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ESMERALDA'S POV He walked looking angry and exhausted.His jaw was tight. His eyes darker than usual, stormy and sharp. For a moment, he didn’t say anything. He just looked at me. And just like that, the tension in the room shifted into something else entirely. Something warmer. Something heavier. “You heard that,” he said finally. I nodded slowly. “A little.” He exhaled, dragging a hand through his hair. “Incompetence,” he muttered. “I pay people to think. Apparently, that’s too much to ask.” I tilted my head, watching him carefully. “Bad?” “They ruined a presentation file meant for a major deal.” “Ouch.” He huffed a humorless laugh and walked toward me. Looking me in the eye. “Stand up.” My breath hitched slightly at the tone. Not harsh. Not angry. Just… commanding.
- Writer
