The office lights had dimmed, and the building was slowly emptying as staff trickled out one by one. I stayed behind, reviewing a few emails that didn’t really need my attention—anything to buy a little time before heading home.
I wasn’t avoiding the drive. I just... needed a moment. A moment to decompress. To pretend I hadn’t spent the entire day pretending Aria was just my assistant.
By the time I reached the parking lot, the sun had dipped below the horizon, and the sky glowed with the last vestiges of dusk. I scanned the rows of cars, already knowing what I wouldn’t find.
Her car was gone. Aria had already left.
I swallowed the disappointment that rose in my chest like a slow burn. She hadn’t said anything about staying late or going anywhere after work. Not that she had to. She wa
