Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Monday morning arrived with a sluggishness that clung to Cece like a second skin.

She’d not slept much the night before, restless and shifting between the sheets.

Consumed with reliving her unbidden kiss with Ash, her overheating skin caused her to flee into the shower for a cool down.

She gasped as the cold water sluiced over her, but it did nothing to put out the flames he’d lit up in her.

The fact was she wanted more, needed more, of him.

For a few minutes the previous night, she’d shared in his wild aphrodisiac and was drunk on him. On his lips, his taste, his smell.

Why did he have to smell so enticing? Like a rainforest with hints of fresh tropical tones, honey, and citrus after a storm?

She slapped her hand on the shower glass until her mind recalibrated.

It still took a monumental effort to get her shit together, prep for work and get Mace ready for school.

Using a meditation poetry podcast to distract her, she pulled it together somehow and arrived at work early.

She hoovered a coffee and croissant at her desk while checking her emails.

Yet the unease lingered as if something dark was looming over her.

She sat at her desk as her fellow staff members trickled in one by one, sharing their weekend experiences. She’d little to offer except a smile and nod, her mind preoccupied.

Her phone buzzed, jolting her out of her thoughts.

The caller ID came up from somewhere else in the same building. She hesitated for a moment before swiping to answer.

‘Hi, Cece.’

The voice on the other end was all business. ‘Alan from Finance. I’ve got some questions for you.’

She leaned back in her chair and studied her shoe. ‘Sure. Shoot.’

‘It’s about the work credit card you have access to. We’ve noted a few abnormal purchases on it with your name against them.’

Cece’s eyes flicked to the cupboard at the centre of her workspace where all her department’s files lived.

She shared the space with Rachel, Laila, and Brad.

In one of its drawers was a leather file that contained a corporate card.

One that each of them used for small purchases related to work purposes or up to $5,500 for marketing expenses. It was a dispensation she didn’t take for granted.

Cece flushed as she sat back upright. ‘Abnormal? What do you mean?’

‘We’ve come across three restaurant bills from The Pearl – that fancy place on Tallow Beach.’ The accountant rushed his words. ‘Also, a couple of significant UberEats orders of KFC and a basic Netflix subscription. All in your name.’

Her eyes widened, her hand gripping her desk. ‘They can’t be mine, none of them are. I’ve never even been to The Pearl. I swear. Maybe you should check with the other managers?’

‘Cece, we’ve already done that.’ A hint of annoyance threaded through Alan’s tone. ‘None of them know anything either.’

‘So sorry. I wish I had more for you. Can you please send me an itemised list of the purchases so I can examine it myself?’

‘Sure. We’ll also keep exploring.’ The accountant sounded unconvinced before hanging up.

Cece stared at her phone, her mind reeling. She wasn’t responsible as she’d only used the corporate card once to authorise design drafts for the wedding services brochure.

Lost in thought, she only stirred at the sight of her junior coordinator walking by.

‘Hey, Laila.’

The young woman paused, her face screwed up in annoyance.

Churlish at being interrupted on her way to do nothing in particular,Cece thought, holding back the urge to give her junior some serious side-eye.

‘Yeah?’

‘Just had a call from the finance team. They say someone might have wrongly used the card we share. Have you noted anything strange?’

Laila cocked her head. ‘Strange? No, not at all.’

She added a smile, but Cece locked onto the suss glint in her eye.

Cece nodded slowly, her mind working as she gathered her thoughts to figure out her next move.

‘All right then.’ She dragged her eyes away. ‘Just thought I’d ask.’

Laila walked away, leaving Cece with a nagging suspicion she knew more than she was letting on.

She sank into her chair, fingers tapping on her desk. ‘Get it together, woman.’

Her thoughts were a tangled mess, suspicions creeping like shadows on the edge of her mind.

A soft chime pulled her focus back to the present.

A message from Alan in her inbox detailing the unauthorised transactions.

She scrolled through the list, her throat tightening as she read through the itemised receipts. None of it made any sense.

‘Hey, Cece!’ Rachel stood across the room, waving a coffee cup. ‘Coffee before our stand-up?’

‘Not right now.’

Distracted, Cece’s voice was a mumble as she kept her eyes fixed on her screen.

Rachel wandered over, her face screwed in concern. ‘You okay? You’re a little pale.’

