Adeline walked into the office, coffee in hand, mentally bracing for a packed schedule. She had just settled into her chair when Nathan rushed over, tablet clutched tightly in his hands, eyes wide with urgency.
"You've seen it, right?" Nathan asked, slightly breathless.
Adeline arched a brow, still adjusting her seat, "Seen what?"
He flipped the tablet around and held it out.
A bold headline screamed across the screen:
"Waylen's Soon-to-be-CEO Elias Ward Rumored Engaged to Heiress Seraphina Wynn."
Adeline blinked, then broke into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. The accompanying photo was a pristine, expertly timed shot—Elias in a sharp suit, Seraphina glowing at his side, his hand resting at the small of her back like it belonged there.
Adeline let out a short laugh, "Tabloids," she said flatly. "They live off fiction."
Nathan leaned slightly, lowering his voice conspiratorially, "Sure. But you know how it goes—where there's smoke…"
Adeline gave him a look—sharp, silencing.
Nathan lifted his hands in mock surrender, "Got it. Shutting up."
She turned back to her screen, her fingers striking the keyboard with practiced efficiency. Her expression remained unreadable, but beneath her composed facade, something tightened in her chest. A dull, unwelcome knot she couldn't quite name.
Subtle. But there.
Adeline stepped into the elevator, only to find Elias already inside. His suit was perfectly pressed, his posture as upright as ever, and his expression—impossibly unreadable. Despite his composed demeanor, she could feel the buzz in the office. Everyone had been talking about him all morning.
She glanced at him briefly, her voice casual."Congratulations, by the way."
Elias's brow furrowed slightly."On what?"
Adeline leaned against the wall of the elevator, maintaining a neutral tone."Your engagement. Seraphina Wynn. Quite the catch, I'd say."
Elias turned fully to face her, his eyes narrowing as he regarded her."You think so?"
Adeline shrugged, trying to sound indifferent, though something in her voice betrayed her curiosity."Why not? She's your type. Gorgeous, powerful... and germ-free."
For a moment, Elias was silent, his jaw tightening. He looked as though he was weighing his response carefully.
Finally, in a voice softer than usual, he spoke."It's not true."
Adeline tilted her head slightly, offering him a small, knowing smile."Didn't say it was. I just figured you'd mention it, considering we work together."
The elevator dinged, signaling their arrival. The doors opened, and Elias stepped out. But before he could leave, he paused, turning just enough to glance back at her over his shoulder.
"If I ever become engaged, Adeline..." he began, his voice steady but edged with something unreadable. "You won't be hearing it from a tabloid."
And with that, he left, the doors closing behind him.
Adeline stood in the elevator, frozen for a moment. Her eyes followed his retreating figure, but something in her chest had shifted—something sharp, something unexpected. The pain that had been lingering now seemed more real, more tangible.