🏢 Carter Group International 🏢
The Next Morning 🌄
The office floor was calm but busy.
Employees moved between desks, the quiet sound of typing and phone calls filling the space. Sunlight poured through the tall windows, reflecting off the glass walls and polished desks.
Aria sat at her workstation near the centre of the department.
Her eyes were fixed on the computer screen as she typed steadily, organising a report due before noon.
She had already been working for nearly two hours.
So far, the day had been… normal.
No strange looks.
No questions.
Just work.
Exactly what she wanted.
She reached for her coffee and took a small sip before continuing to type.
A moment later, a shadow appeared over her desk.
She assumed it was one of her coworkers.
Without thinking much of it, she looked up.
And froze for a second.
Standing there was the man she had seen at Ryan’s house a few nights ago.
He looked just as relaxed as before — tall, well-dressed, and smiling like he didn’t have a single worry in the world.
His hands were casually in his pockets.
Aria blinked once in surprise.
Then she smiled politely.
“Oh… hi.”
The man smiled back easily.
“Hi, beautiful.”
His tone was light and friendly, not too serious.
“I’m Justin,” he continued, extending his hand. “I think you saw me the day I came to Ryan’s house.”
Aria nodded immediately.
“Yes, I remember.”
She shook his hand briefly.
“You came that evening.”
“That’s right.”
He glanced around the office casually before looking back at her.
“So you work here.”
“Yes.”
Justin smiled slightly.
“That makes things easier.”
She tilted her head a little.
“Easier?”
“Yeah. Now I don’t have to wonder where to find you.”
She wasn’t sure what he meant by that, so she smiled again.
Justin leaned lightly against the edge of her desk.
“By the way… I’m Ryan’s cousin.”
Aria’s eyes widened a little.
“Really?”
Justin nodded.
“Family unfortunately.”
She laughed softly.
“I honestly thought you two were brothers.”
“That bad?”
“No, not bad,” she said quickly. “You just look alike.”
Justin grinned.
“People say that a lot.”
A brief silence followed.
Aria glanced at the time on her computer before returning to her work.
“So… are you visiting Ryan?” she asked.
“Eventually.”
“But first I wanted to say hello.”
That made her pause again.
“Hello?”
Justin shrugged casually.
“We didn’t really talk the other night.”
That was true.
Everything that night had been tense.
She nodded slowly.
“Well… hello then.”
Justin studied her for a moment.
He was quieter now.
When he had gone to Ryan’s house that night, he had been angry.
Furious even.
Because the woman Ryan had introduced as his girlfriend…
was the same woman Justin had noticed weeks ago when he first saw her leaving the company building.
He had liked her instantly.
And suddenly she was Ryan’s.
He still didn’t fully understand it.
But standing here now, watching her smile politely at him…
He understood one thing clearly.
He still liked her.
Very much.
“So…” Justin said casually, breaking the silence.
“Do you have plans for lunch?”
Aria blinked.
“Lunch?”
“Yes.”
She looked a little confused.
“I usually eat at the cafeteria with my friend.”
“That sounds boring.”
She laughed softly.
“It’s normal.”
Justin leaned a little closer to the desk.
“What if we go somewhere better?”
Her smile faded slightly in hesitation.
“I don’t know…”
“It’s just lunch.”
“I should probably stay here.”
“Why?”
She opened her mouth to answer… but paused.
Why was she hesitating?
She wasn’t doing anything wrong.
Going out for lunch with someone wasn’t a crime.
And if she suddenly refused normal things like this…
people might start wondering.
Justin noticed her hesitation.
“Come on,” he said gently. “You deserve a break from work.”
She looked at him thoughtfully.
Then she sighed quietly.
“Just lunch?”
“Just lunch.”
She closed the file on her screen and stood up slowly.
“Okay.”
Justin smiled wider.
“Perfect.”
She grabbed her phone and small bag from the desk.
“Let me just tell my friend I’ll be back later.”
“No problem.”
As they began walking toward the elevators together, Justin glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
He still couldn’t believe Ryan had managed to win her over.
Ryan.
The coldest man he knew.
The man who never showed interest in anyone.
Yet somehow…
She was dating him.
Justin pushed the thought aside.
