~Katherine's POV
The morning sunlight streamed through the blinds, cutting thin lines of gold across the floor. I groaned softly, stirring under the sheets, but the sharp cries of Jasmine jolted me awake. My eyes snapped open, and I bolted upright.
"Jasmine!" I called, rushing toward their room. Her small face was red, tears streaking down, and her little hands were clutching her arm.
"What happened, sweetheart?" I asked, panic rising in my chest.
"She… he hit me!" Jasmine wailed, pointing toward her brother.
I turned to Hanith, who was rubbing his fist sheepishly, looking guilty. "Hanith," I said sternly, kneeling in front of him, "we do not hit our sister. Do you understand?"
"I'm sorry, Mommy," he muttered, his small voice trembling.
I took a deep breath and hugged Jasmine first, then Hanith, letting them feel my warmth and my calm. "I know you're upset, Jasmine, but Hanith didn't mean it. He will be careful next time, right?"
They nodded, both of them sniffling and hugging me back. Then, in unison, they asked, "When is Uncle Mathew coming? We missed him!"
I smiled, my heart softening despite the chaos. "He's coming soon, my loves. Very soon," I said, trying to make my voice cheerful even though I still felt the lingering ache from yesterday.
I got them ready for school, helping Jasmine braid her hair neatly and convincing Hanith to wear matching shoes instead of mismatched ones, which led to a small scuffle that ended in laughter. I made breakfast, scrambled eggs and toast, pouring juice into their favorite cups. They ate quickly, excited chatter filling the kitchen, and I couldn't help but smile at their little routines, their stubborn but endearing personalities.
By the time we finished breakfast, I herded them into the car, strapping them in for the drive to school. They chattered about their day ahead, who they would play with, and what snacks they hoped I would pack. I dropped them off and waved as they ran into the school building, then drove to my office, gripping the steering wheel tightly. The morning sun glinted off the city buildings, but it did little to calm my racing thoughts. You can do this, I whispered to myself. You have to do this.
I smoothed my blouse, took a deep breath, and opened the doors.
Inside, my stomach sank. There, seated at my desk, was Aaron Knight. My heart skipped, and my chest tightened.
"Late, Katherine? This attitude of yours can never be changed," he asked casually, leaning back in the chair, arms crossed, a smirk playing at his lips.
I scoffed, setting my bag down. "And why exactly are you in my office?" I asked, forcing my voice steady.
"I'm here for work," he said simply, as if that explained everything.
I straightened, pulling a small smile onto my face. "Then let's get right into it," I said, and I dove into the tasks of the day, ignoring the subtle awareness that he stared at me whenever he thought I wasn't looking.
Hours passed. I spoke, typed, answered emails, and took calls, all while trying to keep my mind strictly on work. The morning had started tense, with Aaron already seated at my desk, his presence impossible to ignore, but I had reminded myself repeatedly: focus on the work, Katherine. Do not let him, do not let the past distract you.
The first part of the afternoon was dominated by financial projections. I walked Aaron through the quarterly report, explaining trends, increases in revenue, and where we had faced unexpected expenses. "As you can see here," I said, pointing at a chart, "our online sales have grown by thirty percent since last quarter, which is above industry expectations. We also streamlined supply chain operations, cutting costs by almost fifteen percent."
Aaron leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowed, studying the screen. "Impressive," he said quietly, but I caught the small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "But what about the marketing budget? I notice there's a sudden spike here."
I nodded, anticipating the question. "Yes, we redirected some of the advertising funds into targeted campaigns for new products. It's risky, but it's already showing results in engagement and pre-orders. Our analytics team is monitoring it closely, and we'll adjust if necessary."
He didn't respond immediately, just watched me type the figures into the report again. I could feel the weight of his gaze, calm but sharp, like he was measuring every word I said.
Next, we discussed staffing and workflow. "We're implementing staggered shifts for customer service to improve response times," I explained. "We also trained the junior staff on the new software. Productivity has already improved, and employee feedback has been positive."
Aaron raised an eyebrow. "And how are you handling oversight? Are managers following through?"
"Yes," I replied quickly, "I've been checking daily metrics, holding weekly meetings, and giving real-time feedback when needed. Nothing slips through the cracks."
He leaned back in his chair, letting out a slow breath. "I like the thoroughness," he said softly, almost in a tone I hadn't expected from him. "You handle everything yourself?"
I smiled faintly, shrugging. "Mostly. But I trust my team, and I supervise closely. It's about balance."
Time slipped by unnoticed. I barely glanced at the clock until a soft chime caught my attention. Past four. My heart jumped.
I quickly grabbed my phone and sent a text to Mathew: Please pick up the twins and take them to your office. I don't want Aaron seeing them.
Almost immediately, a thumbs-up emoji came back. Relief hit me like a wave.
Aaron leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms casually, one eyebrow raised in that familiar, slightly teasing way. "Who are you texting? Your man?" he asked, his tone light but sharp, like he was trying to read me.
I froze for a moment, then narrowed my eyes, feeling a hint of irritation mix with something else I couldn't name. "None of your business," I said firmly, forcing my voice steady. "Now, can we continue?"
For the next thirty minutes, we continued our work, each question from him deliberate, measured, sometimes pointed, sometimes curious. I answered everything clearly, keeping my tone calm and professional, careful not to let my nerves betray me. He leaned slightly forward at times, studying my responses, as if searching for something beneath the surface, and I refused to give him that satisfaction.
Finally, I glanced at the clock. It was well past closing hours. My muscles ached from sitting so long, and I began gathering my things slowly, smoothing my blouse. "I need to leave," I said quietly but firmly, standing to stretch my stiff limbs, aware that the air between us had grown heavier.
Aaron's brow furrowed, and he leaned forward slightly. "Are you really going to keep avoiding me forever?"
I stopped, looking at him, my voice sharp with a hint of frustration. "Are you stalking me, or is this just a coincidence?"
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "No. But I need… I need you."
My heart skipped, frozen in shock, and I opened my mouth to respond when suddenly, Hanith ran into the office, calling out, "Mom! Mommy!"