Chapter 15: The Cold Shoulder
807 Words
The first day back at work after the holiday should have been routine, even mundane. But for Lila, it felt like walking into the lion’s den. The days leading up to this had been a storm of emotions Dante had taken her heart in his hands, made her feel alive, only to crush her with his cold departure. And now she was supposed to walk into Morningstar Enterprises, act like nothing had happened, and face him again.
As she stepped into the office building, her heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing with thoughts of how their first encounter would go. Would he act like nothing had happened? Would he avoid her entirely? Or would he finally offer her an explanation for why he had abandoned her that night?
She spotted him almost immediately. Dante Morningstar was impossible to miss, standing at the center of the office like a king holding court. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, his dark hair slicked back, his jawline sharp enough to cut glass. His presence was commanding, as always, but something about him felt colder, more distant.
Their eyes met for a brief moment, and Lila’s breath caught in her throat. She searched his expression for any sign of recognition, any flicker of the warmth he used to show her. But his face was unreadable, a mask of indifference that sent an icy chill through her.
He turned away before she could say anything, walking toward his office with long, purposeful strides.
Lila clenched her fists, her chest tightening. She wasn’t going to let him get away with this.
The morning passed painfully slowly. Lila buried herself in her work, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Dante. Every time she glanced at him whether he was striding across the office or giving curt orders to his staff her heart twisted. He was right there, yet he felt farther away than ever.
By lunchtime, her frustration reached a boiling point. She couldn’t take the silence anymore.
She approached his office, her heels clicking against the polished floor. The large glass doors loomed before her, and she hesitated for only a moment before knocking.
“Come in,” Dante’s deep voice called from inside.
She pushed the door open, stepping into the spacious office. Dante didn’t look up from his desk, his eyes fixed on the papers in front of him.
“Dante,” she said, her voice firmer than she felt.
“Lila,” he replied without looking at her. “Do you need something?”
Her heart sank at the coldness in his tone. “We need to talk.”
“I’m busy,” he said, flipping a page.
“You’re always busy,” she snapped, her frustration spilling over. “But you can’t keep avoiding me forever.”
Finally, he looked up, his dark eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, she thought she saw something guilt? Regret?flicker across his face. But it was gone just as quickly, replaced by a steely resolve.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” he said flatly. “You’re here to work, and so am I.”
Lila stared at him, her chest tightening. “Is that all this is to you? Work? Because it didn’t feel like just work when you kissed me, Dante.”
His jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
“Say something,” she demanded, her voice trembling. “Anything. You can’t just pretend like nothing happened between us.”
“There’s nothing to pretend,” he said coldly, standing. “Whatever you thought this was, it’s over. It was a mistake.”
The words hit her like a punch to the gut. She blinked, tears stinging her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of him.
“Fine,” she said, her voice breaking. “If that’s how you feel, I’ll stay out of your way.”
She turned and left the office, her heart shattering with every step.
The rest of the day passed in a haze. Lila avoided Dante as much as possible, throwing herself into her tasks and trying to ignore the ache in her chest. But every time she caught a glimpse of him his strong profile as he spoke to a client, the way his hand brushed through his dark hair in frustration her resolve faltered.
By the time the workday ended, she felt like she was barely holding herself together. She gathered her things and headed to the elevator, desperate to escape the suffocating tension of the office.
But as she reached the lobby, she stopped short. Dante was there, his tall figure cutting an imposing silhouette as he strode toward the glass doors leading to the parking lot.
Her heart raced. She wasn’t ready to let this go not yet.
- Writer
