Elena Pov

I wake up on my side, my face half-buried in the pillow, my body sore in places I didn't know could hurt.

Not painful but just the kind of soreness that reminds you exactly how you spent the night.

For a second, I don't move.

I just breathe, my eyes still closed, hovering between sleep and memory.

Then it hits me.

Last night.

I jolt upright too fast, my hair falling into my face, my heart punching hard against my ribs.

I turn my head, slowly, stupidly hoping

But the other side of the bed is empty.

The sheets are a mess.

Twisted, wrinkled, pushed halfway off the bed like they tried to keep up but couldn't.

He's gone.

A quiet sigh slips out before I can stop it. Not disappointment exactly more like reality finally catching up.

My mind flickers back to last night, his hands, the heat, the way he pulled me under and didn't let me hide.

The way he kissed me, the way he worshipped my body.

I grab the nearest pillow, press it to my face, and scream into it until my throat burns, then I toss it across the room, it hits the door and flops to the floor, useless and dramatic, just like me.

"Get it together," I mutter

I swing my legs off the bed, pushing yesterday's clothes out of my way with a lazy kick.

My body protests the movement, but I ignore it. I stand, stretching, wincing at the soreness I earned.

"I have to enjoy the rest of the day before going back," I tell myself, even though the words feel thin.

For a moment, I just stand there, staring at the wrecked bed, the creased sheets, the faint imprint of where he had been.

Then I force myself to move.

One foot.

Then the other.

All the way to the bathroom.

Julian's Pov

My phone vibrates on the bedside table, loud as hell in the quiet room.

It buzzes again, rattling the glass surface like it's angry.

I crack an eye open, head pounding. For a second, I don't know where I am.

Then I breathe in.

Her.

That soft, sweet scent that's been haunting me since last night

I glance down.

The sheets are a mess half hanging off the bed from how hard we went last night

They barely cover me. Her arm's slung over my stomach, her cheek tucked into my shoulder like she's been there forever, like she belongs there.

And fuck me, part of me wants to believe she does.

Her hair's a dark wave against my chest, warm and real, her breathing steady, soft cuts through the noise in my head.

I breathe through the tightness in my chest.

Quietly, I lift her hand off me. She sighs, rolls over, and curls into the pillow.

I stare at her for a second too long.

Then I stand, and every breath feels like a goddamn mistake.

My clothes are scattered across the floor, the mess of a night that lasted too long and ended too well.

I pick them up piece by piece, shirt, belt, pant pulling them on one after the other.

By the time I'm dressed, the room feels smaller.

I slip out the door, easing it shut so the latch doesn't click too loud.

Like as if the quiet will erase the fact that I was ever in that bed.

My phone rings again.

I answer as I head for the elevator. "What."

"Good morning to you too," my best friend Dominic says, his voice full of sleep and attitude. "Where the hell did you disappear to last night? You sound wrecked."

"Something like that," I mutter.

"So?" he pushes. "You find trouble or did trouble find you?"

I exhale, stepping into the elevator.

Her mouth flashes through my mind.

Her voice, whispering my name like it meant something.

Her fingers on my back like she already knew every scar.

"Doesn't matter," I say, even though it does.

Way more than it should.

"Julian...."

"I'll call you back."

I hang up before he can drag anything else out of me.

The elevator doors close and I catch my reflection in the mirror-lined walls hair messed, collar wrinkled, eyes darker than they should be for a man who's supposed to be in control.

I look like someone who crossed a line he shouldn't have.

Someone who'll cross it again if he's not careful.

As the elevator sinks floor by floor, a thought slips in deep and unwelcome

I shouldn't have touched her.

And I sure as hell shouldn't want to again.

But wanting isn't the problem.

The problem is knowing that last night isn't the end of anything.

It's the beginning of a disaster I know I won't be able to walk away from.

Because now I want her more

Elena POV

The sound of my alarm tears through the quiet room, sharp and annoying at six in the morning.

I groan, roll over, and slap the screen until it stops ringing.

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

New York.

Not Santorini.

Not sunlight or blue water.

Just my small apartment, my soft grey sheets, and the familiar hum of traffic outside.

This is reality

Yesterday's sunlight, Santorini's sea breeze, that hotel room with him, it all feels like a dream someone else lived.

