The Restaurant

A heavy quiet sat there, pressing on each person. It did not feel natural, more like a weight none of them knew how to shift.

Aria folded her arms tight across her chest.

Kael looked tired.

Elena looked amused.

Very amused.

Elena: “So…”

Her eyes moved back to Aria once more.

Elena: “…this is the famous girlfriend.”

Aria blinked.

Aria: “Famous?”

A small glow lit up Elena's face when she reached into her pocket. The Vossice appeared, cold and smooth, held so it could be seen.

Photos.

Of Aria and Kael dancing.

Already spreading online.

Elena: “The Leoet works very fast.”

Aria looked horrified.

Aria: “That happened ten minutes ago!”

Kael sighed.

Kael: “My uncle.”

Aria nodded slowly.

Aria: “Of course it’s your uncle.”

Elena looked curious.

Elena: “Your uncle?”

Kael answered flatly.

Kael: “Family drama.”

Elena smirked.

Elena: “I see nothing has changed.”

Her gaze returned to Aria.

Carefully studying her.

Frozen in place, Aria sensed eyes crawling over her skin. Every breath seemed too loud, too slow. Stillness pressed down, heavy and sharp. Not a sound escaped without feeling watched. The air itself turned thick with attention.

Aria: “You know staring is considered rude.”

Elena smiled politely.

Elena: “I’m just trying to understand Kael’s taste.”

Aria gasped dramatically.

Aria: “Excuse me?”

Kael moved fast, stepping into the moment without delay.

Kael: “Elena.”

Quiet came his words, steady in the air.

But slightly warning.

Elena lifted her palms upward, fingers relaxed. Her arms floated into the air without threat.

Elena: “Relax. I’m joking.”

Aria let her words slip soft to Kael. He stood still, listening close.

Aria: “She’s not joking.”

Kael whispered back.

Kael: “I know.”

Elena leaned closer.

Elena: “So Aria…”

Elena: “How long have you been dating?”

Aria froze.

Kael also froze.

One hadn’t mapped anything out. The other just showed up without plans.

Kael met Aria’s gaze. The air between them held still.

Aria met Kael's gaze. He held still, watching her.

Aria's lips curled up, shaky at first. A quiet moment passed before the smile settled.

Aria: “A while.”

A hint of surprise lifted one of Elena's brows.

Elena: “Define ‘a while.’”

Aria panicked Leoally.

Out of nowhere, she spoke the thought that popped up first.

Aria: “Three months.”

Kael immediately coughed.

Footsteps slid sideways beneath polished wood, Aria’s heel pressing down without warning. The pressure lingered just long enough to shift the air between them.

Hard.

Kael: “…Yes.”

A shadow crossed Elena’s face, her gaze tightening just a beat.

Yet her smile returned. A quiet moment passed before it showed once more.

Elena: “Interesting.”

---

Outside the Restaurant

Aria and Kael stepped outside

Aria took hold of his arm.

Aria: “THREE MONTHS?!”

Kael looked calm.

Kael: “You said it.”

Aria: “You could have corrected me!”

Kael: “In front of my ex?”

Aria paused.

Then sighed.

Aria: “…Fair point.”

They kept walking.

Her gaze landed on him once more.

Aria: “Your ex is terrifying.”

Kael nodded.

Kael: “Also accurate.”

Out of nowhere, Aria saw it clearly.

She stopped walking.

Aria: “Wait.”

Kael turned.

Kael: “What?”

Aria: “Why did she say she left the country for one year?”

Kael hesitated.

For just one second.

Right off, Aria saw it.

Aria: “Why do I feel like there’s a story here?”

Kael sighed.

Kael: “Because there is.”

Aria folded her arms tight across her chest.

Aria: “And you’re not going to tell me.”

Kael smiled slightly.

Kael: “Not tonight.”

Aria groaned.

Aria: “You are extremely frustrating.”

Kael looked amused.

Kael: “You already knew that.”

---

The Next Morning at Orion Headquarters

The office was chaos.

Folks on the floor kept talking under their breath. Quiet chatter spread through every corner.

Pictures looked identical across phones.

Kael.

Aria.

Dancing.

A wide smile spread across Leo's face as he stepped through the doorway. His entrance filled the room before he said a word.