‘Uh, yeah,’ Cece managed, forcing a smile. ‘Just some weird stuff with the purchasing card. I’m sure it’ll get sorted out soon.’

‘Let me know if you need any help, all right?’

Rachel gave Cece a kind smile before disappearing towards the boardroom.

‘Thanks.’

Cece’s whisper was drowned in the office chatter. Her eyes flicked back to the email, the numbers taunting her.

‘Focus.’ She inhaled. ‘Dig deep. Seek the truth.’

Her thoughts circled back to that subtle smirk on Laila’s face. At that knowing glint in her eyes. Was it possible that her junior had something to do with this?

She shook her head, not wanting to make assumptions.

Yet the more she tried to push the thought away, the more it clung on, refusing to be ignored.

Rising to her feet, she nabbed her iPad for the meeting.

Inside the boardroom, the murmur of the staff members gathering buzzed around her. Cece was oblivious to it all, consumed by the mystery of the purchasing card.

Worry clouded her attention, and she delivered a distracted update on her work.

Just as the catch-up wrapped, Denise called out.

The GM’s voice cut through her haze like a knife. ‘Cece, would you please come into Ash’s office for a moment?’

Denise adjourned the catch-up, and Cece’s heart leapt into her throat as she followed the petite woman into Ash’s modern, panelled sanctuary.

His office interior matched the man. The furniture was minimalist and expensive. Pale wooden floors gleamed under the overhead lights, a wood-panelled reception desk and large, floor-to-ceiling windows. The walls were lined with leather-bound books and plush seats, and a large oak desk sat in front of the windows.

The entire space was surrounded by broad windows and a skylight, with expansive views of the beach and lighthouse, enhanced by a dozen potted plants, all tall and dark with large leaves that emitted subtle notes.

Her eyes skittered until they met an emerald gaze. His arms were crossed his chest, and he sat on the edge of his desk.

Her angst ratcheted as she remembered how those same cold eyes had heated in molten passion when he’d kissed her.

She dragged her gaze from his and took a shaky breath to reorient herself.

Now was not the time to indulge in reliving their mindless moment.

‘Have a seat.’ Ash gestured to the empty chair before him.

Cece complied, her fingers fidgeting in her lap.

Denise pulled a chair beside Ash.

‘Accounts have informed us of some irregular purchases made with the company card.’ Denise’s tone was clipped and formal. ‘You had access to it, correct?’

Cece nodded, swallowing hard. ‘Yes, but I swear I didn’t make those charges. I don’t know anything about them.’

‘You’ve seen them?’ Ash’s voice was tight.

‘I have, yes.’

Denise slid a piece of paper across the table towards Cece. Her tummy flipped as she recognised the list of transactions she’d seen earlier that day, all under her name.

‘Alan called the restaurant, Netflix, and Uber.’ Ash’s gaze never left her face. ‘He discovered these subscriptions and payments were in your name and linked to a [email protected] email.’

Cece’s breath caught in her throat, her vision swimming as the room closed on her.

‘Cece?’ Denise prompted. ‘Anything to say about this?’

Her heart pounded as she struggled to find the right words. She met their gazes, hoping her sincerity was convincing enough. ‘All I know is that I didn’t make any of these purchases.’

‘The card is a privilege, Cece,’ Denise reminded her. ‘You signed an agreement regarding appropriate use. No matter who’s responsible, this is a severe breach of trust.’

Cece shook her head, her curls fluttering around her face. ‘I’m devastated that this happened. But it’s not me. I have Premium Netflix, not basic, and I’ve never eaten at that restaurant. It’s either a vindictive move or an amateur play, at the very least.’

‘On whose part?’ Ash rasped.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she blinked them back, determined not to show weakness. ‘I’m not sure, but I intend to find out,’ she insisted. ‘I’ll need to dedicate some time today to find out.’

Ash’s face remained expressionless.

He didn’t have to say he wouldn’t hesitate to show her the door if she didn’t prove she wasn’t the guilty party.

Ash leaned back, the long, lean fingers of one hand tapping a rhythm on his opposite upper arm. He studied her for a moment before nodding. ‘You understand that we need to resolve this issue soon.’

‘I do.’

She felt the weight of Ash’s gaze on her, which only magnified her anxiety. The dim light in his office cast shadows across his face, making his expression unreadable.