But the soreness in my body isn't a dream.

It's a reminder I can't erase.

I sigh and sit up slowly, rubbing my face with both hands.

Julian.

His name slips into my mind like it owns space there.

I shake my head and push away the thought.

Today is supposed to be a fresh start, my first day at Stone Corporation.

A job I need, a job I fought for after everything fell apart.

"Great," I whisper. "First day of work and I already feel like I'm falling apart again."

I swing my legs off the bed and push myself to my feet and stretched my arms over my head

"Come on, Elena," I whisper to myself. "You can do this."

I grab my towel and head to the bathroom.

The hot shower helps.

The steam, the warmth, the routine it grounds me.

By the time I'm towel-drying my hair, I feel almost normal.

Almost.

I tie my damp hair into a low ponytail and step into the kitchen.

While I whisk eggs into a pan, my phone starts buzzing on the counter.

Nora.

Of course.

I swipe to answer. "Hey."

"Well?" she says immediately. "Are you awake? Alive? Nervous? Excited? Crying? All three?"

I can't help the small smile that tugs at my lips. "Good morning to you too."

"Don't avoid the question," she warns. "Tell me everything. How was the trip? Did Santorini fix your soul? Did you drink? Did you cry? Did you..."

"Okay, okay," I laugh quietly, cutting her short "It was good."

"What kind of good?" she presses. "The normal kind or the Elena-kind-where-she's-hiding-something?"

I sigh.

I should lie. I really should.

But this is Nora.

"I met someone," I say quietly.

There's silence. Then...

"Oh my God. OH. MY. GOD. Elena Grey, you slept with a Greek god, didn't you?"

I nearly choke on air. "Nora..."

"You DID! I knew it! You sound different. Happier, less dead inside."

"I'm not happier" I mutter. "And he wasn't Greek."

"So where is he now? Still texting you? Calling you? Already obsessed with you?"

"He's...not around anymore," I say. "It was just one night."

"A one-night stand?" She gasps like it's national news. "My baby finally lived!"

" Common Nora, I didn't live."

"You absolutely did," she insists. "And you needed it. I'm proud of you."

I flip the eggs in the pan. "It doesn't matter. I'll never see him again."

"Well, kiss that mystery man goodbye and focus," she says. "You have a new job. Stone Corporation. The CEO better appreciate you or I'll burn the building down myself."

I laugh. "Please don't burn my new workplace."

"No promises."

She pauses. "Good luck, okay? And if you panic, call me."

"I will. Love you."

"Love you too. Go be brilliant."

When the call ends, I stand there for a moment, feeling strangely lighter.

Then I grab my breakfast, finish it quickly, and get ready to leave.

New job.

New start.

No thinking about Santorini.

The Stone Corporation building looks even bigger in person tall glass windows, polished floors, and people who seem to know exactly where they're going.

I do not, but I walk with purpose anyway.

After checking in with HR and receiving a folder full of instructions, I'm directed to the top floor, the executive level.

The elevator dings softly, and when the doors open, I step into a quiet hallway lined with dark wood and soft lighting.

My desk sits right outside the corner office.

The CEO's office.

My new boss's office.

I swallow hard and sit down, placing my bag beside me.

The name reads:

JULIAN STONE - CEO

My heart gives a small, confused thud.

Julian.

Same name.

Stupid coincidence, it has to be, right?

I place my hands on the desk to steady myself and begin going through the papers HR gave me. Contacts, Schedules, meetings.

I'm halfway through reading when the phone on my desk rings.

I freeze.

The sound is deep and sharp in the quiet hallway.

I picked up the phone, clear my throat and answer. "Executive office. This is Elena."

" Report to my office." the voice comes through the line, low, smooth, unmistakable.

Everything inside me stops.

My breath.

My thoughts.

My heart.

No.

No, no, no.

It can't be him.

Not here.

Not today.

But the voice...

I know that voice.

I try to convince myself I'm imagining things, that I'm nervous, that I'm hearing what I'm afraid to hear.

But my fingers tremble around the phone.

"I... I'm on my way," I manage to whisper, then the phone went off

I dropped the phone on the desk then stand up slowly, my legs unsteady.

My pulse is wild, my ribs tight.