For now, he just wanted to spend a little time with her.
Even if it was only lunch.
And Aria?
She walked beside him calmly.
Trying to treat this like something simple.
Something normal.
Just another ordinary moment in an ordinary workday.
Even though, somewhere deep down, she had a feeling…
things were slowly becoming far more complicated than she expected.
MEANWHILE…
Ryan stood in front of the large glass window in his office.
From the top floor, the entire company entrance area was visible. Cars came and went, employees walked across the courtyard, and the city stretched endlessly beyond the gates.
Normally, he didn’t pay attention to any of it.
But today his eyes had stopped on something.
On two people.
Aria.
And Justin.
They had just stepped out of the building together.
Ryan’s jaw tightened slightly as he watched them walk side by side toward the parking area.
Justin said something that made Aria laugh softly.
Ryan’s expression darkened.
His hands slowly curled into fists at his sides.
He felt it again.
That irritation.
That sharp, uncomfortable feeling in his chest.
He exhaled slowly through his nose.
“Unbelievable…”
His voice was low.
Controlled.
But the tension in it was obvious.
He watched as Justin opened the car door for her.
Aria hesitated for a moment.
Then she got in.
Ryan’s eyes hardened.
The car pulled away a few seconds later.
Silence filled the office.
Ryan turned away from the window abruptly and walked toward his desk.
His movements were sharp now.
Irritated.
He grabbed a file from the desk and flipped it open.
The words on the page barely registered.
His mind was somewhere else.
Why did that bother him?
He closed the file again with a quiet thud.
“This is ridiculous,” he muttered under his breath.
He walked back toward the window again without realising it.
The parking area was now empty.
They were already gone.
His jaw clenched.
He and Aria were pretending.
That was the agreement.
A contract.
Nothing more.
So why did the sight of her leaving with Justin feel so wrong?
Why did it bother him so much?
He dragged a hand through his hair in frustration.
“Get a grip,” he murmured.
He had no claim over her.
No right to feel irritated.
She was free to talk to whomever she wanted.
Go wherever she wanted.
That was the reality.
And yet—
The image of her laughing beside Justin replayed in his mind again.
His expression darkened further.
“Of all people…” he muttered.
Justin.
His own cousin.
Ryan leaned both hands against the desk and lowered his head slightly.
He hated this feeling.
This lack of control.
This unfamiliar irritation that refused to disappear.
“She’s just your employee,” he reminded himself quietly.
“And this relationship isn’t even real.”
The words sounded logical.
They were facts.
But strangely…
They didn’t make the feeling go away.
Ryan straightened slowly and looked toward the window again.
His expression was calm now.
Cold.
Controlled.
But inside?
Something had shifted.
And he wasn’t sure he liked where it was going.
Moments later ⏰
Ryan stood still in the middle of his office.
The silence around him felt heavier than usual.
The image of Aria getting into Justin’s car replayed in his mind again.
And again.
He exhaled slowly, pressing his fingers against the bridge of his nose.
“This is ridiculous,” he muttered to himself.
He walked back to his desk, picked up a file, opened it… then closed it again almost immediately.
He couldn’t focus.
Not a single word on the page made sense.
His mind kept drifting back to the same scene.
Aria laughing.
Justin leaning close to her.
Justin opening the car door for her.
Ryan’s jaw tightened.
Why was he even thinking about it this much?
This wasn’t real.
The relationship wasn’t real.
They were pretending.
Just a contract.
Just an agreement.
Nothing more.
So why was he standing here like a jealous teenager?
He straightened his posture.
“Enough,” he said quietly to himself.
He grabbed his suit jacket from the chair and slipped it on.
If he sat in this office any longer, he would lose his mind.
Maybe stepping out for a few minutes would clear his thoughts.
Yes.
That was it.
Nothing else.
Ryan walked out of his office with his usual composed expression.
Employees immediately straightened as he passed through the executive floor.
“Good afternoon, sir.”
“Good afternoon.”
He acknowledged them briefly without slowing down.
Inside, his mind was still racing.
He entered the private elevator and pressed the ground floor.
The ride down was silent.
His reflection stared back at him from the polished metal walls.
Cold.
Controlled.
Unreadable.
The elevator doors opened.
