The storm hit just after noon.
Not the kind that came with thunder and lightning—but the kind that brewed in the breakroom, where gossip spread faster than wildfire.
Lila had just stepped out of a meeting when she heard it.
"Did you hear? Adrian from Finance asked Lila Grace to the department mixer."
"No way. Did she say yes?"
"She did. And he's been bringing her coffee all week. Oat milk, no sugar. He knows her order."
Lila rolled her eyes and kept walking, but her cheeks burned. She hadn't meant for it to be a thing. Adrian was nice. Charming. And yes, he'd asked her to the Finance Department's quarterly dinner, and she'd said yes. It wasn't a date. Not really. Just... a friendly outing.
But the office didn't see it that way.
And neither did Luca.
She was halfway through her lunch—alone, for once—when he slid into the seat across from her in the executive lounge.
"Abandoning your legal crew for the number crunchers now?" he asked, biting into an apple.
She didn't look up. "I needed a change of scenery."
"Or company?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a point?"
He grinned. "Just wondering if I should start sending you spreadsheets instead of contracts."
She set down her fork. "Is this your way of saying you're jealous?"
He leaned in. "Jealous? Of Adrian? Please. He wears loafers with no socks."
She smirked. "You noticed his shoes?"
"I notice everything."
"Well, then notice this: what I do with my time is none of your business."
His smile faltered. "I was just teasing."
She stood, tray in hand. "Don't."
He watched her walk away, the weight of her words settling heavier than he expected.
Back in her office, Lila closed the door and leaned against it.
Why had she snapped?
Because it was true. She hated when people joked about her love life—or lack thereof. She'd never dated seriously. Never had time. Never wanted to.
Until now.
Until Luca.
And that terrified her.
That evening, Pearl was waiting with takeout and a raised eyebrow.
"So. Adrian."
Lila groaned. "Not you too."
"I'm just saying, he's cute. And he's clearly into you."
"I know. But..."
"But he's not Luca."
Lila froze. "I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to."
Amara walked in, holding a bottle of wine. "What are we talking about?"
"Lila's love triangle."
"There's no triangle," Lila said. "Just... confusion."
Amara poured three glasses. "Well, drink up. Nothing like a little wine to make bad decisions feel like good ones."
Lila laughed. "You two are the worst."
Pearl raised her glass. "And yet, you love us."
Lila clinked her glass. "Unfortunately."
The next morning, Lila found a note on her desk.
"Lunch today? Just us. No teasing. Promise. — L.E."
She stared at it for a long time.
Then smiled.
Lila accepted the lunch invitation.
No teasing. No flirting. Just two professionals eating overpriced salads and talking about quarterly reports. Luca kept his word. He didn't mention Adrian. He didn't smirk. He didn't even glance at her shoes.
It was... normal.
And for once, Lila was grateful.
The next morning, the legal department buzzed with news.
Two associates were being sent to a high-profile arbitration summit in Morocco. The shortlist was tight. The final names were tighter.
Lila Grace.
And Zara Bello.
Zara was a junior associate with a halo of curls, a love for pastel suits, and a laugh that could disarm a room. She was sharp, hilarious, and had a knack for making even the most stressful meetings feel like brunch.
Luca, as head of the delegation, would be joining them.
That night, Lila sat on the couch, suitcase half-packed, while Pearl and Amara grilled her.
"Morocco?" Pearl said, eyes wide. "That's major."
Amara nodded. "And you're going with Luca again?"
"And Zara," Lila added quickly.
Pearl smirked. "Still. International trip. Shared penthouse. Jet lag. Anything could happen."
"Nothing is happening," Lila said, folding a blazer. "It's work."
Amara raised an eyebrow. "Work with a view."
Lila threw a sock at her.
The company jet was sleek and silent. Zara spent the flight watching stand-up comedy and offering Lila sour gummies. Luca worked the entire time, headphones in, eyes glued to his laptop.
They landed in Marrakech to golden sunlight and a black car waiting to take them to the company's private apartment—a sprawling penthouse with marble floors, a rooftop terrace, and a view of the Atlas Mountains.
"Okay," Zara whispered as they stepped inside. "This is not an apartment. This is a Netflix set."
Luca handed them keycards. "You each have your own suite. Meeting's at 9 a.m. sharp. Don't be late."
Lila nodded. "Understood."
The morning of the summit, everything went sideways.
Zara had forgotten to upload a critical document—one that Luca had specifically asked for. But she didn't say anything. And when the oversight was discovered in front of the entire board, Lila stepped forward.
"My fault," she said. "I must've missed it."
Luca's eyes narrowed. "You missed it?"
She nodded. "Yes."
He didn't hold back.
"Inexcusable," he snapped. "You're supposed to be the best. This isn't a classroom, Lila. It's a billion-dollar company. If you can't handle the pressure, maybe you're not ready for this level."
The room went silent.
Lila's face burned.
She said nothing.
Later that afternoon, Zara found Luca in the lounge.
"Hey," she said, chewing her lip. "I need to tell you something. That document? It was my responsibility. Lila covered for me."
Luca froze.
"She didn't want me to get in trouble. I didn't mean for her to take the fall."
Luca stood, jaw tight. "Where is she?"
He found her on the balcony, staring out at the city.
"Lila."
She didn't turn. "Don't."
"I didn't know—"
"You didn't ask."
He stepped closer. "I'm sorry."
She turned, eyes blazing. "You humiliated me. In front of everyone. You didn't even give me a chance to explain."
"I was angry. I thought—"
"You thought the worst. Again."
He was silent.
She crossed her arms. "You can't keep doing this. You can't keep treating me like I'm disposable just because you're in charge."
"I don't think you're disposable."
"Well, it feels like it."
She stepped back. "From today, I'm drawing the line. You're my boss. That's it."
"Lila—"
"No."
She walked away.
Back home, Pearl and Amara were waiting with popcorn and questions.
"How was Morocco?" Pearl asked.
"Busy," Lila said, dropping her bag.
"Anything happen?" Amara asked.
"No."
Pearl frowned. "You sure?"
Lila grabbed a bottle of water. "Can we not talk about him?"
They exchanged a glance.
"Okay," Pearl said softly.
Lila disappeared into her room, closing the door behind her.
And for the first time in weeks, she didn't think about Luca Elion.
She didn't want to.