She stood, gathered the files neatly, and headed toward Iris's office.
The door wasn't fully closed.
Just slightly ajar.
Ember lifted her hand to knock, then paused.
A voice drifted out.
"I'm telling you, something's off."
Iris said from inside the office.
Her tone wasn't the composed, controlled one she used in the office.
It was sharper and frustrating.
Ember stilled.
"I don't care how important this merger is," Iris continued, pacing faintly audible through the door. "Edward has never been this distracted before."
Ember's fingers tightened around the file.
She knew she shouldn't be there but she didn't move.
On the other end, a faint voice responded, too low to make out clearly.
Iris exhaled sharply. "No, it's not business. I know the difference. This is… personal."
There was a pause.
Then, Iris quietly said.
"He barely looked at me today. I mean after we made love. He just walked out and left."
Ember's breath caught.
"He's supposed to be focused," Iris went on, irritation threading her voice.
"Everything is lined up. The engagement, the partnership, the timing…it's perfect."
"But something changed," Iris said.
She stood and moved to the window, putting the phone on speaker.
"There's something you should know." The speaker on the other end said.
Iris ran back to her phone but left it on speaker.
"What's going on, Bren? What are you keeping from me?"
"Okay you have to promise me to be calm cause I'm not really sure."
"Spit it" Iris' tone was angry now.
"Iris… you have to be calm."
"I'm calmer than you think. Tell me"
"A friend of mine said she saw Edward get into a taxi with a girl on the night of your engagement."
Iris stomped her hand on the desk "What do you mean?"
The voice stutters for a second. "I…. I don't know. I'm not sure of the details. But it was at a bar. That is all I know so far."
Ember's heart pounded, she leaned in, just slightly and the door creaked.
Iris stopped speaking.
There was heavy silence
Ember's heart dropped.
"Who's there?" Iris's voice was calm again.
Ember straightened instantly and knocked, forcing normalcy into the moment.
"It's me," she called. "I brought the rest of the documents."
There was a pause for a few seconds then Iris answered sternly, "Come in."
Ember stepped inside.
Iris stood near her desk,he phone no longer in sight, expression perfectly composed as if the conversation had never happened.
"You took your time," Iris said lightly.
"I wanted to make sure everything was complete," Ember replied, placing the files down carefully.
Iris watched her closely.
"You heard something?" she asked directly.
Ember's stomach tightened. "I knocked."
"You hesitated."
Ember met her gaze. "I didn't mean to interrupt."
Iris held her eyes for a moment longer, then smiled.
"Oh, I don't think you did anything by accident."
Ember forced herself to stay still.
"I don't know what you mean."
"Of course you don't," Iris said smoothly, picking up the file. "That's what makes this interesting."
"Miss Adam's, I'll log out now. It's past hours for me already."
Ember's hand was already on the door handle when Iris's voice stopped her.
"Ember… can I trust you?"
Ember turned slowly.
Iris hadn't moved from her desk, but something in her posture had changed to more intentional.
Ember's pulse picked up again.
"That depends," she said carefully. "On what you need."
"Good answer," she said softly. "Close the door"
Ember hesitated.
Then she pushed the door shut behind her.
Iris didn't speak immediately. She walked around her desk slowly, heels tapping against the floor in a steady rhythm, until she stood just a few feet away from Ember.
"You're smart," Iris said. "Observant. You notice things most people miss."
Ember didn't respond.
She waited.
"I'm going to ask you something," Iris continued. "And I want you to answer honestly."
Ember swallowed hard. "what will that be?"
"Have you noticed anything unusual with Edward?"
Ember raised her eyebrows " I don't understand what you mean?"
A sense of guilt runs through Ember's veins but she shrugs it.
"I mean unusual behavior, calls, meetings…" Iris sounded serious . More serious than Ember had ever seen her.
"Nothing that I can mention. I have not noticed anything Miss Adams"
She looked Iris straight in the eyes "Is there something I should be keen on?"
"Oh.. nothing at all." Iris laughs. "I was just playing with you Em. Shrug off everything I've said like it's nothing."
She moves back to her seat then looks at Iris sternly "Cause it's nothing." She smiles "Good night Miss Wood."
"Good night" Ember responds quietly before opening the door.
The hallway felt colder than before, longer and emptier. Each step back to her desk echoed too loudly in her ears, her thoughts tangling into something she knew. It was guilt.
What if Iris was on to her ? What if Iris found out about what happened between Edward and her?
Her grip tightened around her phone, everything seemed blurry.
By the time she reached her desk, most of the office had thinned out. A few late workers lingered, voices low, lights dimmed slightly for the evening.
It should have felt calm but it didn't.
She dropped into her chair, exhaling slowly, trying to steady the unease coiling in her chest. Her screen blinked with unread emails and unfinished tasks but they felt irrelevant now.
She began packing her things fast but steadily. She slipped her laptop into her bag, nearly missing the sleeve.
Her keys clattered softly against the desk. She paused, pressing her palm flat against the surface as if grounding herself.
"Why am I letting her get into my skin?" She murmured to herself. "Iris isn't worth it"
Her phone buzzed immediately like it was saving her from the world that was collapsing before her.
It was Bella. She answered immediately.
"Hey," she said, her voice quieter than usual.
"Okay," Bella started without greeting, "you disappeared on me. That means one thing, you're either spiraling or something happened."
Ember let out a weak breath. "Both."
Bella didn't laugh this time.
"Talk."
Ember grabbed her bag and stood, slipping out of the office as she spoke. The elevator ride felt too slow, too enclosed, like her thoughts were pressing in from all sides.
"I think I messed up," she admitted.
"With Edward or Ethan?" Bella asked.
"I don't know," Ember said.
"That makes zero sense."
"I know."
The elevator doors opened. Ember stepped out into the cool night air, the city buzzing faintly around her.
"But it's like… I was somewhere else today," she continued. "Not physically. Just mentally. And it didn't feel like imagination. It felt like a memory."
Bella went quiet.
"That's not normal, Em."
"I know," Ember whispered.
"And guess what.." she didn't wait for Bella to respond.
"Iris asked me if her man was cheating on her."
Bella choked the other end. Like she was eating something.
"Like.. did you hook up with him?" She screamed with a laugh.
"Girl.. can you be serious? Obviously no. Like she suspects him."
Ember was now standing in front of her apartment. She placed the key in the knob and turned it .
"Now that's weird." Bella continued.
"What is more weird is hooking up with someone who doesn't remember you, and you can't get over him." Ember cried.
"Who hooked up with who?"
Ethan asked behind her as she slammed the door. He had been inside her sitting room the entire time.