I couldn't breathe.

My chest felt tight, like something heavy was sitting on it. My eyes stayed fixed on them, Lucas and Serena like if I blinked, maybe everything would change. Maybe this wasn't real.

But it was.

"How... how could you do this to me?" My voice came out weak, shaking. "After everything... after two years... how long has this been going on?"

Lucas finally moved. He pulled away from her, adjusting his trousers like nothing serious had just happened. Like I didn't just walk in and catch him destroying everything we built.

"It's... it's nothing," he said. His voice was calm.

Too calm. "Don't take it personal. It was just... fun."

For a second, I just stared at him.

Then I laughed. A dry, broken sound that didn't even feel like it came from me.

"Fun?" I repeated slowly. "This is fun to you?"

My hands were shaking now. I could feel it in my fingers, my chest, everywhere.

I turned to Serena. My friend. The same girl who has been my friend from grade 6. The same girl who hugged me downstairs. The same girl who smiled at me like nothing was wrong.

"How long?" I asked her, my voice tighter now. "How long has this been going on?"

She didn't even look ashamed.

She leaned back on the bed like she was bored, picked up her phone, and shrugged.

"Like he said... it's nothing. Just for fun."

Something inside me cracked.

"You're my friend," I whispered. My voice broke this time. "You're my friend, Serena."

Lucas stepped closer. "Ivy, listen...".

"No!" I snapped, stepping back quickly. "Don't come close to me."

He sighed like I was the problem. Like I was overreacting.

"I said I'm sorry," he added. "I didn't think it would be this serious."

"Not serious?" My voice rose. "Two years, Lucas. Two whole years! And you're standing here telling me it's not serious?"

He ran his hand through his hair. "I didn't mean for you to find out like this."

That hurt more than anything.

So it wasn't about regret.

It was about getting caught.

Before I could say anything else, Maya's voice came from the door.

"Ivy, you found...".

She stopped immediately when she saw them.

Her eyes widened. Then her face hardened.

"What the hell is this? What's going on? she demanded.

I swallowed hard. My throat felt dry. "He was with her... Maya."

Silence filled the room.

Then Maya exploded.

"You idiot!" she snapped at Lucas. "You stupid, useless fool! A whole two-year relationship and this is what you're doing?"

She turned to Serena, her eyes sharp. "And you? You call yourself her friend? You're actually disgusting!"

Serena didn't even react. She rolled her eyes again, still focused on her phone like none of this mattered.

"It's not that deep," she said casually.

Maya let out a sharp laugh. "Not that deep?

You slept with your friend's boyfriend and you're saying it's not that deep?"

I just stood there, feeling empty.

Like everything inside me had gone quiet.

"Ivy please...listen to me...". He pleaded walking forward.

Maya got defensive immediately, blocking me from him.

"Don't you even dare touch her".

He turned to Maya.

"Please stay out of this, this is our business".

"To hell with YOUR business, you ruined it the moment you decided to cheat on her".

Maya grabbed my hand firmly. "We're leaving."

Lucas stepped forward quickly. "Ivy, wait...please. Let's talk."

"Talk?" Maya scoffed. "You should have talked before doing this nonsense."

She pulled me out of the room. I didn't even look back. I couldn't.

We walked down the stairs fast. My legs felt weak, but I forced myself to keep moving.

Outside, the cold night air hit me again.

This time, it felt worse.

I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly aware of the dress again. The way it clung to my body. The way it exposed me.

I hated it.

A thought slipped into my mind.

What if this was his plan?

What if he wanted me distracted?

Busy with people staring at me... talking to me...

While he came upstairs to be with her.

My stomach turned.

Maya was already trying to book an Uber.

"This stupid app..." she muttered under her breath.

"Call him," I said quietly.

She tried. Then frowned. "His number isn't going through."

Of course it wasn't.

"Let's just walk," she said finally.

We stepped out onto the road.

The party noise faded behind us, replaced by a strange silence. The streetlights cast long shadows on the ground. My heels clicked softly with every step, the sound echoing in the empty night.

