"Just go back first," Elliot said, his voice calm but distant. "I still have work to handle."
There was no warmth in it. No invitation for her to stay.
Only dismissal.
Hayley stood there for a moment, her eyes fixed on him, filled with longing that went unanswered. I could almost picture it—the way her shoulders would stiffen slightly, the way her smile would falter just a little before she forced it back into place.
Every time she came to him, she probably carried hope.
And every time… she left with disappointment.
Because no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't reach him.
Not truly.
And deep down, she must have known it.
Especially after what happened earlier—after he left everything behind to go after me without hesitation.
That alone said more than words ever could.
—
Back in my office, I sat in silence, staring at the designs in front of me.
Blank.
Everything felt blank.