Denise cut through the tension. ‘Cece, you’ve only been here a short while, but we like what we see so far. So please know we’re hoping what we find works in your favour. However, we also need to follow due diligence.’

Cece took a sharp breath. Although confident she’d done nothing wrong, being held accountable for something she didn’t do was suffocating. ‘I get it. I’ll do some digging around. Just give me some time. Please.’

Denise’s expression softened, and Cece drew hope from it.

‘We’ll give you until the end of the week. You can leave now,’ Denise said.

Cece sensed the woman liked and was rooting for her. Ash, she wasn’t so sure.

She nodded to the pair, rose to her feet, and left his office.

She tried to steady her breathing but couldn’t shake the sensation that her world had been thrown off balance.

Clutching her notepad, she made her way to her desk.

Where Laila sat waiting, a smirk plastered across her face and a cup of tea in her hand.

‘Hey! I’ve been waiting for our morning catch-up,’ Laila chirped.

Cece narrowed her eyes, suspicious at the transformation in the young woman’s attitude.

‘Something came up.’ Cece tried to sound casual. ‘Can we do our check-in tomorrow instead?’

Laila’s eyebrows shot up, feigning confusion. ‘Oh, will you be here?’

She smiled, all innocence and light, tilting her head to one side.

Something was off about how Laila asked that question. With a sly undertone that sent shivers down Cece’s spine.

‘Yes.’ She kept her voice steady, working hard to keep the strain away. ‘I will be here. Why wouldn’t I be?’

Laila’s lips curled into a small, secretive smile as she lifted her cup of tea to her lips. ‘Oh, no reason.’

Her voice dripped with honeyed sweetness. She turned away from Cece and sauntered back to her desk.

Cece narrowed her eyes at her departing junior. Why was Laila acting smug?

‘Hey.’

Cece spotted Brad and Rachel waving her over.

She rose and went to them.

Brad leaned in. ‘What gives?’

Rachel whispered. ‘Does it have to do with the bean counters? And why they’ve been blowing up my phone asking about some strange charges on the work credit card?’

Cece waved them into the boardroom, giving them a quick rundown of events.

‘It’s not me. I’m super careful with company spending. I’d never risk my job like this.’

Rachel lifted a hand. ‘From what I know of you, Cece, you’re an honest bean, so maybe, just maybe, someone else is to blame.’

She cocked her head and waggled her eyebrows as she spoke, pursing her lips to point out someone beyond the glass walls. The trio stared at Laila, who sat at her desk looking a little too pleased with herself, oblivious to their shared side-eye.

Rachel sucked her teeth. ‘She’s always been a thorn in someone’s side since she started here, but this feels different – more calculated, more personal.’

Brad nodded. ‘Know what? I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve. I suggest getting more data about the purchases and sending me what you find. I’ll see if I can help.’

The offer took Cece by surprise. ‘You’d do that for me?’

Brad snapped his fingers with flair. ‘Yes, girl, because I’ve also had to contend with Miss Thing, trying to take over my social media manager’s role. She’s an upstart with no qualms climbing over bodies to get what she wants.’

‘Keep your head up, Cece.’ Rachel spoke with conviction, concern evident in her dark brown eyes. ‘We’ll figure this out.’

‘Thank you,’ Cece responded, her throat dry and tight.

‘Meanwhile, don’t give away anything to her. She shouldn’t know we’re looking into her,’ Brad cautioned, waggling a finger at her.

Cece sighed. ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, hey?’

Back at her desk, Cece glanced at Laila, fighting the urge to confront her junior.

Instead, she bit her tongue and focused instead on proving her innocence.

With her phone pressed to her ear, Cece paced back and forth in one of the smaller meeting rooms within Falcon House.

Her brow furrowed, and she gritted her teeth while waiting for someone to pick up on the other end.

‘Welcome to Uber customer support. How can I help you today?’ The voice on the line was cheerful.

‘Hi, my name is Cece Mirren. I’m a current account owner, but I believe someone has created a fake one in my name.’

The customer service support ran her through the required identification questions.

Once the prelims were out of the way, Cece explained the reason for her call.

‘I’ve just been informed of a fraudulent user of my details. Can you please help me figure out what’s going on?’

‘Of course, Cece! Give me a moment to pull up that information.’

After a beat, the friendly voice continued. ‘Okay, I found the account,’ said the support agent. ‘It looks like whoever made it used a Gmail account. [email protected]. Is that yours?’