He walked through the lobby toward the entrance.
Outside, his driver was already standing beside the car.
“Sir?”
“Keys.”
The driver blinked in surprise but immediately handed them over.
Ryan rarely drove himself.
But today he didn’t want anyone asking questions.
“Sir, should I—”
“I’ll handle it.”
The driver stepped back respectfully.
Ryan got into the car and started the engine.
For a second, he paused.
What exactly was he doing?
Following them?
Why?
He stared at the steering wheel.
“This is stupid,” he muttered.
He could easily turn around.
Go back upstairs.
Forget about it.
But instead—
He shifted the car into drive.
The vehicle rolled out of the company gates and onto the main road.
He knew Justin well enough.
If Justin invited someone for lunch, there were only a few places he usually went.
Ryan drove calmly through the traffic, his expression focused.
Ten minutes later, he slowed down in front of a well-known restaurant.
Through the large glass windows, people could be seen sitting at tables inside.
Ryan parked across the street.
For a moment, he didn’t move.
His eyes scanned the restaurant.
And then—
He saw them.
Justin and Aria.
Sitting across from each other near the window.
Justin was talking animatedly.
Aria was smiling politely.
Ryan’s jaw tightened again.
His grip on the steering wheel hardened.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing, Justin?” he murmured.
He wasn’t sure if he was more annoyed with Justin.
Or with himself.
Because deep down—
He knew the truth.
He had no right to be here.
No right to feel this irritated.
And yet…
He still hadn’t started the car again.
Restaurant 🍽️
The restaurant was calm and elegant.
Soft music played quietly in the background while sunlight streamed through the tall glass windows, warming the wooden tables and polished floor.
Aria and Justin were seated near the window.
Their food had already arrived, and the soft clinking of utensils mixed with the low chatter of other customers around them.
Aria took a small bite of her food, grateful for the break from the office.
For the first time that day, things felt… normal.
Justin leaned back slightly in his chair, studying her with a relaxed smile.
He seemed completely comfortable.
Too comfortable.
“So…” he said, lifting his glass casually.
Aria looked up at him.
Justin tilted his head slightly, curiosity clear in his expression.
“Tell me something.”
“What?”
“How did you and Ryan meet?”
Aria froze for half a second.
Justin chuckled lightly.
“Because I know my cousin very well,” he continued. “And trust me… he’s not exactly the lover boy type.”
Aria forced a small smile.
Her mind began racing.
She had expected many questions today.
But not this one.
She set her fork down slowly.
“Well…”
Justin watched her closely.
“I mean, seriously,” he added with a laugh. “Ryan barely smiles at family dinners. And suddenly he shows up at a party with a girlfriend? That shocked everyone.”
Aria kept her expression calm.
She had to be careful.
“We met through work,” she said finally.
Justin raised an eyebrow.
“Work?”
“Yes.”
“And somehow work turned into dating?”
She nodded lightly.
“Something like that.”
Justin leaned forward slightly, clearly interested.
“That’s impressive.”
“Why?”
“Because Ryan doesn’t let people get close easily.”
Aria didn’t answer.
Before Justin could ask another question—
A familiar voice cut through the conversation.
“Am I interrupting?”
Both of them turned at the same time.
Ryan stood beside their table.
His posture was straight, his expression calm, but his eyes were sharp.
Aria blinked in surprise.
“Sir—”
Justin leaned back in his chair slowly, his smile fading into something more curious.
“Well… look who decided to join us.”
Ryan’s gaze shifted between the two of them.
He looked completely composed.
As if running into them here was a coincidence.
“I had a meeting nearby,” he said coolly.
Justin smirked slightly.
“Of course you did.”
Ryan ignored the tone and looked at Aria.
“Mind if I sit?”
For a moment, Aria didn’t know what to say.
Then she nodded quickly.
“Of course.”
Ryan pulled out the chair beside her and sat down.
A waiter approached immediately.
“Good afternoon, sir.”
Ryan gave a brief nod.
“Just coffee.”
The waiter left.
Silence settled over the table for a moment.
Justin broke it first.
“You know,” he said casually, resting his arm on the back of his chair, “I was just asking Aria how you two met.”
Ryan’s eyes moved to Aria for a brief second.
