Episode Eight – Lines Crossed
364 Words
The Lumière de Paris project consumed the agency. Days blurred into nights as fabric samples, photography schedules, and endless coffee cups piled up on every available surface.
Eliana found herself constantly in Bryan’s orbit. He was in the office early, stayed late, and somehow always ended up reviewing her designs in person. She told herself it was purely professional — but deep down, she knew better.
One evening, long after most of the team had left, the two of them sat side by side in the small design studio. The only light came from the desk lamp, casting a soft golden glow over their work.
“You’ve changed,” he said suddenly, breaking the quiet.
She looked up, startled. “So have you,” she replied. Her voice was low, almost guarded.
Bryan leaned closer, his eyes holding hers. “Not enough to forget,” he murmured. His hand hovered just above hers, so close she could feel the warmth radiating between them.
Her pulse quickened. For a second, it felt like the years had melted away — like Oxford again, the two of them sitting in the library after hours, sharing secrets they never dared speak aloud.
The spell shattered when the door slammed open.
Kim.
She stepped into the room, her heels clicking sharply against the tile. “Working late again?” Her voice was smooth, but there was steel beneath it.
“We have a deadline,” Bryan said quickly, straightening in his chair.
Kim’s gaze shifted to Eliana, lingering just long enough to feel like a challenge. “Of course. Just remember — some lines shouldn’t be crossed. Especially in business.”
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Without another word, Kim turned and left, her perfume lingering like smoke after a fire.
Bryan exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ignore her,” he said, but the tension in his voice betrayed him.
Eliana didn’t answer. She knew Kim wasn’t making idle threats. And as much as she wanted to believe she could control whatever was happening between her and Bryan, she also knew one thing — the line Kim had warned about was already behind them.
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