Chapter 13: One Step Closer ❤️
613 Words
The next morning...
Project Phoenix was already behind schedule.
A last-minute request from one of the investors meant every financial projection had to be revised before the afternoon presentation.
The finance department was thrown into chaos.
Phones rang nonstop.
Printers hummed.
Employees rushed from one desk to another.
Emma remained calm.
She adjusted the numbers one by one, barely looking away from her laptop.
Lily leaned over her desk.
"You haven't even had lunch."
"I'm fine."
"You've been saying that for three hours."
Emma smiled faintly.
"I'll eat later."
Before Lily could argue...
A message popped up on Emma's screen.
CEO's Office
"Please come to the executive conference room immediately."
Lily's eyes widened.
"Again?"
Emma sighed.
"...Again."
When Emma entered the conference room...
Adrian was already there.
The large screen displayed dozens of financial charts.
Daniel stood beside him.
"The investors changed their expansion plan."
Emma skimmed through the documents.
"They increased the initial investment."
Daniel nodded.
"By thirty percent."
Emma immediately spotted the problem.
"Then these cash flow projections are no longer valid."
She picked up a marker and walked to the whiteboard.
"We'll need to restructure the entire first-year budget."
Daniel blinked.
"You figured that out in less than a minute."
Emma simply nodded.
"It isn't difficult."
Adrian watched quietly.
She still solved problems the same way...
Fast.
Precise.
Confident.
Exactly as he remembered.
Three hours later...
The revised presentation was finally complete.
Daniel stretched his arms.
"I'll send this to the investors."
He looked at the clock.
"It's almost seven."
"I'll leave you two to review the final version."
The door closed behind him.
Silence settled over the room.
Emma continued typing.
Adrian reviewed the printed documents.
Neither of them spoke.
Until...
Emma's stomach growled.
Loudly.
She froze.
For one second...
The room was completely silent.
Adrian slowly looked up.
Emma wished the floor would swallow her whole.
"...I skipped lunch."
She admitted quietly.
Adrian pressed the intercom.
"Two dinners."
Emma immediately shook her head.
"That's not necessary."
"It wasn't a question."
She sighed.
"You're impossible."
For the first time that day...
A corner of Adrian's lips lifted.
"So I've been told."
Emma stared at him.
Then...
Without realizing it...
She smiled.
Just a little.
Twenty minutes later...
Dinner arrived.
Simple pasta.
Soup.
And coffee.
Emma looked at the tray.
"You remembered..."
Adrian frowned.
"What?"
"I don't drink coffee after six."
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Silence.
Both of them froze.
How did he know?
How did she remember?
Adrian slowly placed his cup down.
"... You still don't."
Emma looked away.
"People don't change that easily."
"No."
His voice was almost a whisper.
"Some things never do."
Neither of them touched their food for several seconds.
The memories between them...
They were suddenly louder than the silence.
At the same time...
Across the city...
Ella and Ethan sat near the daycare window.
Ella rested her chin on her hands.
"When is Mommy coming?"
The teacher smiled gently.
"She said she'd be a little late today."
Ethan looked outside.
"Mommy must be working hard."
Ella nodded seriously.
"When I grow up..."
"I'll work hard too."
"So Mommy can rest."
The teacher's heart melted.
"They're such sweet children."
Back at Blackwood Corporation...
Emma glanced at the clock.
8:15 p.m.
Her eyes widened.
"The daycare!"
She immediately grabbed her bag.
"I have to go."
Adrian stood.
"I'll drive you."
"No."
"You'll be faster with me."
Emma hesitated.
Every second mattered.
Finally...
"...Thank you."
For the first time in four years...
They walked out of the office together.
Neither of them noticed...
Someone in the lobby quietly raised a phone.
Click.
A photo was taken.
Emma and Adrian.
Leaving together.
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