‘Nope.’ Cece gritted her teeth as she drummed her fingers on a table. ‘Not mine at all.’

‘All right, I’ll flag this account as fraudulent, and we’ll investigate further. I do apologise for any inconvenience this caused you, Cece.’

‘May I ask where the food deliveries in that name got delivered to?’ she murmured. ‘The address, please?’

The support person gave her a street name and number, which Cece typed into her iPad.

‘Thank you.’

She hung up the phone and rubbed her temples.

Fuelled by the find, Cece sent a message to Brad with the data she’d received.

She exited the meeting room and headed to his desk.

Where she found Brad staring at his screen. He waved her over, the corners of his mouth turned up in a sly smile. ‘Is this our perp’s locale?’

‘Seems so.’ Cece pulled a chair next to him. ‘That’s the addie the Uber Eats deliveries were sent to.’

‘The suburb is familiar,’ he said, tapping his fingers on the desk. ‘It’s the same one where Laila lives because I once dropped her off at her apartment after a work function.’

‘Check this out,’ he said, pointing at the Google Maps screen. He dropped a pin on Laila’s place and then searched for the location that Uber Eats provided Cece. ‘It’s right around the corner of her block.’

‘Unbelievable.’ The rage simmering inside Cece threatened to boil over.

‘Let’s not jump to conclusions just yet,’ Brad cautioned, though his eyes betrayed his growing confirmation of Laila’s guilt. ‘You need more evidence to confront her when we’re sure.’

Cece sucked her teeth, struggling to keep her emotions in check. ‘So what do I do? Everything keeps coming back to my name.’

‘Take what we’ve found to Ash.’ Brad gave her an encouraging nod. ‘He can get onto any data. I know because we had a troll on social media that he unearthed in under a day. He disappeared the man, cancelled his shit, and we never heard from him again. He’ll help you get to the bottom of this. If Laila is responsible, he’ll have no qualms proving it and setting this right.’

The sea was molten gold, reflecting the sun as it dipped over the horizon.

Each glittering wave was a sight to behold. They crashed upon the shore in a kaleidoscope of colour, the churning water roaring in Ash’s ears.

He slowed his run, the warm sand hard-packed under his bare feet. The waning rays touched his skin as a gentle sea breeze played with his hair.

He strode into the wet until he was waist-deep, scooping up handfuls of water to spill them over his sweat-slicked body.

Finding his steady breath again, he headed to where he’d dropped his towel on the beach.

He glanced at his watch. He’d an hour before he had to pick up Jake from soccer. So he headed back to the office to shower and change before leaving.

He stopped short as he jogged up the stairs to the staff entrance.

A lone figure paced by the window. Their attention turned to the view of the sun dipping below the horizon. Their eyes met, and his heart lurched in his chest.

Cece.

The vulnerability in her face jolted him, flooding him with an irrational need to protect her. To hold her in his arms. To soothe the worry from her eyes.

Instead, he tore his gaze from hers and walked inside.

He had no idea how to feel about the accusations levelled at her. For some reason, he was rooting for her innocence even though he’d many unanswered questions about her other activities.

She met him in the doorway. Dusk’s light streamed through the large windows of the office. It cast a warm glow on her face, and his breath caught as his cock twitched.

Fuck. She was beautiful.

‘Cece,’ he clipped, arranging his face into a mask to hide his reaction to her.

She sighed. ‘Ash, I think I found something. That might show I was speaking the truth this morning.’

He glanced at her, raising a brow.

‘But to prove it, I need your help.’

‘Why?’

‘Because you’re the only one with all access to staff laptops.’

He turned to face her, tilting his head to study her. ‘What are you saying? Out with it.’

‘Someone set me up. I’ve managed to track down the delivery address of the person who requested the food delivery. Brad is sure it was Laila’s home. Or somewhere by it.’

‘Laila?’ He paused for a beat, searching her golden eyes for a moment, sensing her sincerity. ‘Not surprised,’ he murmured. ‘She’s had it out for you.’

‘You think?’

‘I know. I’ve noted how insubordinate she’s been with you. And how patient you’ve been with her.’

He pursed his lips as her eyes fell away, looking so guileless.

Her skin flushed, sending a wave of need crashing through him.

‘Will you help, Ash?’