The breeze brushed against my bare skin, making me shiver.

Then suddenly.

Three guys stepped in front of us.

Blocking the road.

"Where are you girls going?" one of them asked, smiling in a way that made my stomach twist.

"Move," Maya said immediately.

They didn't.

One of them stepped closer to me. Too close.

"You look good," he said, his eyes dropping slowly. "Very good."

Before I could react, his hand grabbed my arm.

Another hand pulled my hair slightly.

I gasped. "Let go of me!"

"You think you can walk around like this and nobody will touch?" he said with a smirk.

"Come on... don't act shy now."

His hand brushed against my chest.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

Maya didn't hesitate. She kicked one of them hard. "Get off her!"

One of the men turned and grabbed her hair roughly.

"Ahh!" Maya cried out, her body jerking back.

"Maya!" I shouted, panic rushing through me.

I tried to reach her, but another man blocked me, grabbing my wrist tightly.

"Stay still," he said coldly.

I struggled, twisting, kicking, trying to break free. My breath came fast, uneven.

"Ivy, run!" Maya shouted.

"I'm not leaving you!" I yelled back.

"Go!" she screamed, her voice strained as her hair was pulled harder. "Just go!"

"I can't go without you!" I cried.

Then.

A car screeched to a stop.

The door opened.

A man stepped out. Tall. Slim. Dressed in a sharp, expensive suit.

Calm.

Too calm.

"Let them go," he said.

The men paused.

One of them scoffed. "Why? You think we're scared of you?"

Another added, "It's three of us... one of you. You should be the one backing off."

The man didn't move.

"I'm going to call the police," he said calmly. "And you can explain why you're assaulting two women."

He looked at them, steady. "Your choice."

The men exchanged looks.

One of them muttered, "Let's go, guys. These two ladies are not worth us ending up in jail."

They released us and walked away into the night.

Everything went quiet again.

I rushed to Maya. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, breathing hard. "That asshole almost ripe my brain out.Are you okay?

I nodded slowly.

The man looked at us. "You're safe now. Get in."

I hesitated for a while.

"C'mon you're safe".

We got into the car.

Maya gave him her address, before I did.

The ride was quiet. The city lights passed by in a blur.

I stared ahead... until my eyes slowly lifted to the rearview mirror.

And that was when I saw his face clearly.

My breath caught.

No way.

That was him.

The CEO of Nova FM.

My boss's boss's boss.

And he had no idea who I was.

The car slowed down as we reached Maya's street first.

Maya opened the door and stepped out, then leaned back in slightly.

"Thank you so much, sir, for the ride. We really appreciate you. Thank you... you are our knight in shining armor," she said with a small smile.

Then she added, pointing at me lightly, "Please, take good care of my friend. She's really heartbroken. She actually caught her boyfriend cheating on her... sleeping with her friend."

"Maya, jeez!" I said quickly, embarrassed.

She laughed softly. "Oh-sorry. Good night. Take care!"

She leaned closer to me.

"You know they best way to get over a heartbreak is a great one night stand, and he's handsome and filthy richIvy! Maya whispered,

"Maya!  I called unbelievably she said that.

"Go home ma".

"I will call you, or text me how it goes". She mouthed.

She shut the door and walked away.

I glanced at him.

For a brief second, I noticed it..

A small smile.

Not quite a full smile.

Just something subtle.

"I'm so sorry," I said quietly. "That's Maya for you. Her mouth doesn't have a filter."

"I understand," he replied calmly. "Friends like that... they are rare."

The rest of the ride was quiet again.

Soon, we got to my place.

Before I could open the door, he had already stepped out.

He walked around the car and opened the door for me.

That alone caught me off guard.

I stepped out slowly, still a little shaken from everything.

"Thank you... for tonight," I said softly. "And I'm really sorry about what my friend said earlier."

He shook his head slightly. "It's fine."

Then he looked at me properly this time.

