Secrets Between Hearts Beneath the Lies

pened, I didn't expect to

ct the flowers to

, the chatter from the reception desk, even the soft music piping th

he elevator, his tie slightly crooked like it al

y smile. A different girl was

e nervous but not the kind of nervous

belongs to someone who's about to say I l

omething, anythin

"You still owe me a cof

n my chest and my pride. So I just nod

only ever shared a cab, not a life. The scent of his cologne

rs closed again before

aught my reflection in the mirrored panel smudged eyeline

onist, Maya, asked without l

f my bag, forcing a light laugh that didn't

he didn't need to know that my ghost wore a nav

lf it was the caffeine, not the memories. Not the way his name...Ev

e morning in emails and deadlines. It

t here for the marketing con

, too quickly.

e second time that morning,

ouquet this time just

ther," he said softly. "Did

her

erything we hadn't said in two years. I tried to

od if you're hiring

hit harder than it should have. "

his eyes lingered a little too lo

rmly, trying to ignore the flutter in m

ul, deliberate, like he wasn't sure how cl

ping open a folder that was heavier than it looked, his brow furr

ound steady. "Of course. We focus on digita

ed a strand of hair from his forehead, the way his brow furrowed when he was th

rainstorming sessions, stolen coffee breaks, the way he'd

a small, almost imperceptible nod, like he knew exactly what

I tried to focus on the numbers, the

s punctuated by the sound of

aned back, exh

to see you again, a

ething unspoken, as if years of distance and si

same spark he remembered, and I couldn't tell if

ried more weight than I could handle. "Yeah," I

ights and the subtle tick of the wall clock. Then he smiled that half

sals tomorrow," he said, standing. "I don't wa

ding it wasn't h

le, my chest tightening, and wishing

or, looking back on

missed this, a

ries, feeling the weight of lost

distance, silence, and heartbre