He had to. It was his moral obligation as her employer.

He also needed her to be clear of these accusations in case they meddled with his separate investigation.

Most of all, because Cece was so damn appealing. His mind told him to flee, but his heart wanted to believe in her goodness.

He gave her a curt nod. ‘Where’s Laila’s desk?’

Cece pointed it out. ‘To the left.’

He marched to the desk and opened a drawer. Pulling out Laila’s laptop, his eyes narrowed as he flipped it open.

Cece wandered over as the computer powered up.

Ash sat on a chair and typed out a master password to get in.

His fingers flew, and his tapping echoed in the empty room.

After a beat, he found something.

He gestured for Cece to come closer.

Walking over, she peered at the screen.

‘This.’ Ash pointed to a Gmail sub-account on Laila’s laptop.

Cece’s breath hitched as she tugged a hand through her curls. ‘It’s the same email used on the orders - [email protected]. I’ve never had that address, ever.’

Ash’s expression was grim, accessing the inbox. ‘Looks like she’s been using this fake email to register the unauthorised accounts and transactions.’

He pointed to the screen where a series of messages sat. ‘Each corresponds to the purchases listed by the Falcon House accounts team.’

Cece licked her lips, and he dragged his eyes away from the tip of the pink tongue. ‘I feel sick.’

Ash shook his head. ‘She thought she was being clever. She used the Falcon House office IP address, which would’ve tied back to you. Having the food delivered to her home? That was her downfall.’

‘Is it enough, though?’ Cece’s voice wavered with uncertainty.

Ash sat back in the chair, wanting so much to reach out. To fold the woman into his arms and put her at ease. To rock her into bliss until the ugliness in her world faded.

But he couldn’t give in though to their freakin’ insane attraction. He had to keep her at arm’s length.

‘It’s enough. Trust me, Cece, she’ll get what she’s due.’ He hoped his voice held a reassuring edge.

‘Thank you, Ash.’

Cece’s expression on her face relaxed somewhat, and the knot in his stomach eased. He was beginning to care for her, and that thought threw him for a loop.

To tamp it away, he clenched his jaw. ‘I’ll hand over the evidence to Denise in the morning. She’ll be able to handle the situation with Laila from a corporate and legal standpoint.’

Cece nodded. ‘I appreciate it.’

He jerked his chin at her and rose to his feet.

Her eyes slid to his, and for a moment, he recognised the need amongst the shadows in her hazel depths.

It echoed the same desire that was flooding him.

He’d crumble if they stood staring at each other for one moment longer.

She gave him the beauty of her luminous golden eyes, which he dreamt of at night.

He bit back a groan, longing to reach for her and do things that would make them both moan.

He needed to shut this down once and for all.

Ash ran a hand through his hair and sighed. ‘Cece, go home.’

It was a plea, a heartfelt ask in case he lost all control and owned her, right here, right now, on the floor of the Falcon House office.

She stared up at him, rooted to the spot, so he forced himself to move. He powered, sweeping past her.

Away from the woman he craved but had still to wreck.

That evening, the sunset and the sky took on shades of pink and purple.

Cece stood at her kitchen counter, prepping homemade pizza and a light salad dinner for her and Mason. Her eyes were fixed on the surging ocean. She was seeing yet unseeing, processing how Ash dropped everything to help her.

The man was such a maddening puzzle.

He’d also driven her insane in his gear.

She trembled as she remembered how the water-soaked tee moulded to his chest muscles, how his jogging shorts accentuated his ass.

He’d been barefoot, too, and she’d had to clench her hands. To stop herself from touching those powerful thighs.

Lord, she wanted him.

Yet the angst between them haunted her with unspoken emotion she had no idea what to do with.

As the last rays of sunlight vanished from the sky, Cece steeled herself for the upcoming storm.

She served dinner, checked Mason’s homework, and sat beside him on the couch, where they settled in for a movie before heading to bed.

An uneasy tension settled over the workplace like a heavy fog the following day. Cece could feel the weight of it pressing down on her as she tried to focus on her tasks.

It was impossible to ignore that something big was about to happen.

Just before 10 a.m., there was a commotion.

She glanced up to see Laila walking into Denise’s office, where Ash stood inside, his face closed off and stern.

The young woman’s eyes were strained with fear and confusion as she disappeared into its confines.

