“We're going on a trip!” Susie squealed and rested on Kat's table. “A trip?” She asked in surprise, her eyes wandering into Levi's office. He didn't mention anything about any trip. Well — he could not — she had made sure to avoid him after his confession to seeing someone else. It's not like she was jealous or ill-meaning but it hurt knowing that he didn't even bother to ask how she'd felt. But whatever!“Yeah! Oh I can't wait to finally breathe in new air. The last time we went on a trip was almost a year ago.” Susie sighed. “Oh. I didn't know GreyCorps allowed their workers some leisure.” Kat snorted. “It just recently got better. Can you believe that the Mandrake always had us go to Springfield on every trip?” Susie said with seriousness. “I guess that's where he met his first love or something.”“Ha!” Kat cleared her throat and began to arrange some papers. “He might just like it there, yunno?”“I know someone missing his first love when I see one. He sits at an exact spot
Levi’s gaze lingered on Kat as she focused intently on her plate, a thin shield against his probing curiosity. He leaned back in his chair, his arms folding casually, but his eyes carried a weight that unsettled her. She had dodged one of his questions earlier, but knowing Levi, it wouldn’t be the last. “I’ve got some new books if you wanna check them out,” he said, his voice light, almost teasing. Kat’s ears perked up at the mention of books, but she quickly masked her interest. “Please tell me it’s something other than romance this time?” A slow grin spread across his face. “Actually, it’s more of that.” Her fork hovered mid-air. “You’re still into romance?” “Not a fan anymore?” he asked, tilting his head in mock surprise. She paused, momentarily caught off guard. She’d forgotten how much he used to know about her, back when they’d bonded over books… or, more accurately, when he’d spoiled *Fourth Wing* for her during that intern trip five years ago. “Yup. Lost my tast
"We're going on a trip!" Susie squealed in delight as she jumped excitedly. "Oh finally, a different view!" She took a deep breath and rushed to meet Daya and the rest.Levi was nowhere to be found. After his stunt yesterday, Kat had managed to steer clear of him for the rest of the day. She didn't see him at home either.She was worried – not the way you would think, but well, she was worried still.“Come on Kat!” Gwen called out to her from the bus.Before Kat could take the next step to join them from the bus, Levi called her from behind.For a second, her heart leapt for joy and relief courses through her. He was okay, but she felt a little angry at him for not telling her where he went.Kat's eyes met with Susie and the rest whose eyes were glued at them. He sure had a way of making things awkward and causing unnecessary att
The soft hum of jazz music wrapped around the room, and the warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. Kat hesitated as she stepped into the café, her eyes flitting nervously around. Most of the décor had changed—new chairs, updated art on the walls—but the board at the back still hung there, untouched. The board. The one where couples wrote their names, doodled hearts, and pinned their pictures. Her stomach tightened as memories flooded back: laughter, stolen kisses, and a promise she'd been too naïve to question. She gritted her teeth, willing herself to push the memories back into the dark corner of her mind where she'd buried them years ago. This was just a coincidence. Levi had no idea how much this place meant—or rather, how much pain it held. Right? But then she caught his sly smile as he pulled a chair out for her, right near the board. Too close to it. The exact spot where they'd sat five years ago. Her throat tightened, but she refused to let him see the
Rosa’s fingers tightened on the doorknob as her mind slipped further into forbidden territory. She imagined Nate—her impossibly sexy, annoyingly confident boss—grabbing her by the waist, his strong hands lifting her effortlessly onto the counter. The way he’d lean in, his warm breath tickling her neck, his lips just grazing her skin...Her cheeks flushed at the thought, and a naughty laugh escaped her. Oh, Rosa, you’re such a bad bitch, she thought, shaking her head but unable to stop the daydream from spiraling.She bit her bottom lip as she pictured him stepping closer, his piercing gaze locking on hers. He’d cup her face, those rough, work-worn hands cradling her jaw, and lean down until their lips were just a whisper apart. Rosa could practically feel the heat radiating off him, her heart racing as she imagined her lips parting, ready to meet his—&nb
The night had fallen softly over the hotel, the kind of quiet that only happens when everyone’s gathered, and the chatters and noise from all the activities going on. The employees were gathered in the lounge area, the low glow of the lights casting a warm ambiance. The air was filled with laughter, teasing, and the occasional clink of glasses. Games had begun, a few rounds of truth or dare, charades, and finally, the card game that everyone was really waiting for: Kings.Kat sat with her arms crossed, eyeing the glass in front of her with suspicion. Opposite her, Levi’s eyes never strayed far from her. She could feel them on her, a quiet intensity that sent a shiver down her spine every time their gazes met. She focused on her cards, trying to ignore the warmth in her cheeks.“Your turn, Kat,” Susie teased, nudging her. Kat drew a card, and everyone leaned in, waiting for her to read the challenge. “It’s the queen,” she said, cringing at the inevitable.“Drink,” Susie grinned wicke
