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“What do you mean you gave it to someone else?”

Jenn heard the crack in her own voice immediately. Her legs suddenly felt unsteady beneath her, her chest tightening so hard it almost hurt to breathe.

Just an hour ago, she had walked into her parents’ penthouse practically glowing. Ready to show her father the finalized proposition she and Chris had worked through all afternoon before heading to her date afterward.

Now she just felt blindsided.

“You told me I was going to handle the deal,” she said carefully, trying to keep her composure together even as her voice trembled slightly. “You gave me a week to work on it. You can’t just pull me off at the last minute after making me believe this was finally my opportunity.”

“Darling,” Richard said calmly, “I was trying to make things easier on you. I know how much you already have on your plate.” 

“That’s not the point.” Her voice rose slightly now despite herself. “Do you not like the acquisition proposal?”

“That’s not what this is.”

“Then what is it?”

“You did excellent work,” he admitted honestly. “Far better than I expected.”

That should’ve made her feel good. Instead, the backhanded nature of it only made her stomach twist harder.

“But this acquisition is larger than we initially anticipated. There have been additional concerns involving Armand Beaumont’s side of the company,” Richard explained. “Things that make this negotiation more delicate than expected.”

“I can handle delicate negotiations.”

“You haven’t done one at this scale before, darling.”

Her eyes burned immediately. “I can do it,” she said again, quieter this time. “If you just let me.” She felt like a child begging her parents for a toy. 

“Jenn,” Kitty spoke gently now, stepping closer toward her daughter. “Your father’s only trying to protect you from unnecessary pressure.”

Protect you. Fuck that. “I don’t need protecting,” Jenn muttered.

Kitty gave her a sympathetic look. “Sweetheart…”

“I’ve worked for years for opportunities like this.” Jenn looked back at her father again. “You said if I proved myself, you’d finally let me move beyond marketing and smaller projects.”

“You are moving up,” Richard reassured calmly. “This simply isn’t the right acquisition to start with.” Richard rubbed a hand across his jaw before saying carefully, “I’m assigning it to someone with more experience closing international deals.”

Jenn swallowed hard. “Who?”

“One of the senior partners.”

He didn’t elaborate further, and Jenn didn’t ask. She immediately pictured one of the older executives who constantly underestimated her anyway.

“Father, please.” Jenn tried one more time anyway, voice cracking despite every effort to hold herself together. “I know I can do this.”

Richard’s face softened again, but he still shook his head. “My decision’s already been made, sweetheart.”

Her heart sank. Completely.

“Okay,” she whispered.

Kitty immediately frowned. “Jenn, love, don’t leave, please.”

Ignoring them, she grabbed her trench coat and slipped it on quickly before either of them could stop her. 

“Darling, don’t leave upset,” Kitty said gently again. 

But she couldn’t stand there another second listening to him speak to her while still taking the one thing she’d worked herself sick over.

Humiliation.

The humiliation of letting herself believe this time would be different. That maybe this time her father had finally trusted her enough. The second the doors closed behind her, her breathing started shaking. By the time she slid into the backseat of a cab outside the building, the first tear finally fell.

The cab driver didn’t question the state she was in. He just adjusted the mirror once and asked gently, “Where to, miss?”

Before she could think herself out of it, an address slipped from her lips automatically as she quickly texted her date that she suddenly couldn’t make it. Because, as humiliating as tonight felt, there was only one person she could think of who would actually understand why this hurt so badly.

When the cab finally pulled up, she’d managed to stop crying at least. She looked up at the massive luxury tower in front of her. Of course, he lived somewhere intimidating enough to look like its own country.

The doorman greeted her politely enough at first. “Good evening, miss.” 

“Hi,” Jenn answered softly. “I’m here to see, uh, Christopher Sturniolo. I think he owns the building, actually.” She knows he does.

The man’s expression shifted professionally immediately. “Mr. Sturniolo?” She nodded once before he continued. “Do you have an appointment?”

Jenn blinked slightly. “No, I just…”

The doorman gave her an apologetic look while already reaching toward the desk tablet. “I’m sorry, miss, but visitors need prior approval.”

Jenn swallowed the embarrassment rising in her throat.

“Oh.”

The man checked the system briefly anyway before pausing. “…Mr. Sturniolo doesn’t currently have any female visitors listed for access approval.”

Jenn suddenly felt incredibly stupid standing there. She barely even knew what she’d expected coming here in the first place. She nodded quickly before stepping back. “Right. Sorry, it’s okay. Thank you anyway.”

Jenn turned slightly, already preparing to leave before she made herself look even more pathetic—

A cold, familiar voice cut through the lobby behind her.

“Do we have a problem here?”

The cold but familiar voice cut through the lobby behind her, making her freeze. The doorman straightened immediately. “Mr. Sturniolo, welcome.”