Cece’s heart raced as she exchanged looks with Rachel and Brad.

Moments later, raised voices, Denise and Laila’s, drifted through the air.

‘Seems like it’s happening,’ Rachel whispered, her eyes never leaving the closed office door.

‘Good,’ Brad agreed, his jaw set in grim determination. ‘I hope they throw the book at her.’

Cece remained silent as she tried to ignore the muffled arguing from the office. Finally, the door swung open, revealing a tearful Laila stumbling out.

Black mascara streaks ran down her cheeks, and her face was twisted in disbelief.

As she passed Cece’s desk, their eyes met for a brief moment before the guilty-looking woman pulled away.

‘Laila,’ Ash called as Denise followed behind. ‘Please gather your belongings and leave the premises.’

‘I-I didn’t mean to—,’ Laila choked out between sobs, but Ash held up a hand to silence her.

‘Enough,’ he rasped. ‘Your actions have consequences, and you must face them. Now, please leave.’

Laila tearfully gathered her things. Denise then escorted her out of the building a few moments later.

Ash tracked their departure, and catching a glimpse of him, Cece sensed the tension in the air dissipate.

For now, at least, the nightmare was over. She shared relieved glances with Rachel and Brad, knowing they all shared the same sentiment.

‘Thank God she’s gone,’ Rachel muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. ‘I can’t believe she tried to pull that stunt.’

‘Me neither,’ Cece replied, her voice still shaky from the day’s events. ‘At least it’s over now.’

‘Let’s hope so,’ Brad agreed, his eyes reflecting a quiet determination. ‘We don’t need any more drama around here.’

When the fuss died down, Cece sat at her desk, her fingers tapping her phone screen.

With a few quick keystrokes, she ordered Kentucky Fried Chicken through Uber Eats.

‘Perfect,’ she murmured to herself, hitting the submit button.

She couldn’t help but feel a little thrill of justice done as the confirmation message appeared on her screen.

Revenge might be a dish best served cold, Cece thought. This time, though, it’d have a side of crispy, delicious fried chicken boxed in a special home delivery for Laila.

Later that afternoon, Cece sat at her desk, sorting through the last few days’ paperwork.

‘Cece,’ Ash’s voice called out from his office door, drawing her attention away from her tasks. ‘A word, please?’

‘Of course,’ she replied, rising from her chair and stepping into Ash’s office. The door closed behind her as she sat across the two of them.

‘Listen, Cece,’ began Denise, clasping her hands on the table. ‘We wanted to apologise for everything that happened. It was quite the ordeal.’

‘Unbelievable, really,’ Ash chimed in, his brow furrowed. ‘We never should have doubted you.’

‘Thank you,’ Cece murmured, grateful for their understanding. ‘So, what now?’

Ash shook his head, leaning back against his managing director’s desk. ‘Denise and I discussed it, and we’ve decided not to get the authorities involved. Laila has promised to pay the Falcon Group back. We‘ll chalk up her actions to youth and inexperience and put this mess behind us.’

‘Same here.’ Cece sighed, relieved at their decision. The last thing she needed was more drama and complications in her life. ‘I appreciate your support, guys. Really.’

‘Of course, Cece,’ Denise smiled. ‘You’re an important part of our team; we trust you.’

‘Let’s just focus on moving forward,’ Ash suggested. ‘We’ve got plenty of work to do, and we’re counting on you.’

Cece nodded, filled with a renewed sense of purpose.

‘I won’t let you down,’ she agreed, offering them a confident smile.

As she left Ash’s office and returned to her desk, Cece couldn’t help but feel that things were falling back into place.

The storm had passed, and she found herself more resilient than ever in its wake.

‘Here’s to fresh starts,’ she whispered, diving headfirst into her project plan, keen to leave the chaos of the past few days behind her.

However, Ash put up his aloof and unapproachable walls once more.

Cece tried her best to ignore it and focus on her work, but she couldn’t shake the sensation that he was still harbouring resentment towards her.

Yet he’d given her his vote of confidence.

Surely, she was missing something.

As the days passed, Cece tried to brush off her concerns and focus on her work.

However, whenever she caught Ash’s eye, he’d look away, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Whenever she tried to engage him in conversations about work, he gave her curt responses.

After a few days, she gave up as they returned to their previous silent stand-off, and she resigned herself to their uneasy tension.