The hallway rushed back into focus, the soft hum of the air conditioner, the weight of the files in her hand, Edward standing across from her, very real and very confused.
"Hello…. Are you there?"
"What?" she said quickly, her voice unsteady.
He frowned. "I've been calling you for the past minute. Where did you go?"
Ember swallowed, forcing a small smile as her heart continued racing from something that had never actually happened.
"Was it all my imagination?" She was startled and confused.
"What are you talking about? I asked for the files Iris gave you."
"Nowhere," she lied. "Just… thinking. Here are the files" she pressed them into his hands and ran back towards her desk.
"Now that's weird. What's wrong with her?" Edward shakes his head and leaves.
Immediately she reaches her desk, she exhales sharply like she's been holding her breath the entire walk.
Ember takes out her phone and texts her friend Bella.
Ember: Girl I just had the wildest fantasy right now. Call me back!
The word fantasy didn't sit right.
Her fingers hovered over the screen, her pulse still uneven and her body still too aware of something that shouldn't have existed outside her imagination.
Because it hadn't felt imagined.
It felt real.
She forces herself to think of Ethan. She types his name on her phone.
Ember: Dinner tonight? I'll cook.
Then she adds Miss you
Her phone buzzes almost instantly.
But it's not Ethan, It's Bella calling.
Ember answers immediately.
"Finally," Bella says, voice bright with curiosity. "What kind of fantasy has you texting me like that in the middle of work?"
Ember hesitates.
How does she even explain it?
"I don't know," she admits, lowering her voice. "It felt… different. Not like a daydream. Like I was actually there."
Bella hums. "Okay, now you have my full attention."
Ember glances around the office, then leans forward slightly. "It was him."
"The mysterious hot guy from your 'I'm totally not affected' meeting?" Bella teases.
Ember exhales. "Yes but not like that. It was intense. Like…" she struggles for words, "like my body reacted before I could even think. Like I knew him."
Bella goes quiet for a second.
"Knew him how?"
"I don't know," Ember says quickly. "That's the problem. I don't know him. But it didn't feel new. I'm telling you immediately his hand touched mine in the hallway, I found myself pinned to the wall by him. A lot of nasty stuff went down." She cried.
Bella paused.
Then says "And it was all in your head…"
"That's the problem. Although I wish it wasn't."
Bella adds more seriously now, "Okay… that's not just a fantasy, Em."
Ember's grip tightens on the phone. "Don't start."
"I'm not joking," Bella continues. "You don't get shaken like this over random men. Especially not when you have Ethan."
At the mention of his name, Ember looks down at her desk.
Her screen lights up again.
Ethan calling.
Her heart twists.
"I have to go," she tells Bella quickly. "I'll call you later."
"Ember…" Bella starts, but the line disconnects.
She stares at Ethan's name for a second before answering.
"Hey," she says softly.
"Hey, you okay?" Ethan's voice is warm, as always.
"Your text felt… off."
Guilt presses heavily against her chest.
"I'm fine," she says quickly. "Just a weird moment at work."
He chuckles lightly. "Work stress?"
"Yeah," she lies.
There's a pause.
"You sure?" he asks.
She closes her eyes briefly.
"I'm sure."
Another big lie.
She lifts up her head and sees Edward approaching her desk.
" umm babe, I'll see you at home later. Love you."
She hung up before he could respond.
"I'm sorry sir, do you need something?"
"The files aren't complete but the report is good. Keep up. This is amazing." He smiled at her and turned to walk away.
"Have a good evening, Miss Woods."
"Good night sir." Ember found herself smiling longer than expected.
It's no news Edward was a beautiful sight to behold. From his thick almost dark to his grey eyes down to his muscles which obviously didn't come from going to the gym.
He cut a fine figure in his custom-made suits with his imposing height of 6.4. He was a confident and bold man.
Ember had heard giggles and little gossips from the women in the office, especially her office friend Brenda who had spared no chance in letting her know she'd kill for an unpaid night in his bed.
Quite a talkative given he was their boss's fiancé. She had laughed over her remark because of course she had experienced it.
Ember turned back to her screen, trying to focus, but the numbers blurred again. Her mind refused to settle. Every time she thought she'd grounded herself, the memory pressed back in.
His voice. His touch. The way it felt real.
She clenched her jaw.
Stop. This was getting out of control.
A few minutes after Edward left the office, Iris walked in. She hadn't been in all day.
"Hi, Ember. Are you done with the files I requested?"
Ember blinked, pulled sharply out of her spiraling thoughts. For a second, she just stared, like her mind needed time to catch up with reality again.
"The files?" she echoed, then quickly straightened. "Yes, almost. I was just reviewing the final numbers. Mr Edward said they were okay."
Her voice sounded steadier than she felt.
Iris stepped closer, placing her bag on the desk with a quiet thud. Her eyes lingered on Ember a moment longer than necessary, sharp and observant.
"You don't look like someone reviewing numbers," she said casually.
"Wait. What do you mean Mr Edward said ...."
Ember forced a small smile. "Oh yes, he reviewed the files a few hours back. He had asked me to bring them."
"Hmm."
Iris didn't sound convinced.
"Is Edward here now?"
She asked, looking around.
"No miss Adams. He left a while back. I'm sure you missed him."
"Sure I did." She frowned.
"I'll be in my office." She looked at Ember sternly before continuing "Waiting for the files."
Ember watched her disappear into the hallway and scoffed. "Waiting for the files" she mimicked and laughed.