Then back to Justin.
“And?”
Justin shrugged.
“She said it started at work.”
Ryan nodded slowly.
“That’s correct.”
Justin studied him carefully.
“You move fast these days.”
Ryan’s expression remained unreadable.
“People change.”
Justin smirked.
“Do they?”
Aria glanced between the two men, feeling the tension slowly building.
Ryan leaned back slightly in his chair.
His gaze shifted to Justin.
“You should be working.”
Justin laughed.
“I came to visit family.”
Ryan’s voice stayed calm.
“You’ve seen me.”
Justin’s smile didn’t disappear.
“I was actually having lunch.”
Ryan glanced at the plates on the table.
“Yes. I can see that.”
The waiter returned and placed Ryan’s coffee in front of him.
Ryan thanked him briefly before picking up the cup.
Justin watched him with interest.
“You don’t mind if I borrow your girlfriend for lunch, do you?”
Ryan took a slow sip of his coffee.
Then he placed the cup down.
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
“I do.”
The word hung in the air.
Justin’s smile faded slightly.
Aria’s heart skipped.
Ryan turned his head slightly toward her.
“You didn’t tell me you were leaving the building.”
His tone wasn’t loud.
But it carried weight.
Aria hesitated.
“It was just lunch.”
Ryan held her gaze for a second longer than necessary.
Then he looked back at Justin.
“If you wanted lunch with someone from my company,” Ryan said coolly, “there are many employees.”
Justin’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“I wasn’t interested in them.”
Silence fell again.
The atmosphere around the table had changed completely.
Customers nearby continued eating and chatting, completely unaware of the quiet tension sitting near the window.
Aria looked down at her plate, suddenly losing her appetite.
Justin leaned forward again, resting his arms on the table.
“So… what now?” he asked calmly.
Ryan’s expression didn’t change.
“Now,” he said quietly, “I have to go home with my girlfriend.”
The tension around the table had grown thick.
Ryan sat calmly, his coffee untouched now, his expression composed but cold. His presence alone had changed the atmosphere of the entire lunch.
Justin leaned back in his chair, watching him carefully.
For someone who had “accidentally” come here, Ryan looked far too comfortable sitting between them.
A few seconds of silence passed.
Then Ryan turned his head slightly toward Aria.
His voice was calm.
Controlled.
“Let’s go home, honey.”
The words were simple.
But they carried weight.
Aria felt it immediately.
Her heart skipped for a second.
She knew exactly what he was doing.
Keeping the act alive.
She straightened slightly in her chair and forced a gentle smile.
“Of course, baby.”
The word felt strange leaving her mouth.
But she said it naturally enough.
Across the table, Justin’s expression changed instantly.
The playful confidence he had carried earlier disappeared.
For a brief moment, something raw flashed across his face.
Hurt.
He tried to hide it quickly, but it was there.
Very clear.
Justin looked down at the table, letting out a small breath through his nose.
“So it’s like that,” he said quietly.
Ryan stood up from his chair without reacting to the comment.
He adjusted his suit jacket calmly.
Aria followed, standing beside him.
Justin looked up at them again.
His eyes lingered on Aria.
“You didn’t tell me you had plans,” he said softly.
Aria hesitated for a moment.
“I… didn’t know I did.”
Ryan’s hand moved to the back of her chair, pulling it aside so she could step away from the table.
The gesture looked natural.
Possessive.
Intentional.
Justin noticed.
Of course he noticed.
Ryan finally looked at him.
His voice was steady.
“We’ll talk later.”
Justin let out a small, humourless laugh.
“Oh, we definitely will.”
Ryan didn’t respond.
Aria picked up her bag, feeling the heavy tension hanging between the two men.
She looked at Justin.
“Thank you for lunch,” she said politely.
Justin forced a faint smile.
“Anytime.”
But his eyes betrayed him.
They weren’t smiling at all.
Ryan placed a hand lightly at the small of Aria’s back.
“Come on.”
The gesture made Justin’s chest tighten.
Aria nodded and walked beside Ryan toward the exit.
The restaurant doors closed behind them.
Justin remained seated at the table.
For a long moment, he didn’t move.
His food sat untouched.
His fingers tightened slowly around the glass in front of him.
