The First Crack
1079 Words
Elara did not sleep that night.
Every time she closed her eyes, she replayed Caleb’s words.
I’m starting to care about you too much.
The quiet confession followed her through the dark hours until sunrise painted pale light across her apartment windows.
And somehow, that scared her more than anything else that had happened between them.
Because Caleb Morrow was not careless with emotions.
He chose his words carefully.
Always.
Which meant he meant every single one.
By morning, Elara looked exhausted.
“You look emotionally attacked,” Priya announced the second Elara entered the office.
Elara dropped into her chair dramatically. “I think my life is becoming a psychological thriller.”
Priya sat across from her desk immediately, fully interested. “Tell me everything.”
Elara hesitated.
Then sighed heavily.
“My father confronted Caleb last night.”
Priya blinked. “Wait. Like… in person?”
“Yes.”
“At your apartment?”
“Yes.”
Priya slowly placed a hand over her chest. “Oh, this story is becoming expensive.”
“It wasn’t funny.”
“Did they fight?”
“Verbally.”
“That still counts.”
Elara leaned back tiredly and rubbed her forehead. “My dad basically warned him to stay away from me.”
Priya’s eyes widened. “And Caleb?”
The memory alone tightened something inside Elara’s chest.
“He said he cared about me.”
Priya immediately screamed.
Several nearby employees looked over.
Priya lowered her voice slightly but still looked ready to explode. “HE WHAT?”
“Please stop yelling.”
“No! Because this is important.” Priya leaned closer dramatically. “Caleb Morrow—the emotionally unavailable billionaire—admitted feelings?”
Elara looked down briefly.
Hearing it out loud somehow made everything feel even more real.
Before she could answer, movement near the office entrance caught everyone’s attention.
The room slowly quieted.
Caleb had arrived.
And unfortunately, he looked unfairly attractive today.
Dark suit.
Rolled sleeves.
Calm expression.
Several employees instantly straightened the moment he walked past.
But Caleb barely acknowledged anyone.
His attention shifted directly toward Elara.
Like it always did now.
The tension in the office became immediate.
Even Priya noticed.
“Oh my God,” she whispered. “That man looks at you like he’s already planning your wedding.”
Elara nearly choked. “You need help.”
Caleb stopped beside her desk.
“Good morning.”
The calmness in his voice only made her more nervous.
“Morning,” she answered carefully.
His eyes moved across her face slowly.
“You didn’t sleep.”
Priya made a dramatic silent face behind him.
Elara ignored her completely.
“You’re analyzing me again.”
“You make it easy.”
To her frustration, warmth crept into her cheeks instantly.
Caleb noticed.
Of course he did.
“I need you upstairs in twenty minutes,” he said calmly.
“For what?”
“A meeting.”
“That sounds suspicious.”
A faint smile touched his mouth.
“Probably.”
Then he walked away.
And somehow the entire office atmosphere changed the second he disappeared.
Priya stared at Elara in disbelief.
“You are absolutely doomed.”
Twenty-five minutes later, Elara stepped into Caleb’s office.
This time, she noticed something immediately.
He looked tense.
Not visibly.
But enough for her to recognize it now.
The door closed quietly behind her.
“You wanted to see me?”
Caleb stood near the windows holding his phone.
“Yes.”
His voice sounded distracted.
That instantly made her nervous.
“What happened?”
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he handed her the phone.
Elara frowned slightly before looking down at the screen.
And her stomach dropped instantly.
Photos.
Old university photos.
Someone had leaked archived pictures from Hartfield.
Pictures of Caleb sitting alone near the fountain.
Pictures of Elara laughing with friends nearby.
And worst of all—
One blurry image captured the exact moment she mocked him publicly years ago.
The article underneath was brutal.
BILLIONAIRE CEO’S SECRET OBSESSION STARTED AFTER PUBLIC HUMILIATION
Elara felt sick.
“Oh my God…”
The internet comments underneath were even worse now.
Some attacked Caleb.
Others attacked her.
But most treated their entire relationship like entertainment.
“This keeps escalating,” she whispered.
“Yes.”
She looked back up at him carefully. “Who’s leaking this?”
Caleb’s jaw tightened slightly.
“I have people investigating already.”
The coldness in his voice unsettled her.
Not because she feared him.
Because she realized how protective he was becoming.
“Elara,” he said quietly, “look at me.”
She lifted her eyes slowly.
“This is not your fault.”
Her chest tightened painfully.
“But it started because of me.”
“No,” Caleb replied calmly. “It started because people enjoy destroying anything they don’t understand.”
Silence settled heavily between them.
Elara looked back at the photos again.
University suddenly felt so far away and painfully close at the same time.
“You looked lonely,” she admitted softly while staring at one picture.
Caleb didn’t answer immediately.
“I was.”
The honesty in his voice hurt more than she expected.
Elara lowered the phone slowly. “Why didn’t you ever say anything back then?”
His eyes held hers steadily.
“Would it have mattered?”
The question shattered her composure completely.
Because she didn’t know.
At nineteen, surrounded by popularity and ego and constant validation…
Would she have listened?
Probably not.
And realizing that made guilt twist painfully inside her chest.
“I hate seeing those pictures,” she whispered.
Caleb stepped closer slowly.
“Why?”
“Because I barely recognize myself in them.”
The room became quiet.
Then Caleb spoke softly.
“That’s because you’ve changed.”
Her eyes lifted toward him carefully.
“You really believe that?”
“Yes.”
No hesitation.
No doubt.
Just certainty.
And somehow, that almost made her emotional.
Before she could respond, the office door suddenly opened without warning.
Vanessa walked inside quickly, clearly distracted.
“Caleb, the investors from—”
She stopped immediately after noticing Elara.
And the atmosphere.
Her expression changed instantly.
Not shocked.
Realizing.
Her eyes moved slowly between them before a small understanding smile appeared.
“Well,” Vanessa said softly, “this suddenly makes a lot more sense.”
Neither Caleb nor Elara spoke.
Because unfortunately?
She was right.
- Writer