"That boyfriend of yours is a fool to let you go," he added calmly. "You won't stay single for long... unless you choose to."

I didn't know what to say.

"Good night," he said.

"Good night," I replied.

He got back into his car.

And then.

He drove off.

Leaving me standing there...

Still trying to understand how my worst night...

Somehow ended like this.

I took the elevator,watching myself on the side mirror and seeing how miserable I look. And how my boyfriend was busy f*****king my friend.

"I have been a fool all my life". I wanted to shout so loudly that all the neighbors would rush outside.

I heard a loud clash on the elevator.

I froze.

"What is there?" I called out, my voice unsteady.

The lights flickered off, then on again.

A chill ran down my spine.

Slowly... the elevator doors slid open.

It was my Freddie, my neighbors cat.

"F****k". I held my chest so tightly, I almost wet myself.

 I bent down, reaching for the small shape brushing against my leg.

"Stop hovering around the elevator, Freddy," I murmured, gently petting him.

Then I stood, my heart still uneasy, and walked straight.

By the time I got to my room, everything felt... quiet.

Too quiet.

The kind of quiet that makes your thoughts louder than they should be.

Less than an hour ago, I was at a party.

Dressed up. Smiling.

Standing beside my boyfriend.

My boyfriend.

I let out a small laugh as I shut the door behind me.

Ex-boyfriend.

It still felt strange in my head. Like I was saying someone else's story.

I leaned against the door for a moment, my heels still on, my body tired, my mind even more tired.

Two years.

Two whole years... and it ended just like that.

No warning. No explanation.

Just...

A door.

A sound.

And the truth waiting behind it.

I pushed myself away from the door slowly and walked inside. My heels clicked softly against the floor, but even that sound felt distant, like it didn't belong to me.

Everything still looked the same.

My couch.

My table.

My bag tossed carelessly on the chair.

Nothing had changed.

But everything had.

I exhaled and walked straight to the bathroom.

I needed to wash the night off me.

The dress suddenly felt too tight. Too revealing. Too much.

I pulled it off slowly, letting it slide down my body and drop to the floor. For a second, I just stood there, staring at it.

That dress...

The same dress he insisted I wear.

The same dress I wasn't comfortable in.

A small, bitter smile crossed my lips.

"Never.... Never again will I let a man, make me wear what I don't want to wear," I muttered softly.

I stepped into the shower and turned the water on.

The cold hit my skin first, then slowly warmed up.

I closed my eyes as the water ran down my face, my shoulders, my back.

And then the thoughts came.

"Why would you do that, Lucas..." I whispered under my breath.

My voice echoed faintly in the bathroom.

"Why?"

I rested my hand against the wall, letting the water run over me.

"Two years... I stayed. I trusted you. I believed you."

My chest tightened slightly.

"You said you loved me..."

The words felt empty now.

"I did everything right... didn't I?"

I let out a small breath.

"I stayed loyal. I stayed patient. I stayed... real."

The water kept running.

"And you still chose her."

That part still didn't make sense.

Not just anyone.

Her.

Serena.

I shook my head slowly, wiping water from my face.

"I must have been blind," I whispered.

Or maybe I just didn't want to see.

After a while, I turned off the shower and stepped out, wrapping a towel around my body.

The air felt cool against my damp skin.

I walked to my room quietly, like I didn't want to disturb something that was already broken.

I sat in front of my mirror.

For a moment, I just stared at myself.

My hair was wet, falling messily around my shoulders. My eyes looked tired. Not from crying-just... tired.

I searched my own face, like I was trying to understand something.

"Where did I get it wrong?" I asked softly.

"Was I too much... or not enough?"

Still nothing.

I let out a small breath and leaned back slightly.

All the memories started playing in my head.

The late-night calls.

The promises.

The "I love yous."

The plans.

Everything.

And now...

Nothing.

Just like that.

I stood up slowly and walked to my wardrobe.

I didn't feel like dressing up. I didn't feel like being anything.

I just wanted to be... comfortable.