I smooth my blouse, trying to look calm, even though my insides are shaking.

I walk to the door.

Lift my hand and knock

"Come in," the voice calls.

This time, there's no mistaking it.

Not when it's so clear.

Not when it hits me right in the center of my chest.

I grip the handle, inhale once, and open the door.

And see him.

Julian.

Sitting behind his desk, his sleeves rolled, his eyes the exact shade of green that burned into me in Santorini.

My stomach drops.

My knees almost give out.

I grab the doorframe to steady myself.

His eyes widen, just barely, but enough for me to know he feels it too.

The recognition.

The punch of it.

The way the room seems to tilt.

"Elena," he says, and my name sounds too familiar on his tongue.

I can't breathe.

I can't speak.

I step back, shaking my head, and before I embarrass myself, I slip out of the office and shut the door behind me.

Outside, I went back to my desk and sit. I press a hand to my chest, trying to calm my breathing.

Trying not to cry, trying not to show any emotions.

Minutes pass, then the phone on my desk rings again.

I pick it up with shaking fingers.

"Come back in," he say, with a controlled, cool and professional tone

I took a breath in and out and then I force myself to stand and walk back into his office.

He's standing now behind his desk, his hands in his pocket, his eyes unreadable.

"We need to talk," he says.

"About... what happened?" I asked, my throat very dry

"No." he said, his voice firm and cold. "About what cannot happen again."

I flinch.

It was small but I'm he sure he saw it because he looked away for a second, like he regrets the harshness, but when he meets my eyes again, he's composed.

"Elena," he says quietly, "Santorini was a mistake. A one-time thing and it cannot interfere with work."

I feel something inside me crack.

"It won't," I whisper.

"Good," he says. "Because if you want this job, and I assume you do then you'll forget everything that happened between us."

Do you understand?" he asks.

I open my mouth, but no sound comes out.

"Yes." I whisper, finally

"Good," he says, dismissing me with a nod. "You can go."

I stand too fast, my chair scraping the floor.

I rush to the door.

Immediately I step out and close it behind me, I run.

Down the hall.

Into the bathroom.

I lock myself in a stall and press both hands over my mouth to keep the sob from escaping.

He was a memory yesterday.

A fantasy.

A story I told Nora to prove I was alive.

Now he's the man who can fire me.

The man who told me to forget everything.

The man who doesn't want me.

And even though I shouldn't care

It breaks something inside me anyway.

This is not over.

Not even close.

Because fate didn't bring him to me twice

just to have me forget him.

Elena POV

I stay inside the bathroom stall until my breathing evens out.

My eyes sting, my chest feels like it's caving in.

But I can't hide here forever.

I wipe my face with the sleeve of my blouse, fix my hair with shaky hands, and look at myself in the mirror.

"Don't cry again," I whisper to my reflection. "Not here."

I square my shoulders and step out, walking back to my desk like nothing cracked inside me.

I sit and begin tapping my keyboard, I open emails, I keep my eyes locked on the screen but every time I hear a sound from his office, the creak of his chair, footsteps in his office, my stomach knots.

Still, I don't look up from the screen

"Just work," I murmur to myself, as I schedule appointment, send reminders and fix deadline, pretending to be fine is the only thing I have control over.

And right now, control feels like survival.

Around noon, my phone buzzes on the desk, I divert my focus from the computer and pick my phone.

It was a message from Nora.

Nora:

How's the first day, sunshine?

Are you glowing with confidence or dying inside?

A humorless smile tugs at my lips.

Me:

Dying, badly.

Nora:

Elena??

What happened??

The reply comes instantly.

My chest tightens as I stare at the screen, unable to form words.

Then she sends another message.

Nora:

Okay. I'm taking you out tonight.

Blue Ember Bar. 8 PM.

No excuses. Wear something hot, we are drinking this pain away.

Despite the weight pressing on me, a small smile tugs at my lips.

Me:

Fine. I'll go

Right after I hit send, lock my phone and drop it on the desk, ready to continue working, two coworkers stop by my desk, both around my age, and wearing easy smiles.

The woman with soft curls gives a little wave.

"Hey, you must be Elena. I'm Mila."

"And I'm Tessa" the other woman chimes in, her voice warm. "We just wanted to say hi before the day swallows us alive."

