<h4>Chapter 190: Chapter 190 So You Two Are... Close?</h4>


    Cecilia’s pov


    The chill from earlier hadn’t left--it had just settled deeper into my bones.


    I drove to the office in silence, trying to convince myself I was being dramatic.


    I wasn’t convinced.


    I’d barely settled into my chair when my desk phone rang.


    "Come here." The voice on the other end was cool as mountain spring water.


    I hung up, pinched the bridge of my nose, and stood.


    Taking a steadying breath, I made my way to the CEO’s office. When I entered, I noticed hisputer wasn’t even turned on.


    "You needed me for something?" I asked, my expression professionally neutral.


    My tone was even, betraying none of the tension coiling beneath the surface.


    Sebastian was leaning back in his chair, his expression unreadable.


    "Just wondering about your private life," he said casually. "If your home is going to be Grand Central Station every morning, should I expect daily time-off requests?"


    "That’s... not a regr urrence."


    "Perhaps not, but it’s hardly something you can control, is it?"


    I fell silent, unsure how to respond.


    "What are you suggesting?" I finally asked.


    "Starting today, you move back to the apartment."


    "That’s--"


    "Difficult?" Sebastian studied me as I hesitated. "Then I suppose I’ll have to start supervising your punctuality in person. Every morning."


    My calm facade slipped.


    The thought of him showing up at my parents’ doorstep each day... God, I could already picture their faces.


    "That won’t be necessary," I said quickly. "The apartment it is."


    A hint of satisfaction yed at the corners of his mouth. He picked up a folder from his desk. "Take this to Wiley."


    I stepped forward to take it. As my fingers closed around the document, he suddenly tugged back, pulling me closer until we were breathing the same air.


    My cheeks flushed warm. I red at him.


    "We’re at work," I whispered, despite being alone. "This is hardly professional."


    Sebastian pulled the folder again, bringing our foreheads nearly touching. "Come see the kitten tonight," he murmured. "You haven’t visited in days. She misses you."


    "I’lle, but..." I found myself staring at his lips, my breath growing warmer. "I’m not staying over."


    His breath caressed my cheek like velvet. "Such a heartbreaker, Miss Moore."


    "Don’t say that. I might start believing it."With a surge of boldness, I quickly stole a kiss from his lips, then snatched the folder and darted away.


    --


    I headed downstairs to deliver the file to Wiley, the man folder tucked under my arm.


    Halfway there, it slipped.


    Papers went flying in a loose arc, scattering across the hallway like oversized confetti.


    "Seriously?" I muttered, crouching down to gather the papers before anyone walked by.


    As I stacked the pages back together, a familiar header caught my eye.


    Shadow Pack Project -- Funding Approval.


    Wait, what?


    I froze for a second, blinking at the title.


    Sebastian had been stonewalling this proposal for weeks. Wiley had practically fought tooth and nail for it--endless emails, board meetings, even a tense elevator ride or two.


    So why was the approval form sitting here now, signed and stamped, like it had never been a problem?


    Had something changed? Had Sebastian and Alpha Gavin made some kind of deal?


    One thing was certain--Xavier definitely hadn’t known about this when he charged into the office this morning.


    I finished reassembling the file and pushed the thought aside--for now.


    When I handed the file to Wiley, his face was practically glowing. Sebastian must have called him already.


    "Thank you for delivering this personally, Cecilia."


    "Just following orders," I smiled professionally. "I’ll leave you to it."


    As I turned to leave, he called after me.


    "Cecilia... I wonder if you’ve heard about Amara being recalled to headquarters?"


    I kept my expression neutral, but mentally rolled my eyes so hard I nearly sprained something.


    Look at him--absolutely giddy at the scent of office gossip.


    "Of course," I replied calmly. "She texted me about it. She arrives tomorrow."


    "She... texted you?" His surprise was evident.


    "Yes. We exchanged contacts. We follow each other on Instagram."


    Watching his startled expression, I couldn’t help but let my eyes crinkle with amusement.


    "So you two are... close?"


    Wiley looked skeptical, like he was trying to decide whether I was lying or just lucky.


    Everyone in senior management knew about Amara’s history with Sebastian.


    "I wouldn’t say we’re enemies," I said innocently. "She wouldn’t have bothered texting me if we were, right? Didn’t she loop you in too?"


    His expression darkened.


    I blinked, feigning concern. "But you’re the Vice President. Huh. Maybe she figured you already knew? Or... maybe she just forgot. Either way, you’re in the loop now."


    "Miss Moore," Wiley said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, "Maybe her reaching out to you means more than you realize. There are... dynamics at y. You’d be wise to tread carefully."


    "Thanks for the unsolicited advice. Anything else you’d like to mansin today?"


    I didn’t bite. I wasn’t about to ask what "dynamics" he meant. That was the bait--and I had no intention of taking it.


    His disappointed little pout almost made meugh.


    The moment I stepped out of his office, my smile dropped like a curtain.


    Back upstairs, Sawyer practically ambushed me in the break room.


    "I just heard Amara is being transferred back to headquarters!" His voice was a panicked whisper.


    "You’re only finding out now?"


    Compared to his obvious distress, I remained impassive as a stone.


    "You... already knew?" he asked, stunned.


    I sat on a high stool, arms crossed. "Since Sunday night."


    Sawyer’s eyes widened. "So you knew before the Alpha even did?"


    "Maybe," I answered vaguely, my tone deliberately neutral.


    Sawyer fell silent, concern etching lines across his face.


    "Cecilia, I know the Alpha likes you, but I’ve told you before--he and Amara go way back. They’ve got history. You saw how she was hanging all over him in Singapore. She’s never really let go. And now that she’sing back, knowing how he feels about you..."


    He shook his head. "She’s not going to take this lying down. She’s going to stir things up."


    "I couldn’t care less," I said tly.


    But seeing the look on his face--like I’d just announced I was walking into oing traffic--I sighed and softened.


    "Don’t look so dramatic. So what if she’s still hung up on him? That’s not my emotional baggage to carry.


    Is everyone supposed to tiptoe around her fragile ego just because she can’t handle reality?


    If she’s nning toe after me, well--she’s picked the wrong target."


    I patted his arm and slid off the stool, heading for the door.


    Behind me, I heard Sawyer mutter something under his breath.


    Pretty sure it was something about DEFCON 1.


    --


    After work, I drove back to the apartment alone.


    I’d barely changed intofortable clothes when the doorbell rang.


    Taking a moment topose my sullen mood, I went to answer it.


    Sebastian stood there, looking casually perfect in dark jeans and a fitted henley. "Why didn’t you wait so we could leave together?"


    I stepped aside to let him in. "My shift ended. You didn’t say anything about workingte."


    As I walked toward the kitchen, he followed.


    Before I knew it, his arms were around me, his kiss hot and insistent.


    My knees weakened as he lifted me onto the counter, his hands roaming possessively over my body.


    "I thought we were going to see the kitten," I gasped,ughing breathlessly as I pushed him back just enough to breathe.


    Sebastian grinned, brushing a kiss against my lips before setting me gently on my feet. "Then let’s go see the kitten."


    We took the elevator up to his floor, still holding hands like it was the most natural thing in the world.


    I was still riding the high from his kisses when we reached his door.


    Then he opened it--and everything inside me mmed to a halt.


    There, lounging like she owned the ce, was a woman draped across his living room sofa--legs crossed, lips curved.


    And she looked like she’d been waiting.


    It was Amara.