I reached for one of my oversized t-shirts-a soft, worn-out one that fell almost to my thighs.

I slipped it on, the fabric loose around my body, simple, easy.

I walked back to the bed and dropped onto it, staring at the ceiling.

A notification appeared on my phone.

Maybe it's him, It was from Maya.

"How's it going? Have you both hookup? But seriously hope you're good?

I signed gently.

"Go to sleep Maya, expect nothing!! Thanks thou I'm good."

I replied.

Silence filled the room again.

Then suddenly...

I laughed.

A soft, quiet laugh.

"I've been such a fool," I murmured.

The words didn't even hurt the way I expected them to.

"I really loved that idiot."

I shook my head slightly.

And that was when I noticed something strange.

I didn't feel like I was breaking.

I wasn't crying.

I wasn't screaming.

I wasn't falling apart.

Instead...

It felt like something had ended.

And something else... was just beginning.

A slow breath left my lips.

Maybe this wasn't the end of me.

Maybe this was the start of something new.

And somehow...

That thought didn't scare me.

My mind drifted again.

But this time...

It wasn't Lucas.

It was him.

The way he stepped out of the car.

The way his voice stayed calm.

The way everything shifted the moment he spoke.

And then...

That moment.

When he came down...

Just to open the door for me.

I turned my head slightly, staring at nothing.

"Who does that?" I whispered softly.

A small smile almost formed... then

disappeared.

Then reality hit me again.

Hard.

My eyes widened slightly.

"What if he recognizes me?"

I sat up a little.

My heart started beating faster again.

"That would be so embarrassing..." I muttered.

Out of all the ways to meet him...

That had to be it?

Not at work.

Not professionally.

But like that?

Hair messy. Dress all over the place. Almost getting attacked on the road.

I covered my face with my hands.

"Oh my God..."

What if he sees me tomorrow?

What if he remembers?

What if he looks at me and just... knows?

"What face am I even going to use?" I whispered.

I fell back on the bed again, staring at the ceiling.

I thought about work. The Nova FM studio. The endless calls. The interviews. The way I had spent two weeks running myself ragged. And now... all of it seemed small compared to what had happened tonight.

I remembered Maya's loud voice, the way she fought for me at the party. Protective. Loyal. So ridiculously outspoken. I couldn't help but laugh softly at her antics.

Sleep didn't come easily.

My thoughts kept moving from one thing to another.

Lucas.

Serena.

The party.

The car.

Him.

Maya.

Everything mixed together until I didn't even know when I finally drifted off.

The next morning came too fast.

I woke up feeling heavy, like my body didn't rest at all.

For a moment, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling again.

Then it all came back.

Everything.

I closed my eyes briefly, then forced myself to get up.

Life doesn't pause.

Work was still waiting.

I moved slowly, getting ready. Simple clothes. Nothing loud. Nothing that would draw attention.

I just wanted to pass through the day quietly.

But my mind wouldn't stay quiet.

What if he's there today?

What if I see him?

What if he recognizes me?

My stomach tightened at the thought.

By the time I got to the office building, my heart was already beating faster than normal.

I took a deep breath before stepping inside.

Everything felt normal.

People walking.

Phones ringing.

Voices moving around.

Like nothing had changed.

But for me... everything had.

I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and walked in.

One step.

Then another.

Trying to act normal.

Trying to look normal.

Then.

I saw him.

And my heart stopped.

My knees felt weak, my breath caught, and for a moment, I couldn't even think.

He was just standing there, flipping through papers, completely unaware of me. But my brain... my heart... every part of me knew.

That same calm voice. That same quiet strength.

The CEO. My boss's boss.

And the thought hit me hard.

What was I going to do now?

Under the Spotlight

The office was louder than usual that morning.

Phones rang endlessly, printers whirred, and people hurried past me like I wasn't even there.

Normally, I could handle this, but today it felt heavier. My chest was tight, my stomach twisted, and my hands were clammy.

I was at my desk, trying to finish a script, when Mr. Odum stormed past. His secretary, Tania, followed him, flipping through a thick folder.