Leo: “Good morning, drama department!”

From across the room, two workers moved fast in his direction.

Employee 1: “Leo!”

Employee 2: “Is it true?”

Leo looked shocked.

Leo: “Is what true?”

Employee 1: “The CEO’s girlfriend!”

Faking a pause, Leo acted like he was pondering.

Then whispered dramatically.

Leo: “Which one?”

Both employees gasped.

Employee 2: “THERE ARE MORE?!”

Leo grinned.

Leo: “Relax.”

His finger moved to mark the doorway.

Leo: “There she is.”

Everyone turned.

Aria stepped inside. The door clicked shut behind her.

Her presence froze every person in the room. Stillness followed. Eyes locked on her without a word.

Aria froze.

Aria: “…Why is everyone looking at me like that?”

Off came Leo, stepping close with a grin. She saw him coming, light on his feet.

Leo: “Good morning, celebrity.”

Aria groaned.

Aria: “Don’t start.”

Leo leaned closer.

Leo: “Your date last night was very romantic.”

Aria panicked.

Aria: “YOU SAW IT?!”

With a grin spreading wide, Leo lifted his phone high. Then he gave it a little wiggle in the air.

Leo: “The Leoet saw it.”

Aria wanted to disappear.

---

Meanwhile at Kael's Office

A screen glowed in Kael’s hands. Words scrolled beneath his quiet stare.

Faces don’t always show much - his stayed still, like weight pressed down on every feature.

Very serious.

Someone stepped inside the room moments ago.

Without knocking.

Kael looked up.

And sighed.

Kael: “You’re early.”

A slant of shadow cut across her shoulder. The frame held her like a pause between breaths.

Smiling.

Elena: “I missed this office.”

With a soft click, the screen went dark as Kael shut the tablet.

Kael: “You don’t work here anymore.”

Elena shrugged.

Elena: “That can change.”

A shadow crossed Kael's face. His jaw tightened just a breath too long.

Kael: “Why are you really here?”

Elena smiled.

This moment felt different. Not warm. Cold edges crept in instead.

Elena: “Simple.”

She stepped closer.

Elena: “I want my job back.”

Kael frowned.

Kael: “You resigned.”

Elena turned her head slightly, one ear angling toward the sound.

Elena: “And now I’m returning.”

Kael looked unconvinced.

Kael: “Why?”

Elena answered softly.

Elena: “Because I’m curious about your new girlfriend.”

---

The Lobby - Same Time

Aria moved ahead, heading for the elevator.

Finding ways to dodge coworkers who watch too closely.

Then -The metal sliders slid apart. A quiet beep echoed as light spilled into the hallway.

Out came Elena.

Both women froze.

Elena smiled slowly.

Elena: “Good morning… Aria.”

Aria blinked.

Aria: “You work here?”

Elena nodded.

Very calmly.

Elena: “I might again.”

Faster than thought, Aria's mind caught the threat.

Big danger.

---

Meanwhile Kael’s Uncle’s Office

A shadow crossed his face as he turned to the next page.

But this time -She shifted on her feet, eyes darting sideways.

Assistant: “Sir… there’s another issue.”

A twitch tugged at his brow, one corner lifting slow.

Uncle: “What now?”

A folder reached his hands through the aide. Then came the quiet moment of opening it.

He opened it.

Now it happened like never before

Frowning now, the uncle said nothing. His grin had simply slipped away.

Uncle: “…What?”

Assistant: “Someone is investigating Orion’s Leoal accounts.”

The old man raised his eyes after a long pause.

Uncle: “Who?”

The hush in her voice carried the reply. It came through low, just above a whisper.

Assistant: “Your nephew.”

---

Back at Orion

Aria moved inside the lift alongside Elena.

The doors closed.

Awkward silence.

Suddenly, Elena broke the silence with words.

Elena: “You know he doesn’t fall in love easily.”

Aria frowned.

Aria: “Good thing this is fake then.”

Elena looked surprised.

Then smiled again.

But this time - A grin like that could get someone hurt.

Elena: “Oh.”

Elena: “So it’s fake.”

Aria froze.

Completely.

Out came those words, spoken before she could stop them.