Chapter 174 Moving Forward
Chapter 174 Moving Forward
KAI
Months later...
Zara and I had officially become the Editorial Department's favorite duo. We were finally so comfortable around each other, behaving like very tight childhood friends, which everyone in the office noticed and they really loved our energy. We completed each other's sentences on layout sheets, argued over headlines without any real anger, and shared a genuine warmth that made the long shifts pass quickly.
"If you move that third paragraph to the sidebar one more time, Ryder, I am locking your computer access," Zara laughed one afternoon, leaning against the edge of my desk partition as she pointed a red pen at my monitor.
"The sidebar creates a sharper transition, Corven," I grinned, leaning back in my chair to look up at her. "You're just terrified of changing up your routine formatting."
"In your dreams," she shot back, a brilliant smile breaking across her lips that made my chest tighten with a familiar, quiet warmth.
Later that afternoon, a heavy storm hit the city, and pouring rain began slamming violently against the office windows. The sudden deluge caused a frantic rush as everyone scrambled to pack their bags and head toward the elevators before the streets flooded. Chloe Evans threw us a quick wave as she bundled her trench coat over her arms, disappearing down the hall. Zara was still sorting through a stack of fresh manuscript files, focusing so hard on the pages that she didn't even notice the chaos around her. After some time, she finally packed her stuffs and walked towards the elevator.
I gathered my coat, quietly packed my things, grabbed my large umbrella, and followed her down the elevators a few minutes later. The main lobby doors swung open, exposing a solid wall of falling water that was flooding the sidewalk outside. Zara stepped onto the top step, freezing right at the entrance as she realized she was stranded without a shield.
Before the cold wind could even hit her, I walked right beside her in the rain, snapping my umbrella open that it instantly covered both of us. Zara flinched in surprise, her eyes widening as she looked up from the handle to my face. A soft blush crept up her neck, but she didn't pull away or try to step out into the storm. She simply smiled, leaving a sweet expression that completely melted the chill in the air.
"Thanks, Kai," she whispered, her voice low as we began walking side by side down the wet avenue, the rain drumming heavily above our heads.
"Don't mention it, partner," I murmured, keeping my shoulder slightly tilted to ensure the water stayed completely away from her blouse.
We walked three blocks to her apartment building in a comfortable silence. When we finally reached the safety of her main awning, she turned around to face me, her eyes locking onto mine with a clear, gentle gratitude.
"Thanks again," she said softly, stepping toward the gate.
I offered a small smile, adjusting my collar against the wind. "See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow, Kai," she replied before unlocking the door and stepping inside.
A few days later, sitting alone in the quiet of my house, I decided I couldn't keep emotionally waiting for things to change. I ultimately didn't want to do anything that would ruin or fracture the beautiful friendship we had worked so hard to rebuild. I needed to move forward.
I threw myself entirely into work with a fierce discipline, pushing my layout goals until management had no choice but to notice. Within a few weeks, I earned a promotion to Associate Editor, taking over my own independent development suite and beginning to mentor the incoming interns.
"The regional analytical drafts require absolute precision, Ms. Vance," I noted one morning, sliding a folder across the table to a blonde intern named Maya who had been assigned to my team.
"I'll have them corrected before the noon briefing, Mr. Ryder," Maya murmured, her face turning pink as she took the documents, her fingers lingering against the edge of the paper a second too long.
Over the next month, it became a gradual process. I wasn't seeking it out, but I couldn't help but notice the subtle, unnecessary gestures she kept making every day. Maya started dropping off coffee at my desk before I even arrived at the office, positioning herself near the copy rooms whenever I walked past, and leaving small notes with compliments on my files. She was trying hard to catch my eye, her posture tense with a nervous energy that had nothing to do with work.
Eventually, on a quiet Friday afternoon after the rest of the staff had cleared out, Maya walked to my desk, her hands shaking as she clutched a final layout brief.
"Uhmm... I need to tell you something," she stammered, her voice cracking as she looked up at me, completely breaking the professional boundary. "I know we work together, but I’ve had these feelings for weeks. I think I’m in love with you. I want to see you outside of this office."
I paused, setting my pen flat against the desk as I looked at her. I didn't laugh or treat her vulnerability like a weakness. I kept my boundaries locked, but I turned her down kindly.
"I appreciate your honesty, Maya, and it takes a lot of courage to say that," I said smoothly, keeping my voice calm and controlled. "But I am your supervisor, and more importantly, my heart is completely locked into a space that doesn't leave room for anything else. You are an exceptional intern with a massive career ahead of you, but we need to keep this strictly professional. I hope you understand."
Maya swallowed hard, a lone tear hitting her eyelids, but she nodded slowly, respecting my finality before she gathered her things and quietly exited the room.
I sat back in my chair, letting out a long breath into the quiet room. I wasn't always thinking about Zara anymore, and I wasn't standing around waiting to get hurt. I was building my own life, managing my own responsibilities, and growing into a man worthy of respect through my own actions. But as the evening shadows began to fall across the floor, casting long lines through the quiet department, I stood up and walked toward the glass partition.
Every now and then... I still caught myself looking toward her empty desk across the room, the memory of us still humming softly in the back of my mind.