warming her hands.

She stared into the darkness beyond the glass.

The forest looked peaceful.

It was hard to believe armed men had been searching those same woods only hours earlier.

"You should get some rest."

Ethan's voice was soft.

She turned to find him leaning against the doorway.

His tie was gone.

The sleeves of his shirt were rolled to his forearms.

He looked exhausted.

Yet somehow...

Less guarded than she'd ever seen him.

Ava smiled faintly.

"I could say the same to you."

He chuckled.

"I don't think my mind knows how to switch off anymore."

She walked over and sat beside the fireplace.

Ethan joined her, leaving enough space that she wouldn't feel crowded.

For a while, they simply watched the flames dance.

It was a comfortable silence.

The kind that only existed between people who no longer felt the need to fill every moment with words.

"I've been thinking about the night we met."

Ava smiled.

"The night I spilled a drink all over my terrifying boss?"

"The very same night."

She laughed quietly.

"I was convinced I'd be fired before my first shift was over."

"I considered it."

She nudged his shoulder.

"I knew it."

He laughed.

"But then I saw the way you apologized."

She looked at him.

"You weren't afraid to admit you made a mistake."

He shrugged.

"Most people in my world spend their lives pretending they're perfect."

Ava lowered her eyes to her mug.

"I wasn't perfect."

"No."

He smiled.

"You were real."

The compliment caught her off guard.

"So were you."

He raised an eyebrow.

She grinned.

"Well... underneath all the expensive suits and intimidating stares."

He laughed again.

"I really was that bad?"

"Worse."

"Oh?"

"I thought you smiled only once a year."

Their laughter faded.

Not awkwardly.

Naturally.

The conversation became quieter.

More personal.

"Ethan..."

He looked at her.

"When all of this is over..."

She hesitated.

"...what do you want?"

He didn't answer immediately.

No one had asked him that in years.

People usually asked what the company wanted.

What the board wanted.

What the shareholders wanted.

Never...

What he wanted.

Finally, he spoke.

"I'd like a life where I don't have to question everyone who walks into a room."

He looked into the fire.

"I'd like to wake up without wondering who's trying to take something from me."

His voice softened.

"I'd like a home that feels like a home."

Ava nodded slowly.

"I understand that."

"What about you?"

She smiled wistfully.

"I wanted a simple life."

"A job I loved."

"A tiny apartment."

"Weekend visits with my family."

She laughed softly.

"And maybe a dog."

"A dog?"

"I've always wanted one."

Ethan smiled.

"I can see that."

She looked at him thoughtfully.

"My life doesn't look anything like I imagined."

"No."

"It doesn't."

She took a slow breath.

"But..."

She met his eyes.

"...there's one part of it I wouldn't change."

He knew what she meant.

Even before she said it.

"I'm glad I walked into that club."

His heartbeat quickened.

"I'm glad you were there."

The room fell quiet again.

Only the fire spoke.

Crackling gently between them.

Ethan reached out carefully.

His fingers brushed against hers.

Not by accident.

By choice.

"Ava..."

His voice was almost a whisper.

"I've tried to keep my distance."

She nodded.

"I know."

"I told myself it was because you worked for me."

"And?"

A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"And I was lying to myself."

She tilted her head.

"What was the real reason?"

He looked directly into her eyes.

"I was afraid."

Ava blinked.

"You?"

"I've lost too many people."

His voice was steady, but she could hear the emotion beneath it.

"When you became important to me..."

He paused.

"I started worrying I'd lose you too."

Her eyes shimmered with tears.

She reached for his hand, weaving her fingers through his.

"You won't scare me away that easily."

He let out a quiet breath that almost sounded like relief.

"I care about you, Ava."

The words were simple.

Honest.

Without grand speeches.

Without dramatic gestures.

"I care about you too."

She smiled through happy tears.

"More than I planned to."

They both laughed softly.

Ethan lifted a hand and gently brushed a loose curl away from her face.

His touch lingered for only a moment.

Giving her every chance to move away.

She didn't.

Instead, she closed the small distance between them.

Their foreheads rested together.

Both smiling.

Both nervous.

Both knowing there was no going back.

Ethan searched her eyes.

"May I kiss you?"

Ava's smile widened.

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever ask."

He laughed quietly.

Then, slowly...

He leaned in.

Their lips met in a gentle, lingering kiss.

It wasn't hurried.

It wasn't fueled by adrenaline or fear.

It was warm.

Tender.

A promise rather than a declaration.

When they finally pulled apart, neither of them spoke.

They didn't need to.

The smile on Ethan's face said everything.

So did the one on Ava's.

A sudden buzz broke the moment.

Ethan's phone vibrated on the table.

