CHAPTER 16
991 Words
“If Nothing Happened, Why Does It Hurt This Much?”
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Hazel’s POV
I barely slept.
Not because of nightmares… but because of memories.
His lips.
The way he looked at me.
The shift in his voice when he said, “Don’t call me that tonight.”
I tossed and turned, replaying every second of it. And then came the crash. The wall. The coldness when he whispered, “Go to bed.”
I hugged my pillow tighter.
Was it the alcohol? A lapse in control? Or did it mean something?
I didn’t know what scared me more — the idea that it meant nothing… or that it meant everything.
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7:00 AM
I forced myself out of bed.
No tears. No distractions. Just pure professionalism.
I wore a crisp white blouse tucked into a charcoal pencil skirt. My ponytail was high and tight. No lipstick, just gloss. I looked like someone who had her life together — even if I felt like crumbling inside.
When I stepped into the kitchen, I braced myself.
And there he was.
Alexander Wilson.
Black tailored suit. Coffee mug in hand. Eyes fixed on something invisible out the window.
He looked… perfect. Distant. Cold.
Like last night had never happened.
“Your schedule is in your email,” he said flatly, without even looking at me.
No “good morning.”
No trace of the man who kissed me like he was drowning.
“Understood, sir,” I replied, my voice quieter than I intended.
Sir.
That word landed like ice against my skin.
I turned to leave, shoulders stiff, head high.
But inside, my chest ached.
Was it all a mistake to him?
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Alexander’s POV
She didn’t say anything else.
Just turned and walked out — back straight, chin up, every inch the perfect assistant.
Except I knew better now.
I saw the tremble in her fingers when she poured her coffee. The way her breath caught when I entered the room.
And me? I was no better.
My hand gripped the coffee mug like it was the only thing keeping me from falling apart.
Last night… I’d lost control. I’d let my guard slip. I tasted something forbidden, something soft and warm and real — and now I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
I could still feel her.
Still hear her whisper, “Thank you…”
Damn it.
This was dangerous. She was dangerous. Not because she tried — but because she didn’t.
Because every time she looked at me with those wide, trusting eyes… it made me want to burn down every rule I’d built.
But I couldn’t.
So I became cold. Distant. Detached.
It’s the only way I know how to survive.
But if I’m doing the right thing… why does it feel like I’m bleeding?
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Hazel’s POV — AW Empire Holdings
I dove into work like my life depended on it.
Emails. Reports. Phone calls.
I didn’t even look at him unless I absolutely had to.
The day passed like a blur of white noise. I told myself I was okay. That it was better this way. That the line between us needed to stay drawn.
But when I passed him in the hallway — and he didn’t even glance at me — my stomach twisted.
I wasn’t sure what I hated more: his silence… or my longing.
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Meanwhile… ☕
Raymond’s POV
I needed coffee. And space.
I stepped into the same café Hazel had spilled coffee on Alexander in. That chaotic moment that somehow triggered everything.
I wasn’t even sure why I was here.
Maybe I just wanted something familiar.
Maybe I was hoping for a different kind of distraction.
And then I saw her.
Mia.
Hazel’s best friend. Firecracker. Trouble in high heels.
She turned, tray in hand, and her eyes widened just a little when she saw me.
Then came the smirk.
“Well, well… back again, Mr. Suave?”
I smirked back. “Missed me?”
“Hardly,” she scoffed, but I saw the pink tinge rise up her cheeks.
She placed a latte in front of me.
“Hazel’s not here, if that’s why you came,” she said, wiping her hands on her apron.
“Then I guess I’ll settle for the sassier best friend,” I teased.
She arched a brow. “Careful, you might get burned.”
“I like a little fire,” I said, eyes locked on hers.
She turned to leave, muttering something under her breath.
But I caught her looking back once.
Just once.
And something about that made my lips curve.
Game on.
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Hazel’s POV — Night, at the Penthouse
I sat at the edge of the guest bed, laptop open but untouched.
My journal file blinked on the screen.
“Don’t kiss your boss.”
Rule number one in every work handbook ever written.
So why did it feel like the moment I broke it… I found something real?
But he wanted to forget. Pretend it never happened.
And I had to respect that.
Even if my heart was cracking under the weight of it.
I closed the laptop, climbed under the sheets, and stared at the ceiling.
Somewhere down the hall, he was probably doing the same.
Or maybe not.
Maybe he wasn’t thinking of me at all.
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Alexander’s POV — Midnight
I stared at the city lights.
Her door was closed.
And I hadn’t seen her smile all day.
I wanted to knock. Just to hear her voice. Just to know she was still soft, still open, still her.
But I didn’t.
I couldn't.
Because if I opened that door tonight… I wasn’t sure I’d be able to walk away.
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TO BE CONTINUED...
💔 Will Alexander finally admit what he’s feeling? Or will the next storm break them both?
🔥 Next chapter: a secret visitor shows up, threatening everything.
💬 Comment if you want Chapter 17!
- Writer