"Ivy! Live broadcast in thirty minutes. The person who's supposed to do it isn't here.

You're going," Mr. Odum said, not waiting for me to respond.

Thirty minutes. Live. On air. Me.

I swallowed, my mouth dry. "I... I don't know if I can."

Tania leaned over and squeezed my shoulder.

"You can do this. I've seen you work. You're ready. Just breathe, focus, and trust yourself."

I wanted to believe her. But Mr. Odum's sharp voice added weight. "Do it perfectly, or you're out. Shareholders are watching."

I nodded. My legs felt like jelly. My heart pounded. Shareholders. Cameras. Me. Alone.

The boardroom was enormous. Tall ceilings, polished wooden floors, a long table that seemed to stretch forever. Leather chairs lined both sides, filled with people in suits, their eyes flicking between their notes, screens, and me.

A chandelier hung above, golden light spilling over the table and floor. Everything gleamed.

Everything made me nervous.

And then I saw him.

The CEO.

He sat at the head of the table, quiet, still, watching. And the moment I looked at him, I realized... his eyes never left me. Not once.

From the second I entered, from the moment my heels clicked on the floor, he was watching me. I felt it everywhere on my hands, my face, the way I stood, the slight tremble in my voice.

My stomach flipped. My chest tightened.

I hugged my folder like it could protect me. My heart thumped like a drum. My legs shook.

Every step toward the front of the room felt impossible. Every click of my heels echoed in the vast space, and I could feel every single eye in the room, but his gaze was the heaviest.

"Good morning, everyone," I started, my voice soft and shaking. "Today, I'll present the quarterly update and highlight key points for attention."

My first few sentences stumbled. My voice wobbled. But then I remembered Tania's words. Breathe. Focus. Trust yourself.

I kept my eyes on the slides, but I could feel him looking at me. His eyes followed every gesture of my hands, every movement of my shoulders. I felt exposed and small, but also... strange. A little alive.

I guided them through the charts and numbers. The room was silent except for my voice. Every glance toward the CEO reminded me I wasn't alone in this, his eyes were there, watching, but not judging. I tried not to think about him too much, but I couldn't stop feeling the awareness of him.

My pulse raced, my cheeks warmed, and my hands tingled. Each time I looked at the slides, I could feel the weight of his eyes tracing me, from the tip of my shoes to the top of my head.

Every small movement felt magnified.

Minutes passed. I explained the projections, the challenges, the highlights. My sentences grew smoother. My hands moved naturally with the slides. My voice steadied. I could hear the quiet hum of the air, the soft shuffle of papers, the occasional tap of a pen. But underneath it all, his gaze never left me.

I imagined him seeing me like he had last night

helping me when I was in trouble. And now, here he was, observing me professionally, but with that same quiet attention. It made my chest tighten, my stomach flutter, and my knees feel like they could give way.

I finished the last slide. "That's all for today's update. Thank you."

There was a pause. A quiet, heavy moment.

Then... applause.

Not polite clapping, real applause. People nodded, whispered, some even smiled. Relief washed over me, my chest eased, and I let out a shaky breath. I had done it. I had really done it.

Staff came by quietly to congratulate me. My cheeks were warm. I smiled weakly, still trembling slightly.

And then... I heard it.

"Miss Ivy."

I froze.

The voice wasn't just any voice. It was steady, familiar. And it made my heart slam against my ribs.

The CEO had called my name.

Every memory of last night rushed back the street, the harassment, the dress, the cold wind, the way he had helped me. My cheeks burned, my hands tingled, and my pulse raced.

He was looking at me. Really looking. Not just now, he had been watching me the whole time.

Every step, every word, every movement.

I wanted to speak, to move, to hide, but my body refused. My legs felt like lead. My hands were icy. My throat was dry.

The room felt bigger, the chairs taller, the table longer. The lights seemed brighter. And him... just there, standing, watching, calling my name.

He remembers. He saw me. He knows.

I froze completely.