One Week After The project with Jourdan was going well, Kat made sure whatever happened during the field trip didn't hinder what she was at GreyCorps to do. She shortened any conversation or meeting that would lead to Levi bringing up the matter.And as expected, rumors flew around that Kat and the boss had some unsolved past and probably knew themselves before. Everytime Kat walked out of Levi's office, she was usually met with the expectant eyes of the rest of the team.As if they were waiting for her to say “hey guys, Mr Grey and I are actually exes and blah blah blah.”“Don't tell me you're single Kat!” Susie and Daya said and looked at each other. “Someone as beautiful as you are is definitely not supposed to be single.”“Or anybody in mind?” Daya asked, tugging Susie playfully. “Like…” her eyes signaling to Levi's office.Kat looked at the two women in surprise. They were being silly. “Nope! I'm happy being single. Besides, I can do whatever I want without having to worry about
The lights flickered in a tattered room. The walls had almost faded and peeled off and the concrete floor had almost chipped off, revealing the sandy texture underneath. A little bed laid on the floor in a corner with distorted looking pictures drawn on the wall above. On the side were pictures pinned to the wall and newspaper stories with strings tied on each pin as if tracing each picture for a clue. “Have you found him?” The male voice asked as the door creaked open. He was dressed rather formal and clean for that kind of tattered place. A man appeared from the corner into the dimly lit center. His long hair covered his face together with his full mustache. He looked over his slouched shoulders at the wall and back to the man in front of him. “You shouldn't be asking questions like that.” He spoke, dragging a chair and sitting down. “Your guy wasn't easy to find at all.”“Isn't that why I paid you? To do your job whatever it takes and not complain?” The man's voice was bitter a
Kat stood in the tiny kitchenette of the office, staring at the teapot as it whistled, the steam curling upward like a taunting reminder of the heat simmering in her life. The Jourdan project was more than just a job—it was her chance to make something significant, to prove herself. But now, Iris had stepped into the picture, weaving her cunning webs and threatening everything Kat and Levi had worked for. She had left everything at Valtara to focus on this project - the project that promised to shoot her career to the top. And she wasn't going to let Iris come and wash away those efforts for nothing. She poured the tea into two cups, her hands trembling slightly. This shouldn’t be hard. It was just a request—a simple date. But Kat knew better. It was a chess move, one Iris had forced her to make. And the piece in play was Levi, the man she loved. The man she had to protect at all costs. Balancing the cups on a tray, Kat took a deep breath and walked to Levi’s office. The door was s
The soft hum of the city accompanied Levi and Kat as they strolled down the bustling street market. Lanterns glowed like fireflies above them, casting a warm golden hue over the stalls. The air was rich with the mingling aromas of grilled seafood, sweet desserts, and spices. Kat smiled as she stole a glance at Levi, who seemed completely out of his element, his sharp features softened by curiosity and an unfamiliar sense of ease. “Still sure about this?” Kat teased, nudging his arm playfully. “Street food isn’t exactly your thing.” Levi smirked, his stormy eyes flickering with amusement. “It isn’t. But you said you’d make it worth my while.” “Oh, I will,” she replied, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she led him to the first stall. They stopped at a grill stall, where skewers of roasted squid sizzled over open flames. Levi hesitated for a moment before taking the offered skewer. Kat watched him intently, biting her lip to keep from laughing. “Go on, try it,” she encouraged
Spending the weekend away from the pressures of work and Iris was a breather for Kat. Rosa made sure she had her visiting restaurants, clubs and shopping. For the months Kat had been away, a lot had changed. Valtara, the café they usually went to for lunch, Rosa, Rowland and everyone at Valtara. Kat missed working there. She missed the comfort and the freedom of not having to worry about getting tangled with the boss or have her name plastered on the gossip of the week. She loved working with Levi - to be honest. But it was overwhelming at times, knowing they couldn't be too close to each other without having one or two said about them. It was enough that nobody knew that they were exes and knew each other before. Although things had changed between them, there was another problem to worry about - Iris was there. Kat pretended not to see Iris’ reminder messages. She was going to tell Levi when she saw him on Monday. Daya was in safe hands. Kat could see Rowland was doing a great j