Their kindness cuts through the numb fog I've been stuck in.

"Hi," I say, a bit shyly. "It's nice to meet you."

"We're heading to lunch soon" Mara says."Join us, if you want. The cafeteria feels less soul crushing with company."

I nod, feeling a flicker of relief. "Yeah. I'd like that."

Jess grins. "Perfect. We'll swing by in a bit."

They walk off, and for a second, the office feels a little less cold.

Then the door behind me opens.

Julian steps out and I go still.

I glanced up from my computer, he's focused on the papers in his hand, flipping through them with that usual furrow in his brow but then he stops right at my desk.

His gaze lifts and our eyes meet.

For a second, I swear the air shifts.

His green eyes lock with mine, cool, unreadable.

"Cancel my appointments for the day,"he says, his voice low and calm.

Like boss to his employee

Like he didn't hold me two nights ago.

Didn't whisper my name like it meant something.

"Okay," I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nods once, turns, and walks away without even glancing back.

When the elevator doors slide shut behind him, that when I finally breathe again, at least I don't have to see him for the rest of the day.

At lunch, Mila and Tessa find me at my desk and we went to the cafeteria together

The cafeteria is loud, clinking plates, bursts of laughter, trays sliding across counters.

We sit by the window, while they talk, joke I watch them nudge each other like they have been friends for years

"So" Mila said grinning, taking a bite of her sandwich, "how's the chaos treating you so far?" she asked with her mouth full

"Surprisingly okay" I say, trying to match her energy.

"Wait till Friday,"Jess smirks. "That's when the real storm hits."

I laugh, for real this time and it feels so good

No one's watching me too closely, no one's asking the wrong questions, for a moment, I almost feel like myself again.

After lunch, I went back to work, opening emails and answering calls and immediately it hit 5, I packed my bag and head home.

At home, I shower, change into a black fitted top, dark jeans, let my hair dry in soft waves and I apply a little makeup.

I take an Uber across town.

Blue Ember Bar glows with cool blue lights, the sign flickering gently above.

People spill onto the sidewalk laughing and talking.

Inside, the air smells like citrus, cologne, and music.

Nora spots me immediately, waving from a booth near the center of the bar.

"Elena!" she shouts, sliding out to hug me. "You look... emotionally damaged, but cute!"

I snort. "Thanks?"

She pulls me into the booth. "Tell me everything."

I sink into the seat, releasing a breath.

"I'm fine" I lie.

"No, you're not" she says, narrowing her eyes. "Start talking."

So I do.

I tell her everything, I started over again from santorini, the hotel room, the night that didn't feel like a mistake until he labeled it one, then his voice on the phone this morning, the moment I opened the door and saw him sitting there, the way my knees nearly gave out.

Nora doesn't interrupt once.

But when I say his full name, Julian Stone, she gasps so loudly that people look over.

"ELENA!" she whisper-shouts. "You slept with your BOSS?"

"Lower your voice" I hiss, burying my face in my hands.

She leans in, her eyes wide with both shock and something close to excitement. "Are you telling me the man who ruined your life this morning is the man who ruined your legs in Santorini?"

I groan.

"Oh my God" she says. "This is deliciously horrible."

"It's not delicious, Nora."

"You're right. It's tragic but also he remembered you. That's something."

"No" I whisper, my throat tight. "He told me to forget him. If I want my job."

Her expression softens. "Elena..."

"I know" I whisper. "I know."

Before she can comfort me, two guys approach our table. One dark-haired, one blond, both cute in a clean-cut, harmless way.

"Hey" the dark-haired one says with a smile. "Mind if we join you ladies?"

Nora lights up instantly. "Sure!" she chirps, moving over so they can sit.

I offer a polite smile, not really in the mood but trying.

The blond one sits closer to me. "I'm Aaron" he says. "And you are...?"

"Elena."

"Pretty name," he says with a grin.

I smile, faint but polite.

And then

A sensation rolls over me, heavy, warm and intense.

It was like someone just touched the back of my neck without actually touching me.

I glance, slowly, toward the VIP section.

My breath stops.

Julian.

Sitting on a plush dark booth above the main floor. A drink in his hand. A friend beside him,with dark hair.

But Julian isn't listening to him.

