로그인POV: Jovan Bradford
The engine of my black sedan roared, a predatory growl echoing against the empty stretch of the Florida coastal highway. I didn't give a damn about the speed limit. The needle climbed, blurring past eighty, then ninety, as I pushed the machine to its absolute limit.
My knuckles were white against the leather steering wheel. My eyes darted across the asphalt, scanning every vehicle that dared to share the road with me.
Where are you, Evelyn?
Ever
POV: Evelyn ReeveThe digital clock on the corner of my monitor flickered. 4:45 p.m.In the Meridian Miami building, this was the hour of the exodus. The sound of rolling chairs and the rhythmic thrum of the elevator became the soundtrack of freedom for everyone else. For me, it was a countdown.Every second felt like a heavy stone being added to a pile in my chest.I spent the afternoon playing a role. I laughed when Maya made a snarky comment about a difficult client. I nodded when Stella talked about her weekend plans in the Keys. I even managed a convincing smile every time Jovan walked past my desk or sent a quick text asking if I’d had enough water.On the surface, I was the picture of corporate composure.Underneath the desk, my heels were drumming a frantic rhythm against the carpet. My mind was a storm of jagged thoughts—revolving around a declined email and a brilliant future in London that Jovan had just set on fire.For me
Noelle’s voice wavered slightly."He torched his dream career to keep you comfortable, Ev. To make sure you kept your 'home' and your friends here."It felt like a jagged rock had been shoved into my chest. The guilt I thought I’d conquered came roaring back with ten times the force.I stared at Jovan’s office door through a blur of tears. Behind that door was a man who smiled at me every single morning. A man who brought me coffee. A man who shielded me from the wreckage of my past.A man who had just set fire to his own future for the sake of mine."Ev? You still there?" Noelle asked, sounding worried.I wiped my eyes aggressively with the back of my hand. "Yeah... I'm here. I heard you.""Look, I’m telling you this not to make you feel guilty or to make you break up with him," she added quickly, as if reading my spiraling thoughts. "I’m telling you so you understand how much he loves you. Don't be mad at him for hiding it. Just tal
POV: Evelyn ReeveTime has a strange way of healing things here at Meridian Miami. The days that used to feel like a slow crawl through a minefield have shifted into a rhythm I actually look forward to.It’s been two weeks since the storm finally broke. No more Archer lurking in the shadows of my mind. No more of Chloe’s toxic, sharp-tongued side-eyes in the breakroom. The office on the tenth floor has started to feel less like a corporate cage and more like a second home.Every morning follows a sweet, deliberate pattern.Jovan picks me up—sometimes we take his car, other times we walk the few blocks if the Miami heat isn't too oppressive. There’s always a vanilla cold brew waiting on my desk before I even arrive. We don't hide our lunch dates anymore. We just go.Maya and Stella have officially given up on teasing us. The sight of Jovan stopping by my desk just to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear or drop off a small bar of dark chocolate h
Jovan watched me eat with a look of quiet satisfaction. I knew he had no regrets about that rejected email to the London office. Not when he could sit here and watch me finally enjoy a meal without looking over my shoulder."Oh, by the way," Jovan said after a sip of his iced tea. "My mother called again this morning."I stopped mid-bite, my eyes widening. "Odette? What did she say? Please tell me she isn't asking about grand-kids already."Jovan laughed so hard he nearly choked. "No, we haven't reached that level of interrogation yet. She just wanted to know how you were. She kept asking, 'Where is that sweet Evelyn? Why hasn't she hopped on a FaceTime call lately?' She misses talking to you."A flush of warmth spread across my cheeks. Being accepted by his family was a concept that used to feel impossible, a dream I had given up on with Archer’s family. Now, it felt so natural."Tell her I said hi," I murmured, feeling shy but happy. "And t
POV: Evelyn ReeveThe desk calendar in front of Maya was currently the most important document in the building. Three heads—mine, Maya’s, and Stella’s—were huddled over it like we were plotting a heist.In a way, we were. We were planning a getaway from the relentless grind of corporate Florida."Look at this," Maya whispered, her eyes gleaming behind her glasses as she tapped a Friday on the next month's page. "It’s a holiday. If we take that Friday off, we’ve got a three-day weekend. Total bliss."Stella took a slow sip of her coffee, her expression unreadable but her nod approving. "I’m in. The workload has been manageable since the last audit. Where are we thinking? A drive down to Key West? Or maybe we charter a boat to the Bahamas?"I leaned my chin on my palm, a genuine smile tugging at my lips. For the first time in months, the idea of a future didn’t feel like a heavy weight."The Baha
The second I closed my bedroom door, I collapsed onto the bed, a ridiculous, giddy smile plastered on my face. I grabbed a pillow and hugged it to my chest, rolling over like a teenager after her first real date.My heart felt full—almost too big for my ribs. The fear was gone. The trauma that used to make my hands shake in the dark had been replaced by the steady, warm memory of Jovan’s hand in mine.I reached for my phone on the nightstand. There was only one person who needed the play-by-play.I tapped Sophie’s name on iMessage and hit the call button."EVELYN?! TELL ME EVERYTHING!"Sophie’s voice exploded through the speaker before I could even get the phone to my ear. I winced, pulling the device back with a grin."Soph, breathe. You're going to give yourself a heart attack.""Screw breathing! I saw your Instagram story! That hand! That watch! That was definitely a man’s hand, Evie! And not just any
POV: Evelyn ReeveI stayed facedown on the mattress for a long time, my face buried in a silk pillow to stifle the remnants of a frustrated groan. My breathing was finally returning to a steady rhythm, but my heart? My heart was a frantic metronome, skipping beats every time Jovan’s voice
POV: EvelynThe roar of Jovan’s Triumph finally cut out, leaving a ringing silence in the humid night air. He’d pulled up right in front of Shae’s place, the bike idling for a second before the world went quiet.I slid off the leather seat a little too quickly. My legs felt like jel
POV: JovanThe office parking lot was eerily quiet this afternoon—at least, it felt that way to me. The humid Florida air hung heavy, but every step I took felt strangely light, fueled by a surge of adrenaline I hadn't felt in years.Behind me, I could hear the soft rhythm of Evelyn
POV: Evelyn ReeveI checked my watch for the tenth time in the last hour. The second hand seemed to be dragging itself through molasses, mocking the knot of anxiety tightening in my chest.The latte on my desk was a lost cause—stone cold and untouched for two hours, leaving a dark,







