Rosaline didn't remember leaving the boardroom.
One minute, she was staring at the door Conrad had walked through; the next, she was in the elevator, her reflection flickering in the chrome walls, composed, expressionless, lying.
Her phone buzzed before she even reached her office.
NORA: So? How was it?
Rosaline's thumb hovered over the screen.
How was it?
It was impossible, that's what it was. The same man who once shredded her confidence in front of a full boardroom now looked her in the eye and told her she "shone differently." The same man who'd whispered her name the wrong one just hours before.
She typed, deleted, and typed again.
ROSALINE: Fine. He's our new client.
NORA: You're kidding.
ROSALINE: Wish I was.
NORA: Did he recognize you? Like
Rosaline's pulse jumped. Her fingers moved fast.
ROSALINE: No. He still thinks it was you at the gala. You're safe.
A beat passed. Then Nora's reply came through a line of emojis first (the shocked face, then the one laughing).
NORA: God, that's hilarious. He spent the night with the wrong twin.
Rosaline's jaw tightened. Hilarious. Right.
She locked her phone and pressed her fingertips to her temple. Nora would never understand, not really. For her, everything was an adventure, a story to tell over champagne. She'd never had to clean up the messes afterward, never had to live in the silence of what came next.
A knock pulled Rosaline out of her thoughts. Her assistant, Claire, peeked in.
"Eleanor wants you in her office," she said. "Now, if possible."
"Of course." Rosaline straightened her blouse, pushing everything else down, the panic, the guilt, the way his voice still lingered in her head.
When she entered Eleanor Harvey's office, the woman was standing by the window, hands clasped behind her back like a general surveying her empire. The skyline shimmered beyond her, sharp and expensive.
"Rosaline," Eleanor said, turning. "Excellent work this morning. I just heard from Reid Corporate's assistant that he was impressed."
Rosaline's stomach tightened. "I'm glad to hear that."
"You've always handled difficult clients well." Eleanor's gaze softened just enough to register pride. "This account is a big one for us. I want you to stay on point on it. Full rollout, all press coordination. He trusts you."
Trust. The word tasted like irony.
"I'll handle it," Rosaline said quietly.
"Good." Eleanor picked up a file. "And Rosaline don't overthink it. You've proven yourself. Whatever history you and Mr. Reid have, leave it in the past."
Rosaline nodded and left before her composure slipped.
Back in her office, she stared out at the city again. The world kept spinning, oblivious. Meetings buzzed through the floor below, laughter echoed from the design department, and phones rang. Normal life. And yet she felt suspended, like she was standing in the aftershock of something only she could feel.
Her phone lit again, another message from Nora.
NORA: So what now? You and the sexy CEO are colleagues again? Maybe you can finally get that promotion. Imagine the headlines.
Rosaline rolled her eyes.
ROSALINE: Stop. This isn't a game, Nora. If he ever finds out
NORA: Relax. He won't. You're the careful one, remember? Maybe enjoy it a little? You've been wound tight for years. A little danger might suit you.
Rosaline's breath caught at that. A little danger.
That's what this already was. Dangerous not because of what had happened, but because of what could still happen.
The thought of seeing him again, working beside him, hearing that low, even voice in meetings, made her chest tighten. She'd survived years rebuilding the confidence he once broke, only to fall right back into his orbit under the worst possible circumstances.
The intercom buzzed, startling her. Claire's voice filtered through.
"Rosaline? Mr. Reid's office just called. He wants to schedule a strategy follow-up. Tomorrow afternoon. He requested you specifically."
Of course he did.
Rosaline's pulse thudded, slow and deliberate. "Confirm it," she said. "Boardroom Two, two o'clock."
She hung up and leaned back in her chair.
This wasn't over. It was just beginning.
That evening, the city hummed under a soft drizzle. Rosaline sat in her apartment, lights dim, a half-empty glass of wine sweating on the table. She'd kicked off her heels hours ago, but her body still carried the stiffness of the day.
Her phone rang again, this time, Nora's name lighting up the screen.
"Hey, stranger," her twin said, her voice breezy and unbothered. In the background, faint laughter, music. "You sound like you've aged ten years since last night."
"I had to sit across from him, Nora. What did you expect?"
A pause. "Was it bad?"
Rosaline hesitated. "No. Worse. He was charming."
Nora laughed softly. "So, typical Conrad."
"Don't, Nora."
"I'm just saying." Another clink of glass. "He's not exactly hard to look at. And now you've got front-row access."
Rosaline rubbed her forehead. "This isn't funny. If he ever finds out,"
"He won't." Nora's tone softened. "You were doing me a favor, remember? I bailed, you covered, end of story."
Except it wasn't, not for Rosaline.
She wanted to tell Nora about the way his voice still replayed in her mind, about how it felt to sit across from him and pretend she hadn't memorized the taste of his skin. But she didn't because Nora wouldn't understand.
"Just stay out of his orbit for a while," Rosaline said. "Please. If he ever mentions you, just nod and smile. Don't add details. Don't"
"I know how to lie, Rosie," Nora cut in, amused. "You forget who taught you."
The line went quiet for a beat. Then Nora sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? You took the hit for me. I owe you. But maybe this is your chance to, I don't know, stop hiding behind my messes."
Rosaline stared out at the city, lights blurring through the rain.
"I'm not hiding," she said softly.
"Then prove it."
The line clicked off.
For a long moment, Rosaline sat there, the rain tapping against her window like an echo of her heartbeat.
She wanted to believe Nora was wrong that this wasn't about hiding. But as her reflection stared back from the glass, the same face, the same features, just a different soul, she couldn't ignore the truth rising inside her.
She was living a lie that was no longer simple.
And tomorrow, she'd have to face the man who made it impossible to breathe without remembering.