The moment Kat stepped into the buzzing lobby of Valtara, a wave of nostalgia hit her like a familiar tune she hadn't heard in ages. It smelled the same—coffee, paper, and the faint scent of fresh flowers from the reception desk. The hum of conversations, the clack of keyboards, and the soft murmur of printers churning out reports filled the air. It felt...like home, in a way she hadn’t expected.“Kat!” a familiar voice boomed. Rowland emerged from a side hallway, his grin wide and toothy, his suit grand and fashionable and his tie carefully selected, as always. He strode toward her with long, eager steps, his hand extended. “You’re back!” he exclaimed, clasping her hand in an enthusiastic shake that left her arm tingling. Before Kat could respond, Rowland turned his head and winked at someone behind her. “My heart, can you believe this? Oh my goodness! My queen has graced us with her presence again. Be still, my heart.” Kat snorted, extracting her hand from his grip. “Stop ac
Daya waved excitedly at Kat with two big shopping bags as she stood by the entrance of GreCorps. Kat got off the turquoise blue camry and folded her arms. She had told Levi that she wouldn't be coming home for the weekend because she had to prepare her report for Valtara. There was no need telling him about Daya coming with her too. Kat had been caught between telling Levi about what happened with Iris or not. Telling him would make things awkward, who knew what he might do? He might decide to have Iris leave and that wouldn't spell good at all. Not telling him might cause problems for Levi and the project if she didn't do what Iris wanted. The rest of the week had been overwhelming. Iris had her eyes hawking at Kat, watching her move everytime she went in to Levi's office or whenever they were together. It was tiring. “How was your day Kat? “ she asked sweetly, flashing her with cute smiles. “What's wrong with you?” Kat teased as she collected one of the bags from her. “Did you
Kat’s plans had not included a showdown with Iris. Yet here she was, perched on the edge of a café chair across from the drama queen herself, who sat like she owned the place, sipping a latte with all the grace of a Bond villain plotting world domination. Kat’s fingers tightened around her coffee cup as Iris delivered her opening line with a smile sharp enough to cut glass. “Kat, darling, I’m going to cut right to the chase. We need to talk about Levi.” Kat blinked, then groaned internally. Here we go. She should have known that agreeing to meet Iris was like signing up for emotional dodgeball—only the balls were flaming and aimed at her head. “What about Levi?” Kat asked carefully, keeping her tone light, even though her heart was doing an unplanned cardio session. Iris leaned in, her perfectly manicured nails drumming on the table with a rhythmic tap-tap-tap. “Oh, don’t play dumb with me,” she purred. “I see how he looks at you. It’s cute, really, but let’s not pretend you d
Kat beamed with smiles as she fiddled with the pen she was holding, her eyes didn't leave Levi's office as she watched him engrossed with what he was doing. Last night had been unexpected, yet a blast. They spent the rest of the night cuddling before finally falling asleep in his arms. “You've been smiling to yourself for almost twenty minutes now.” Susie said, interrupting her wild thoughts session. “What? No, I was ermm…thinking about something funny.” Kat lied, turning her eyes away from Levi and facing Susie. “And you've been looking… there.” Susie pointed to Levi's office. “tell me Kat, is there something going on between you and the Mandrake?” her voice was low as she leaned close to Kat's desk. “What the hell are you talking about Susie? It's just 11:28am and you're already hallucinating?” “Hallucinating? Kat! You know I don't even drink.” Susie playfully hit Kat's hand. “You guys are up to something and you're not telling me.”“Me? Who?” “You've been staring at the boss
Kat arrived home to the sweet smelling aroma of the food Levi was cooking. She had gone to sort out some things at her apartment that she would be taking to Valtara over the weekend. She had promised to bring some new clothes for Rosa as well as a gift for Rowland, her old boss. Kat settled the brown box she was carrying on the living room table and sank into the sofa. Her feet were aching and her stomach made angry sounds. “You're back!” Levi said with some excitement in his voice. He was holding a spoon and the bear patterned apron gave him the perfect look of a chef. “Yup! I guess the aroma didn't let you hear when I got in.” Kat joked, sitting upright. “So how was your apartment?” “Normal. Thankfully I didn't get a pet.”“You'd bring it here. You gonna leave it locked in there paying the bills or what?”“Why didn't I think of that?” Kat replied, feigning to think.“Woman, you're very heartless.”“That's why I could get this far.” Kat chuckled and got up to carry the box upsta
Iris sat at the far end of the sleek glass conference table, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against the surface as her sister, Freya Jourdan, commanded the room. Freya exuded power, her sharp features framed by a high bun that didn’t dare let a strand of hair escape. She gestured smoothly, discussing the soaring revenue projections for her new clothing line, her voice steady and precise. Iris tried to listen, she really did, but her mind kept drifting. She glanced around the table, her bright eyes catching the awe on the faces of the board members as they hung onto Freya’s every word. Freya paused, her gaze sweeping the room. “Before we wrap up, I’d like to introduce someone special. My sister, Iris Jourdan, has been helping oversee the Jourdan Project at GreyCorps.” Applause erupted around the table, polite yet enthusiastic. Iris plastered on her best smile, standing slowly. She adjusted her fitted blazer—perfectly tailored, of course—and spoke in a soft but clear voice.