LOGINGreg searched the entire top floor, but Ariana was not at her desk. He checked the break room, the main conference hall, and the executive lounge, but she was nowhere to be seen. Panic began to set in, tight and heavy in his chest. He ran down the long corridor toward the heavy glass door that led to the outdoor terrace on the top floor of the building, hoping against hope that she had not left the building completely.When he pushed the heavy door open, the cool outdoor wind hit his face. Standing near the outer railing of the terrace was Ariana. Her arms were wrapped tightly around herself as if she were cold, and her long hair blew gently in the breeze. She was looking out over the giant city below, watching the endless stream of cars moving along the busy streets like tiny beetles.Greg let out a long, quiet breath of relief. He walked onto the terrace, his footsteps soft against the stone floor. He approached her slowly, keeping his body relaxed and stopping a few feet away. He l
Over the next few days, the mood between Greg and Ariana changed completely. The heavy wall of tension that used to stand between them began to disappear. They still maintained a professional attitude around other workers at the office, but when they were alone, they shared soft smiles, quiet laughter, and warm conversations.Greg found himself looking forward to coming to work every single morning. He no longer felt like his office was a cold cage. Instead, knowing that Ariana was working just down the hall gave him a sense of happiness he had never experienced before. He started buying her favorite coffee every morning and placing it secretly on her desk before she arrived.However, life rarely stays peaceful for long. On Thursday afternoon, while Greg was in the middle of reviewing a major contract, his office telephone rang. He picked up the receiver."Mr. Blackwood," his front desk secretary said, her voice sounding a bit nervous. "There is a woman down here in the lobby who insi
The next morning, Greg woke up earlier than usual. He lay in his large, empty bed in his quiet apartment, staring at the white ceiling. For many years, his morning routine was always the same. He would check the stock market on his phone, put on an expensive suit, drink black coffee, and head straight to the office to work twelve hours. He never thought about love, and he never thought about building a life with someone.But today, as he got dressed in a simple grey suit, he realized he could not keep living like a robot. He could not keep hiding behind his work while the most important person in his life was slipping away. He wanted to show Ariana that he was serious about her, not just with words, but with real actions.All through the morning and afternoon, Greg tried his best to focus on his meetings. Every time he walked down the hallway, he caught glimpses of Ariana working at her desk. She was typing quickly on her computer, talking politely to coworkers, and organizing files.
The Talk in the OfficeGreg walked back into the Blackwood Building after leaving the roof. The tall glass walls of the building reflected the bright afternoon sun, but Greg did not notice the light. He walked past his workers, who gave him polite nods. Usually, Greg would give them a quick nod back, but today his mind was somewhere else. He took the private elevator straight to the top floor, where his large office was located.When he opened the heavy door to his office, everything was neat and quiet. His massive wooden desk stood in the center of the room. On top of the desk were three computer screens, several stacks of paper, and a cold cup of coffee that he had forgotten to drink hours ago. He walked over to the desk, but he did not sit down. Instead, he stood by the huge window that overlooked the city.From up here, the cars looked like tiny toys moving along black lines. The people on the sidewalks looked like small dots. For years, Greg liked standing here because it made hi
GregGreg watched as Ariana walked into the crowd below the rooftop, shrinking into a speck of a person with each step, until she was lost, completely out of sight past the entrance to the building.For a few moments, he didn’t move.He just stood there, his hands on the railing, gazing at the empty place where she was.The city went around him.Cars drove down the roads.Some people were laughing down there.The lights were shining on the buildings in the distance.Everything went on as usual.However, Greg was rather quiet.Ariana trusted him.Not completely.Not yet.But enough.Enough to reveal to him what she normally kept secret.Just enough to say that she was scared.Enough to let him know about the pain she felt, which lingered far after he was prepared to move on.That scared him more than anything else, anyway.Greg Blackwood was used to people wanting something from him.His money.His connections.His company.His name.Individuals came to him for what he could offer.Not
CHAPTER EIGHT The next few weeks moved with unexpected grace. Work was steady, the Bluezone project was gaining momentum, and Ariana found herself waking up with more ease and less dread. The weight she’d been carrying for years had begun to lift, slowly but surely. And Greg? Greg had become a constant. He didn’t push. He didn’t pry. He simply showed up. With coffee. With encouragement. With genuine, quiet affection that didn’t demand anything in return. Their dinners turned into walks, which turned into long phone calls at night. Sometimes they didn’t even talk—just shared silence, laughter, and stories about the most mundane things. Ariana found herself looking forward to those moments more than she’d ever admit out loud. Still, there was a wall inside her she hadn’t fully torn down. A part of her that remained guarded, cautious. She wanted to believe in Greg. She wanted to believe she could be happy again. But something about peace made her suspicious. Like it was too good t