He's staring at me.

His green eyes locked on me with quiet, unreadable intensity, not cold or distant, almost... possessive.

My heart trips.

Nora follows my line of sight and whispers under her breath, "Holy. Shit."

I look away quickly, pretending I didn't see him.

But I feel him.

Watching.

Aaron leans closer. "You look tense. Everything okay?"

I force a small laugh. "Yeah, just tired."

He keeps talking, but I can't hear him.

My skin tingles under Julian's stare.

My pulse won't calm down.

Why is he here?

Why here?

And why does he look at me like that after telling me to forget him?

Nora nudges me subtly, mouthing, He's watching you.

I know.

I can feel the heat crawl up my neck.

I turned one more time to look at at him as julian's friend says something to him, but Julian's eyes don't move from me. Not once, his jaw clenches slightly, his fingers drum against his glass.

Jealousy.

The realization hits me so hard I almost laugh.

He's jealous.

After everything he said today, after cutting me off, after pretending Santorini meant nothing, after telling me to forget.

He's jealous.

Something wild stirs inside me, something reckless, something hurt and angry and tired of pretending.

So I turn slowly toward Aaron, I tuck my hair behind my ear, and lean in just a little, not too much.

Just enough for Julian to see.

Aaron grins, clearly pleased by the attention, completely unaware he's a pawn in a war he didn't start.

I take a sip of my drink, letting my lips linger on the straw.

Pretending Julian Stone doesn't have the power to pull me apart with a single look.

But when I glance back at him

His expression has changed.

His jaw tight.

His hand wrapped too firmly around the glass.

His eyes fixed on me like I'm doing something wrong.

Like I belong to him.

I look away again, heat curling in my stomach.

Nora kicks my leg under the table, lean forward and whisper "Elena, he's about to set the bar on fire with his eyes."

"I don't care," I whisper back even though my pulse is betraying me.

But then

The air shifts.

I feel it before I see it.

A shadow falls over our booth, the air felt cold

Nora's eyes widen.

Aaron stops mid-sentence.

My heart slams against my ribs.

I turn

And Julian is standing right beside our table.

Tall, cold, dangerous in that quiet, controlled way only he can be.

His friend is behind him, looking uncomfortable, like Julian didn't give him a choice but to follow.

Julian's eyes flick once to Aaron sharp, assessing him before settling on me.

"Elena" he says, his voice low, steady. "A word."

My breath catches.

I swallow hard. "I'm... busy."

His jaw flexes.

"I wasn't asking."

I hear Nora whispers, "Oh my God," under her breath.

Aaron shifts, confused. "Hey, man, we're just talking..."

Julian looks at him, slowly, with the kind of expression that could freeze fire.

Aaron shuts his mouth instantly.

Then Julian looks back at me.

"Now, Elena."

This is it, the moment I prove that his control stops at the door of his office.

I don't move, instead I stay seated, meeting his gaze.

"No" I say, my voice trembling slightly, but loud enough to be heard over the bar music.

Julian goes utterly still, his eyes narrow, the green suddenly cold and intense.

"Excuse me?" he asks, the two words broke the sudden silence in our booth.

"I'm having a private conversation with my friends, Mr. Stone" I reply, pulling the professional shield up, even though my hands are shaking beneath the table."If you have something urgent related to work, you can send an email on Monday."

Julian's friend takes a nervous step back, Nora looks like she might pass out from shock, Aaron and his friend are completely lost.

Julian stares at me, his expression transitioning from fury to something far more controlled, and far more terrifying.

"You misunderstand the situation, Elena," he says, his voice calm.

I hold his gaze, refusing to be the first one to break.

After another eternity of tense quiet, Julian slowly pushes his hands into the pockets of his tailored trousers.

He gives me one final, penetrating look, a promise that this conversation is far from over then he turns away from the table, heading toward the exit.

"Let's go," he say to his friend.

He walks past the crowded bar, and disappears through the exit without a backward glance.

The second the door closes behind him, the tension in our booth shatters, Nora gasps, Aaron stares at the empty doorway, and I lean back, utterly drained.

Nora leans in close, her eyes wide "Elena" she whispers. "Oh my God."

She grips my arm. "He looked at you."

"He looked at you like you are already his."