Always

Lucien strode through the sleek corridors of his company headquarters, heels of his polished shoes clicking sharply against marble floors. His mind was a machine, calculating schedules, staff efficiency, gala seating charts, and sponsorship allocations. The upcoming gala was more than an event, it was a statement. Every detail had to scream perfection. He didn’t have time for distractions, unnecessary chatter, or mistakes. Yet, as he paused by the panoramic window overlooking the city, he felt a faint restlessness, an itch for unpredictability, something or someone to disrupt the routine. --- Across town, Aria balanced a stack of floral arrangements while her assistant fussed over color palettes. The sound of her friends’ laughter echoed through the office. She thrived in chaos the unexpected, the playful, the challenge of transforming a blank hall into a living, breathing masterpiece. Her phone pinged with a calendar alert: “meeting with Lucien Montagna at 7 pm.” She froze for a heartbeat. The name was familiar not personally, but by reputation. Lucien Montagna was legendary in the high-end lifestyle world, known for his exacting standards, magnetic presence, and ruthless efficiency. He had never met her… yet the thought of navigating the gala under his critical eye sent a thrill through her. Aria shook her head, forcing a grin. “Alright, Aria. Be bold. Be brilliant. And maybe… have a little fun while you’re at it.” " I heard you were meeting with the famous Lucien Montagna. " her colleague Naomi Campbell said loudly drawing the attention of her team. " who else was going to meet him?, you?. " Kai Thompson asked back, another colleague spoke. Naomi rolled her eyes in response. " I heard his scary. I wish you a safe journey. " Priya Rai spoke showing them her crossed fingers. " she's not going for a death trip Priya, you're overreacting. " Kai said. " what??!. we've all heard about how his gaze can simply just kill you. " Priya defended herself with pride. , " okay now that's just plain stupid. " Elias James, the quiet one among them spoke. " I think I partially agree with Priya, we've all heard the rumors. " Naomi said. " yeah but it's not enough to kill you. " Kai said shaking his head. " jeez, women " he muttered under his breath. " relax guys, we all know there's nothing I can't handle " Aria spoke confidently earning cheers from them. " whoa!!. " Priya cheered. " proud b***h. " Naomi said with a smile. " now that's my girl. " Kai said proudly as they all spoke at the same time. " she's not wrong though. " Elias said with a shrug. " we know, we know. why wouldn't she be able to handle him, after all we're talking about Aria Selene Vale here. like duh " Priya teased causing Aria to smile. " well that's not the main point though. " Naomi said. " leave the girl alone wanker. " Kai said to Naomi. " stay out of it, stingy jerk " Naomi retorted with an eye roll before turning to Aria. " so... we've heard the rumors about how good looking, hot and sexy, he is.. " " is that all you could think of throughout?! " Kai asked raising an eyebrow. Naomi looked at him then back to Aria pretending as if she never heard him. " let me guess, you want to confirm if it's true? " Aria asked holding back a smile. " well duh, I mean we're talking about Mr Hot here " Naomi said rolling her eyes. " okay fine, I'll give you the details later and I mean every single thing " Aria replied wiggling her eyebrows and then winked at her. Naomi squealed excitedly " this is why I love you. " " man hooker " Priya teased. " proudly " Naomi replied with a wink. " what time is the meeting?. " Elias asked. " seven. at the Cafè. " Aria replied. " I already prepared everything you'll need for the meeting. " Priya said. " thanks love. what would I ever do without you. " Aria said with a smile. " you're welcome " Priya replied. " anyways, that reminds me. Mr Robert wants to see you. " Naomi said. " what about?. " Aria asked. " I guess it's about the meeting. you know how he is, freaking perfectionist " Naomi replied. " okay. I'll finish up here first " Aria said. " okay " Naomi replied and went back to her work. Aria took a deep breath. she could do this. --- The small café smelled of coffee and warm pastries, sunlight spilling across polished wooden tables. Aria sat near the window, flipping through her notes for the upcoming corporate charity gala. Her fingers hovered over vendor contact lists, decorations, and sponsorship details...everything had to be perfect. Then she sensed him before she saw him. Lucian. He walked in, tall, sharp, and impossibly confident, dressed in a tailored suit that screamed authority. His dark eyes scanned the room until they landed on her. “Aria,” he said smoothly, as though nothing had changed. She froze for half a second, then forced herself to smile. “Lucian. Wow… it’s been a while.” He pulled out a chair and sat across from her, casually leaning back. “I hear your company is coordinating the gala my firm is sponsoring. I thought I should check in.” Aria’s heart skipped. “I… yes. That’s right. I’m handling vendor coordination and sponsorship logistics.” She flipped her clipboard slightly toward him. “Everything’s on track, mostly. Some vendors are hesitant about costs, though.” Lucian’s sharp gaze lifted. “And how do you plan to handle them?” Aria leaned in just enough, eyes sparkling, voice sweet but confident. “Well… some persuasion, a little charm… and, of course, presenting them with benefits they can’t resist. You know, like recognition and press coverage.” Lucian smirked faintly, clearly impressed despite himself. “You mean… you’re going to manipulate them?” She tilted her head innocently. “I call it strategy. Efficient strategy.” He shook his head, trying to hide his smile. “Infuriating.” They were both silent for a while. “I need to ask you something,” he said. “Why did you leave?” Aria’s breath caught. She had imagined this moment a thousand times, and in none of those versions did she feel this small or this brave at the same time. “I’m not that girl anymore,” she said quietly. “And the truth… the truth is complicated.” He watched her like he was trying to read her soul, but he didn’t push, didn’t demand. Just waited. It was the first time in years she realized that maybe… maybe he never stopped waiting. Aria left the café first. She didn’t rush out, but she walked fast enough for Lucian to know she was overwhelmed. Outside, the late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the street. She stopped on the sidewalk, taking a breath she didn’t realize she needed. Lucian stepped out a moment later. He didn’t call her name. he just walked toward her with that same unreadable expression he always had when he was trying not to feel anything. For a moment, they just stood there. Cars passed. People talked. But the space between them felt too loud. “You ran,” he said quietly. Aria’s shoulders tensed. “I didn’t run. I just… needed air.” He raised an eyebrow. “You always say that when you’re avoiding something.” Aria looked away, biting her lip. She hated that he still knew her better than anyone. It made everything harder. Lucian stepped beside her close enough to talk, far enough not to crowd her. “Walk with me,” he said. It wasn’t a request, but it wasn’t a command either. It was something in between, the tone he used when he wasn’t sure how much space she needed. She hesitated… then nodded. They walked down the street together, side by side but not touching, like two people trying to remember how to exist in the same world again. Every few steps, Aria glanced at him, studying how calm he looked, how steady his stride was. He was the same. And somehow completely different. “So,” she finally said, breaking the silence, “you still want answers.” Lucian didn’t look at her. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” She swallowed. “Lucian… it’s not something I can just explain on the sidewalk.” “Then don’t explain it,” he said. “Start small.” A small wind swept through her curls. Aria stopped walking, forcing him to stop too. She looked up at him, her eyes bright but not from happiness. “Okay,” she said softly. “Something small.” Her voice shook, but only a little. “I didn’t leave because I stopped caring. I left because I cared too much… and I didn’t know how to face you after everything.” Lucian froze. That was the first piece of truth he’d heard from her in years. It wasn’t enough he knew she was still hiding something but it cracked something open inside him. He looked at her for a long moment, then said quietly: “Aria… what did you do?” Her breath hitched.