The screen lit up with a single message from an unknown number.

Enjoy this moment while you can.

By sunrise, one of you will be gone.

The warmth in the cabin vanished instantly.

Ethan's protective instincts returned.

He looked toward the windows.

Toward the dark forest outside.

Someone knew exactly where they were.

Neither Ethan nor Ava slept.

The text message had erased every trace of peace the cabin had offered.

Outside, the rain had finally stopped, leaving the forest wrapped in an eerie silence.

Ethan checked every window.

Every lock.

Every possible entrance.

Oliver remained awake as well, quietly reviewing the documents in the briefcase.

"If they found us once," he said, "they'll try again."

Ethan nodded.

"Then we'll be ready."

Ava stood by the fireplace, hugging a blanket around her shoulders.

The kiss they had shared only an hour earlier still lingered in her thoughts.

She caught Ethan looking at her.

He offered a reassuring smile.

It was small.

But it was enough.

For the first time since this nightmare had begun, she didn't feel alone.

Just before sunrise—

A loud engine echoed through the trees.

Everyone froze.

Headlights swept across the cabin windows.

One vehicle.

Moving fast.

Then—

The sound stopped.

Silence returned.

Three hurried knocks rattled the front door.

Not slow.

Not threatening.

Desperate.

Bang.

Bang.

Bang.

"Ethan!"

A woman's voice cracked outside.

"Please... open the door!"

Ava's eyes widened.

"I know that voice."

"So do I," Ethan said.

He carefully pulled back the curtain.

His expression changed instantly.

"It's Vanessa."

He opened the door.

Vanessa stumbled inside, nearly collapsing onto the wooden floor.

Her clothes were soaked with mud.

A deep cut ran across her forehead.

One sleeve of her jacket was stained with blood.

She was shaking so badly she could barely stand.

Ava rushed to her side.

"Oh my God..."

Vanessa tried to speak, but no words came.

She simply handed Ethan a small black flash drive.

Then she burst into tears.

"They know..." she whispered.

"They know I took it."

Ethan knelt beside her.

"You're safe now."

Vanessa laughed bitterly.

"No."

Her voice trembled.

"I'm really not."

Oliver locked the front door while Ava gently cleaned the cut on Vanessa's forehead.

After several minutes, Vanessa finally managed to steady her breathing.

Ethan sat across from her.

"Tell me everything."

Vanessa looked at each of them.

Making sure no one else was listening.

Then she began.

"The night I disappeared..."

She swallowed.

"I wasn't kidnapped."

Ava frowned.

"What?"

"I went willingly."

The room fell silent.

"I knew Lucas."

Ethan's eyes narrowed.

"How?"

Vanessa looked down.

"He contacted me months ago."

"He said he wanted to expose Richard."

"And I believed him."

"You met with Lucas?"

Ethan asked.

She nodded slowly.

"He convinced me there were people inside Sterling who wanted the truth to come out."

"What changed?"

Vanessa's eyes filled with regret.

"I realized too late..."

"He wasn't trying to expose the conspiracy."

"He was running it."

Silence settled over the room.

The pieces were finally beginning to fit together.

Lucas hadn't been hiding from the people responsible.

He was one of the people responsible.

Vanessa pointed to the flash drive.

"Everything is on there."

"Financial records."

"Emails."

"Secret accounts."

"Names."

"It took me weeks to copy them."

Ethan stared at the tiny device in his hand.

"So this is what they've been hunting you for."

She nodded.

"And now they'll come for all of us."

Oliver plugged the flash drive into his laptop.

Folders filled the screen.

Thousands of files.

Bank statements.

Insurance claims.

Corporate transfers.

Photographs.

Audio recordings.

Enough evidence to destroy powerful people.

Then one folder caught Ethan's eye.

PROJECT PHASE THREE

His stomach tightened.

He opened it.

Inside was only one document.

A PDF marked CONFIDENTIAL.

He clicked.

The screen loaded.

At the top was a recent photograph.

Ava.

Below it were her personal details.

Her address.

Her family.

Her daily routine.

Then Ethan's eyes dropped to the final line.

His blood ran cold.

Primary Objective: Eliminate Ava Williams before Ethan Blackwood learns the full truth.

The room fell into stunned silence.

Ava felt every ounce of color drain from her face.

"What... does that mean?"

Ethan slowly closed the laptop.

His jaw tightened.

"It means this was never about the company."

He looked directly into her eyes.

"It was always about you."

Before anyone could process those words—

A deafening explosion shook the cabin.

The entire building lurched violently.

Windows shattered.

The lights went out.

Outside, flames erupted near the porch.

Someone had detonated a charge.

The attack had begun.