“So he really did it,” he muttered quietly.
Ryan Carter.
Dating the woman Justin had liked.
He leaned back in his chair and stared at the empty seats across from him.
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
“This isn’t over,” he murmured.
Outside the restaurant, Ryan opened the car door for Aria.
She got in quietly.
He closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side.
The moment he got into the car, the silence between them felt thick.
Neither of them spoke immediately.
Ryan started the engine.
His eyes stayed on the road ahead.
But his jaw was still tight.
And Aria?
She sat quietly beside him, staring out the window.
Still trying to understand why that simple lunch had suddenly felt like a battlefield.
🚘
The car ride back was long.
Too long.
The road stretched endlessly ahead, cars passing by, the city moving around them — but inside the car, the silence was heavy and suffocating.
Ryan drove without saying a single word.
His jaw was tight.
His hands gripped the steering wheel firmly.
Aria sat beside him quietly, staring out the window, watching the buildings blur past.
She could feel the tension coming from him.
Like a storm waiting to break.
Neither of them spoke.
Not when they reached the gates.
Not when the car drove up the long driveway.
Not even when Ryan parked the car in front of the house.
The engine turned off.
The sudden silence felt louder than the ride itself.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then Ryan finally turned his head and looked at her.
His eyes were cold.
Sharp.
“So this is who you are?”
Aria frowned slightly.
“What?”
His voice hardened.
“Just agreeing to go to lunch with a man like that?”
The accusation in his tone made her blink in disbelief.
She turned toward him slowly.
“What do you mean?”
Ryan scoffed quietly.
“You met him once, and suddenly you’re comfortable enough to go out with him?”
Her eyebrows pulled together.
“It was just lunch.”
“With Justin.”
“Yes.”
He laughed softly, but there was no humour in it.
“Of all people.”
Aria crossed her arms slightly, already feeling irritation building inside her.
“I didn’t know there was a rule about whom I can have lunch with.”
His eyes narrowed.
“You don’t know him.”
“And you do?”
“Yes.”
“Good,” she replied quickly. “Then that should make you less worried.”
Ryan stared at her, his patience thinning.
“That’s not the point.”
“Then what is the point?” she shot back.
His voice lowered.
“You barely know him.”
“And?”
“And you just go with him?”
She stared at him now, her frustration rising.
“Ryan… it was lunch. In a public restaurant. Not a secret meeting.”
His jaw tightened.
“That’s not the issue.”
“Then explain it to me,” she said, her voice sharpening slightly.
“Because right now you sound like you’re accusing me of something.”
He leaned slightly toward her.
“You’re supposed to be careful.”
Her eyes widened slightly.
“Careful of what?”
“Of people getting too comfortable around you.”
She stared at him for a second.
Then she let out a short breath of disbelief.
“Oh.”
Ryan frowned.
“Oh, what?”
“So that’s what this is about.”
“What does that mean?”
She shook her head slightly.
“You’re worried about appearances.”
“Of course I am.”
She looked at him steadily.
“You’re forgetting something.”
“What?”
“This relationship isn’t real.”
The words landed between them.
Sharp.
Clear.
Ryan’s expression darkened.
“You said it yourself,” she continued. “It’s a contract. An agreement.”
Her voice softened, but the firmness remained.
“So why are you acting as if I betrayed you?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he looked away toward the windshield.
His jaw tightened again.
Aria continued quietly.
“You told me to act normal at work.”
“Yes.”
“And that’s what I did.”
Ryan turned back to her.
“Going to lunch with Justin isn’t normal.”
“For you maybe,” she replied. “But for me it is.”
Silence filled the car again.
Ryan’s eyes searched her face.
“Do you like him?”
The question came out suddenly.
Aria blinked.
“What?”
“Do you like him?” he repeated.
She stared at him, completely caught off guard.
“Where did that come from?”
“It’s a simple question.”
She let out a frustrated breath.
“I met him twice.”
“That doesn’t answer the question.”
She looked at him, her patience thinning.
“No, Ryan. I don’t like him.”
Another pause.
Then she added quietly—
“But even if I did… that wouldn’t be your concern.”
The words hit harder than she expected.
Ryan leaned back slightly in his seat.
His expression turned colder again.
