Chapter 18: The Storm That Follows
Auri barely slept that night.
Her mind replayed everything like a film stuck on loop—Adrian's confession, Dante's forceful kiss, the whispers in the office, the possessiveness, the warning, the desire, the danger of it all.
By the time morning came, she felt like she had run a marathon in her own thoughts.
When she walked into Sterling Enterprises the next day, she held her head high, ready to pretend the world wasn't chaos. But inside? She was shaking.
She had one goal today:
Act normal.
Pretend nothing happened.
Stay away from both men.
That lasted exactly five minutes.
The office shakes
"Auri! You're here!"
Her coworker Lila practically sprinted to her desk, looking like she had been waiting all morning just to pounce.
Auri sighed internally. Here we go again.
Lila leaned in dramatically. "Girl, tell me everything. EVERYTHING. What happened yesterday? Who WERE those men? Why did they look like they were about to fight for you like you're the last woman alive?"
"I—Lila, I don't—"
"And WHY did Mr. Moretti drag you to his car?! Was he jealous?! Did you date him?! Was that a fight? Or—"
"Lila," Auri said gently, "my personal life is not… a movie."
Lila blinked. "Sweetheart, yesterday WAS a movie."
A few nearby coworkers giggled. Auri forced a small smile, praying they would lose interest.
They didn't.
Every time someone walked past her desk, they slowed down just a little—like she was a museum exhibit titled:
THE WOMAN TWO CEOS ARE OBSESSED WITH.
Auri clenched her teeth and focused on her computer, pretending the world didn't exist.
Adrian can't hide it
By mid-morning, Adrian stepped out of his office, wearing that mask of calm authority he always had. But the moment his eyes met Auri's, something tightened in his expression.
She pretended not to notice.
Adrian didn't call her into his office like usual. He didn't ask for reports. He didn't even tease her like he usually did.
He just… watched her.
Concern.
Possessiveness.
Hurt.
All swirling in his gaze.
It made her chest ache and her stomach twist with guilt.
But she stayed firm. Distance was safer.
Adrian noticed, and he didn't like it.
Lunch break — the ambush
Auri decided to eat alone on the rooftop, far away from eyes and gossip. She just wanted quiet. Peace. Air.
But the world didn't plan to give her that.
She wasn't alone for even two minutes when the door opened behind her.
She didn't need to turn around to know that walk.
"Auri."
Adrian's voice.
She closed her eyes for one second, steadying herself before turning to him.
"Sir, I—"
"Auri," he said again, softer this time. "Please don't call me that outside of work."
Her heart stung a little. "Adrian… I need space."
He nodded slowly. "I know. And I'll try to respect that. But we need to talk about yesterday."
"No, we don't," she insisted.
"Yes, we do," Adrian murmured, stepping closer. "Because I can't pretend what I feel is nothing. And I won't let him walk all over you."
Auri swallowed. "Adrian, what happened with Dante was… complicated."
"And he kissed you."
Auri froze.
Of course he noticed.
Of course he saw her swollen lips.
Of course he was watching.
"And it wasn't gentle," Adrian said darkly. "He left you shaken. You deserve better than that."
She looked away, hugging her arms to her chest. "What I deserve is peace."
Adrian exhaled deeply, pain flickering across his face. "I can give you that. I can give you anything."
"Except," Auri whispered, "you're my boss."
His jaw clenched. "I would step aside from that role if it's what it takes."
Auri's eyes widened. "Don't say things you'll regret."
"I won't regret caring about you," he returned.
Silence.
Painful.
Heavy.
Electric.
Until—
The rooftop door swung open again.
And the air shifted.
Auri didn't even need to turn.
This kind of silence—the drop in temperature, the thick pressure—only came with one man.
Dante.
The storm walks in
Dante Moretti stood at the entrance, tall, perfect, furious, like he had been carved from wildfire and ice.
Employees lined up behind him in the hallway, whispering in awe that he was even in their building.
But Dante didn't look at them.
He looked only at her.
At Auri.
Then—
At Adrian.
And his eyes turned lethal.
"So," Dante said quietly. "This is where you ran."
Adrian stepped in front of Auri immediately. "Watch your tone."
Dante lifted a brow. "Or what? You'll bore me with your meetings?"
The jab was sharp. Adrian bristled, but kept his ground.
"Auri," Dante continued, ignoring Adrian, "come with me."
"No," Adrian cut in. "She's working."
"Then I'll wait," Dante smirked. "She's still coming with me."
"No, she's not," Adrian snapped.
"She is."
"Not happening."
"She's MINE."
"She's my secretary—"
"I," Auri snapped loudly, stepping past both of them, "AM MY OWN."
Both men stopped.
Both turned to her.
Both looked stunned.
Auri's voice didn't shake. Not this time.
"Adrian, you're my boss. Nothing more."
Adrian flinched but nodded slowly.
"And Dante," she said, meeting his burning gaze, "you're engaged."
A knife.
A bullet.
A direct strike.
Dante stiffened like she had punched him.
Auri breathed deeply.
"So both of you—stop."
The rooftop fell silent.
For the first time, neither man had a comeback.
Auri picked up her lunch, smoothed her skirt, and walked past them both without another word.
Neither dared follow.
Because for the first time…
She wasn't running away from the storm.
She was the storm.