Maya POV
The office had returned to its usual buzz.
Emails dinged. Phones rang. Keyboards clicked like background noise to a life I was pretending to still belong to. But something had shifted. Not in the office—but in me.
I wasn’t the same Maya anymore.
The one who blushed every time Noah looked at her. The one who lived for a single crumb of praise. The one who stayed small so people wouldn’t hate her too loudly.
After everything that happened… I was tired of being quiet.
So I focused on my work. I gave polite smiles. I laughed at Tim’s jokes. I drank my coffee and I kept moving. I was building a wall—brick by brick. A wall that he wasn’t allowed to climb anymore.
At least, that’s what I told myself.
Until he showed up.
I didn’t notice him at first. I was finishing up a report, headphones in, head down, a latte growing cold next to my mousepad. But then the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. That instinct you get when you’re being watched.
I looked up—and froze.
Noah Sterling.
Standing at my desk.
But this time, he wasn’t frowning. He wasn’t glaring. He wasn’t pretending I didn’t exist.
He looked… exhausted. Like sleep hadn’t touched him in days. His tie was loosened, sleeves rolled up, and his eyes—those impossible eyes—looked more vulnerable than I’d ever seen them.
“Maya,” he said softly.
My throat tightened instantly. “Mr. Sterling,” I replied, professional. Distant. Safe.
He looked down, then took a small step closer. “Do you have a minute?”
I paused. Every part of me screamed to say no. To protect myself. To remember the words he threw at me in that boardroom.
But I nodded once. Just once.
He let out a breath like he didn’t expect me to say yes. He didn’t speak right away. He just stood there, fidgeting with the edge of my desk, his fingers brushing a paperclip and pushing it in circles.
Finally, he whispered, “I didn’t want to admit it.”
I looked up at him, arms crossed, heart guarded. “Admit what?”
His jaw clenched. His brows pulled together like the words physically hurt to say. “That I was jealous.”
My heart stuttered.
“Of Alex,” he continued. “Of James. Of anyone who gets to be near you… when I shouldn’t.”
I blinked, stunned. “What do you mean ‘shouldn’t’?”
“Because I’m your boss,” he said, voice low. “Because I told myself it was inappropriate. Because I thought I could handle it—keep things strictly professional—but I was lying. To myself. And to you.”
I didn’t know what to say. I just stared at him.
Noah rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes flickering with shame. “When I saw you with James… I lost it. Not because you did anything wrong, but because you looked happy. And it wasn’t with me.”
I swallowed hard, unsure if I wanted to cry or scream.
“You kissed me,” I finally said, voice tight. “And then you humiliated me. In front of everyone.”
“I know,” he said quickly. “And I hate myself for it. I thought if I made you hate me, it would make it easier to let go.”
“So you chose to destroy me instead?”
He flinched at my words. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“But you did,” I snapped, anger bubbling beneath the surface. “You told everyone it meant nothing. You looked at me like I was nothing.”
His voice broke. “You’re not nothing, Maya.”
“Then why did you treat me like I was disposable?”
Noah stepped back, running a hand through his hair. “Because I don’t know how to want someone the right way. I’ve spent so long guarding myself, burying things, building walls—I didn’t know how to let you in without breaking everything I’ve built.”
I stared at him, blinking fast. “So this is about you? Not me?”
“No,” he said quickly. “It’s about you. It’s always been about you. That’s the problem.”
A beat of silence passed between us. His eyes flicked down to my hand resting on the desk. And slowly—hesitantly—he reached for it.
His fingers grazed mine. My heart stopped. But I pulled away. Gently. But firmly. His breath hitched.
“I can’t do this,” I said, voice trembling. “Not unless you’re sure. Not unless you fight for me. Not unless you stop running and actually show up.”
He didn’t say anything.
He just looked at his hand, now empty, before nodding slowly.
“I understand,” he whispered.