Chris stood near the lobby entrance dressed down in a black hoodie and matching sweatpants, his dark hair still slightly damp like he’d just showered. A duffel bag hung loosely from one shoulder, and despite how casual he looked, he still somehow carried that same intimidating presence that made entire rooms shift when he walked into them. 

Beside him stood another man, Jenn recognized immediately as his brother, Nick, who looked between the two of them with obvious curiosity. However, Chris barely acknowledged anyone else in the lobby. His eyes were locked entirely on her.

The doorman cleared his throat awkwardly. “Mr. Sturniolo, this young lady said she was here to see you, but I didn’t see any woman on the approved visitor list—”

“Her name is there,” Chris interrupted flatly. The sharpness of his tone made the poor man stop talking immediately. “Check again.”

Jenn blinked in confusion. Why would her name be on Chris’s approved visitor list? She’d never been here before in her life.

The doorman was visibly flustered now as he scrolled, and then his expression shifted. “Oh—” He looked up immediately. “My apologies, sir.” His eyes moved back toward Jenn carefully. “Are you Miss Jenevieve Sienee?”

Jenn nodded awkwardly. “Uh… yes.”

Chris was already walking toward them before the sentence fully left her mouth. He didn’t say anything about the situation and stopped beside her briefly before reaching toward the private elevator panel nearby. A soft beep sounded as he pressed his fingerprint against the scanner. The elevator doors immediately slid open.

“Go upstairs,” he said quietly, glancing at her. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

Jenn hesitated slightly, still trying to process everything.

Something about the calm certainty in his voice made her listen without argument, so she stepped into the elevator and let the doors close, sealing her into silence as it began its smooth ascent toward the top floor.

Her heartbeat felt uneven the entire ride up.

By the time the doors finally opened, Jenn found herself staring into what looked more like a private lounge than an elevator landing. There was only one set of double doors ahead, which she assumed led into the actual penthouse itself, but suddenly the idea of opening them herself felt strangely invasive.

So instead, she just stood there awkwardly clutching the sleeve of her trench coat while trying to calm the lingering tightness in her chest.

Three minutes later, the elevator behind her opened again. Chris stepped out first, and only then did she realize she’d been standing this entire time like an idiot waiting for permission to move.

His eyes landed on her immediately, and this time, up close, he fully took in her face. “…Have you been crying?” he asked quietly.

Jenn answered too fast. “No.”

Chris stared at her for a second longer, clearly not believing that whatsoever. But thankfully, he didn’t push it immediately, and instead, his gaze sharpened slightly. Without another word, he moved past her and unlocked the large double doors ahead.

“Come inside,” he said gently.

The penthouse was stunning. 

Chris locked the door behind them before turning back toward her again.

And now that they were alone, the concern he’d been holding back downstairs was far more obvious on his face.

“I’m assuming you're here because you know…” For a brief second, he almost looked… tense. Like he was bracing himself for something. Jenn frowned faintly at that. Why did he suddenly look nervous?

Her head tilted in confusion. “Know what?” 

His eyebrows jiggled up, and he brushed them off. “I… never mind. Why are you here?” 

And then his gaze dropped. 

To the fitted little dress beneath her trench coat, the heels, and the makeup she’d clearly spent time doing.

“Wait.” The tension in his face sharpened into something colder. “Were you on your date?” He ignored her startled expression, already stepping closer. “Did something happen? Jenn, I told you can’t trust these people.”

“No—”

“Did he touch you?”

Jenn stared at him in confusion. “Chris—”

“Did the asshole say something to you?” His voice had gotten noticeably harder now. “Because if some guy made you cry, I swear to fucking—”

“No one made me cry,” Jenn interrupted quickly. “It wasn’t my date. I… I didn’t end up going to it.”

That made him pause slightly. Jenn exhaled tiredly, suddenly regretting coming here even more because now he looked two seconds away from hunting down a random man she barely even liked. 

Chris’s jaw flexed again as he looked her over carefully one more time, almost checking for something physically wrong with her. 

“What happened then?” he asked, quieter now, though the protectiveness in his tone still lingered heavily in his voice. “You came all the way here crying, Bella. Talk to me.”

Jenn looked down at the floor for a second before finally forcing the words out. “My father pulled me off the deal. He gave it to someone else.”

Jenn slowly looked back up at him, expecting something, anything. His jaw had tightened so hard as something behind them had completely locked up. But no visible emotion.

“Chris?” Her heart dropped slowly, realizing he didn’t show much reaction. A small, embarrassed laugh left her weakly as she stepped back slightly. “Wow.” Chris blinked, snapping back toward her. Jenn immediately shook her head. “Sorry. Forget it.”