“You’re right,” he said flatly.
Aria looked away, staring out the windshield now.
The tension between them felt thick enough to touch.
Finally she opened the door.
“I’m going inside,” she said quietly.
Ryan didn’t stop her.
She stepped out of the car and walked toward the house.
The front door closed behind her.
Ryan remained sitting in the driver’s seat.
His hands rested on the steering wheel again.
His jaw tightened slowly.
She was right.
This wasn’t real.
He had no right to be angry.
No right to question her.
And yet—
The thought of Justin sitting across from her.
Laughing with her.
Looking at her like that…
Ryan closed his eyes briefly.
“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath.
Because no matter how many times he reminded himself—
It still didn’t feel like just a contract anymore.
🌸
Ryan entered the house a few minutes later.
The door closed quietly behind him, but the tension from the car followed him inside like a shadow.
The house was calm. Too calm.
He loosened his tie slightly as he walked further inside, trying to clear his thoughts.
Then he heard the soft sound of a glass touching the counter.
Kitchen.
He turned the corner and saw her.
Aria stood near the kitchen island, holding a glass of water. She had already changed into comfortable clothes, her hair loosely falling over her shoulders.
She looked tired.
And still upset.
She didn’t look at him when he walked in.
Ryan stepped closer.
“Aria—”
She cut him off instantly.
“What now?”
Her tone was sharp.
Colder than before.
Ryan stopped a few steps away from her.
“I want to talk about earlier.”
Aria let out a dry laugh.
“Talk?”
She turned and looked at him fully now.
“Why? So you can interrogate me again?”
“That’s not what I was—”
“You know what, Ryan?” she snapped before he could finish.
Her eyes were burning now.
“You’re unbelievable.”
He frowned slightly.
“I didn’t say—”
“And don’t start acting as if you care,” she continued harshly.
The words came fast.
Too fast for him to interrupt.
“You don’t get to question me about lunch. You don’t get to question me about anything.”
Ryan’s jaw tightened.
“I wasn’t questioning—”
“Yes, you were.”
She set the glass down harder than necessary.
“You dragged me into this stupid fake relationship, remember?”
The word stupid landed heavily.
“You told me it was just business. Just a contract.”
Ryan tried to speak again.
“Aria—”
“No. You don’t get to talk right now,” she said sharply.
Her frustration had completely taken over.
“You walk around acting like you own everything… as if people should just follow whatever you say without questioning it.”
Ryan’s expression darkened slightly.
“That’s not—”
“And now suddenly you’re upset because I had lunch with someone?”
She scoffed.
“Please.”
Ryan stared at her, silent now.
Aria shook her head in disbelief.
“For someone who clearly doesn’t know the first thing about relationships… you’re really good at pretending to care.”
That one landed harder.
He felt it.
She continued, not noticing the shift in his expression.
“You don’t care about me,” she said coldly.
“You care about control.”
Ryan’s hands slowly clenched at his sides.
“You needed a woman to stand next to you at parties so people would stop asking questions.”
Her voice was harsh now.
“And congratulations. You got exactly what you wanted.”
He still didn’t interrupt.
“You hired me,” she continued, her voice cutting deeper with every word.
“Which means this whole thing is basically just part of my job.”
Ryan’s eyes hardened slightly.
But she wasn’t done.
“So don’t stand there acting jealous like I owe you some kind of loyalty.”
Silence filled the kitchen.
Ryan hadn’t moved.
Hadn’t spoken.
Then she said the one thing that hit the hardest.
“If you’re looking for someone to control like that,” she said coldly, “you should’ve hired a robot instead of a human.”
The words hung in the air.
For the first time in the entire argument—
Ryan didn’t respond.
He just stood there.
Still.
His face completely unreadable.
But something in his eyes had changed.
Something quiet.
Something wounded.
Aria finally noticed the silence.
But by then it was too late.
Ryan lowered his gaze slightly.
Then without saying a single word—
He turned and walked out of the kitchen.
His footsteps were slow.
Controlled.
But unusually heavy.
Aria stood there, breathing hard, her heart still racing from the argument.
The kitchen suddenly felt too quiet.
Because Ryan Carter…
the man who always had the last word…
had walked away without saying anything at all.