Cross again

Emily's POV

The morning light streamed through the large windows of the Frost Mansion's dining room, painting the walls in soft shades of gold. I sat at the long, polished table with the Frost family, sipping my coffee slowly.

The warmth of the mug in my hands was a welcome comfort after the restless night I'd spent upstairs in the guest room. I hadn't expected such a warm reception from them, especially after all the chaos that had unfolded the day before.

Ronan, who sat across from me, was as stoic as ever, his sharp eyes watching me intently. Next to him, Luna Joan smiled softly at me, her warm, motherly gaze more comforting than I expected.

Lila, always the mischievous one, shot me a playful grin from beside her mother, as if she knew something I didn't.

"So," Ronan said, breaking the quiet, his deep voice cutting through the clinking of silverware. "You don't need to stay in Lila's old lab anymore. You can move into the guest room downstairs. It's yours for as long as you need it."

I looked at him, surprised, and then over at Lila, who seemed to be watching me closely, that mischievous glint still in her eyes. I glanced at Joan, who offered me a warm smile, her expression one of gentle understanding.

"Thank you," I said quietly, my voice tinged with gratitude. "I really appreciate it."

Lila gave me a wink, clearly pleased with the way things were going, while Ronan and Caden exchanged a look. It was subtle, but I caught it, and I couldn't help but wonder what was going through their minds.

I turned back to Ronan, who was still watching me. "Are you sure?" I asked, just to make sure I wasn't overstepping my bounds. "I don't want to impose."

"Not an issue," he replied, his tone as firm as ever. "It's no trouble at all. We'd rather have you here where we can keep an eye on things."

I nodded, feeling a warmth in my chest from their unexpected kindness. This place, this family-they were nothing like the cold, distant world I had grown up in. And I found myself wanting to stay, to be part of something more than the mess I had been dragged into.

After breakfast, I excused myself, feeling the weight of the day ahead pressing on me. I had to go to work at Ethan's media house.

The thought of facing him again filled me with anxiety, but I couldn't avoid it forever. I had responsibilities, and my job was one of them.

Still, I made a mental note to keep my distance from Ethan. Avoid him at all costs.

The ride to the office was uneventful, and as I walked through the familiar doors of the building, I couldn't shake the unease settling in my stomach.

The thought of seeing Ethan again made my insides twist. I hadn't been able to stop thinking about the night before, about how everything had felt so... wrong. I couldn't trust myself, let alone trust him.

As I made my way to the elevator, my heart rate picked up, and I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I had to focus on the task at hand. No distractions. I just needed to get through the day without encountering him.

The elevator doors slid open, and I stepped inside, pressing the button for the floor I worked on. I leaned against the wall, closing my eyes for a moment, mentally preparing myself for what was to come.

When the elevator dinged and the doors opened, I stepped out into the familiar corridor of the office, the sound of busy employees and ringing phones filling the air.

I walked down the hallway with purpose, trying to appear unaffected, trying to ignore the fact that my heart was racing.

I kept my head down as I passed the reception desk, hoping that if I avoided eye contact, no one would notice me. But of course, fate had other plans.

I turned the corner, and there, standing at the end of the hallway, was Ethan. He was talking to one of the other managers, his back turned to me. My heart stopped for a moment. My stomach churned, and for a second, I froze in place, unsure of what to do.

I could feel my pulse pounding in my ears, and the urge to turn around and flee hit me like a wave. But I couldn't. I had already come this far, and I couldn't let him have that power over me. So, I did the next best thing. I kept walking, trying my best to remain calm.

As I passed him, my gaze flickered over to him, and for a brief moment, our eyes locked. Ethan's expression was unreadable, but I could feel his gaze on me, heavy and filled with something I couldn't quite identify.

I kept walking, my footsteps quickening just a bit, and I prayed he hadn't seen me, that he would just turn away and forget I was there. I had to get to my desk before he could approach me, before I could feel the weight of his presence over me.

The tension in my body was almost unbearable as I reached my desk, sitting down quickly and trying to focus on the work in front of me. I opened my laptop, my fingers shaking slightly as I tried to calm my breathing.

My mind raced, and all I could think about was the look in Ethan's eyes-had he seen me? Did he know it was me who had passed by?

For a long moment, nothing happened. The office continued its usual hum of activity, and I told myself to just focus, to keep my head down.

I was almost convinced that I had escaped without incident when, from the corner of my eye, I saw him approach. My breath caught in my throat.

"Emily," Ethan's voice was smooth, deep, and impossible to ignore. "Can we talk?"

I felt my heart skip a beat, and I looked up, meeting his gaze. For a moment, everything around me seemed to blur. It was just him and me. I could see the faint tension in his jaw, the way his lips were pressed together. There was something in his eyes-something that made my stomach twist even more.

"No," I said, my voice steady, though it felt foreign to me. "I'm busy. I really don't think we have anything to talk about."

His brow furrowed, and I saw a flicker of something-maybe surprise, maybe regret-flash across his face. But before he could respond, I stood up abruptly, grabbing my things.

"I have work to do," I added, turning away from him before he could stop me. My heart pounded in my chest, and my legs were shaky beneath me, but I forced myself to walk away.

As I moved down the hall, I didn't dare look back. I couldn't. I couldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing how badly his presence still affected me.

I made my way to the break room to gather myself, my hands shaking as I reached for the coffee pot, pouring myself a cup without even thinking. The heat of the cup against my palms grounded me slightly, and I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.

In that moment, I couldn't help but wonder how much longer I could keep running from this. From him. From the mess we had both created. Would it ever be over? Would I ever be able to find peace?

I took a sip of the coffee, the bitter taste sharp against my tongue. One thing was clear: I couldn't keep avoiding him forever. Sooner or later, our paths would cross again.