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Chapter Three: Building Trust
The hum of the city filtered through the tall windows as Ava stared at the spreadsheets on her laptop, the numbers blurring under the weight of expectations. Damon's presence behind her was steady—silent but unmistakable.
"We need to rethink the marketing strategy for the East Coast launch," Damon said, breaking the quiet.
Ava didn't startle. "I was thinking the same. The demographic there is shifting faster than the data suggests."
He leaned closer, his breath warm against her ear. "You always were good at reading between the lines."
She turned, catching his gaze. There was no teasing in his tone—only a rare vulnerability that made her heart tighten.
"Thanks," she said softly.
They worked side by side, late into the night, the glow of their laptops and the city lights the only witnesses to the fragile truce forming between them.
Outside the glass, the world didn't pause for past mistakes or whispered rumors. Inside, every glance and every shared idea chipped away at the walls they'd built around their hearts.
When Damon finally closed his laptop, he caught her hand. "This—us—it's not easy."
"No," Ava admitted. "But maybe it's worth it."
He smiled, slow and sure. "I'm in. If you are."
For the first time since her return, Ava believed in the possibility of more than just business.
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