“Bella—”

“I shouldn’t have come here.” Her voice cracked slightly despite how hard she tried to steady it. “You probably think I’m being dramatic. I just—you were the only person who knew about the deal and I—”

She cut herself off, mortified now that she’d shown up emotional and crying over work drama of all things. “This was stupid,” she muttered under her breath before turning toward the door. “I’m sorry for bothering you.”

“Jenn.”

She ignored him and moved fast, reaching for the handle, only for Chris to move faster.

Way faster than she expected.

One second, she was reaching for the door, and the next, his hand pressed firmly against it above her shoulder, stopping it from opening completely as he stepped into her space. Chris gently backed her against the door without hurting her, his other hand landing beside her waist to steady her before she could pull away.

“Bella,” Chris softened slightly at the sight of her glossy eyes again. “Look at me.”

She hated how easily her eyes lifted back to his. Up close, she saw little scars and a faint bruise that definitely wasn’t there in the morning on his face. 

“You should’ve gotten that deal, and I’m sorry he made you feel like you weren’t capable enough for it...” Chris slowly lowered the hand that had been braced near her face, “…I’m sorry for not reacting right away.” His jaw tightened slightly. “I just didn’t know what to say.”

Everything from today suddenly felt unbearably heavy all over again.

She really, really did not want to cry again.

“I know it probably sounds stupid,” she said quietly after a second, forcing out a weak laugh that held no humor at all. “It’s just a deal.”

Chris immediately frowned. “Bella—”

“But it’s not really about the deal.” Her voice wavered slightly now. “It’s just…”

Her heels suddenly started throbbing painfully beneath her feet, the exhaustion from the day finally crashing into her all at once. Everything hurt.

“Hey,” Chris noticed the slight wobble in her posture immediately. “Sit down for me.”

But Jenn shook her head quickly. “No, I’m okay—” Lie “—It’s embarrassing,” she admitted weakly. “I’m twenty-six years old, crying over wanting my dad to think I’m good enough.” Her voice crumbled completely halfway through it. “Maybe…maybe I should just stay in marketing…”

And before she could stop herself, a sob escaped her chest. Jenn immediately covered her mouth as she hated herself for it, her shoulders shaking as another one followed right after.

Chris reacted instantly.

“Hey, hey—” Chris reacted instantly, catching her before she could fully fold into herself, one arm wrapping firmly around her waist while the other pulled her against his chest.

Soft, painful sobs pressed into his hoodie while she gripped the front of it tightly; she couldn’t hold herself upright anymore. All she could hear was those soft little shushes.

“Bella…” he murmured, pulling her closer instinctively. One hand slid gently into her hair while the other stayed firm against her back. “It’s okay.”

Maybe it would be eventually. But the deal had just been the final thing pushing against cracks that had already been there for years.

She knew she had everything people dreamed of. Money that erased problems before they even fully formed, Parents that loved her in their own complicated way, and every tangible thing you could dream of. 

So why did she still feel so empty half the time in her heart, but constantly active in her head? 

Sometimes she’d reorganize entire drawers at three in the morning because if things weren’t symmetrical enough, her brain refused to calm down. Or sometimes she scrubbed her hands raw because certain textures or dirt made panic crawl beneath her skin so intensely she couldn’t breathe right until it was gone.

And no one really knew.

So she was acting like the spoiled, pretty daughter everyone expected her to be.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Her body was so weak that's why crying on the man she barely tolerated's chest felt like the best option at the moment. There was nowhere else she’d be. “I wish…” She didn’t know what she wished. 

“There’s nothing wrong with you, Bella Rosa.”

Jenn barely even registered Chris guiding her deeper into the place. Before she realized it, Chris was carefully easing her down onto the massive cream-colored sofa in the living room. Jenn sank into the cushions. Chris slid her trench coat from her shoulders as she watched him fold it carefully instead of tossing it somewhere. 

“You okay?” His voice was so soft she almost forgot he was the same guy that causes a part of her stress. 

She nodded automatically, though they both knew that wasn’t true. But Chris didn’t call her out on it this time; instead, he adjusted one of the throw pillows behind her lower back slightly, disappearing down the hallway without another word.

A minute later, Chris returned holding a glass of water.

“Drink,” he said gently, handing it to her.

Jenn took it carefully with slightly trembling fingers, whispering, “Thank you.”

Chris nodded once before crouching down in front of her again. At first, she thought he was grabbing something from the coffee table. Until his hands moved toward her ankles. She stayed quiet, letting him unfasten the delicate straps around one ankle. 

His touch was warm. Really warm. 

Something about the sight of him kneeling in front of her like this felt strangely intimate. Too intimate. For a brief second, his hands lingered against her calves as his eyes lifted slowly to hers.

A strange flutter settled low in Jenn’s stomach when Chris cleared his throat and finally pulled away from her legs. He stood back up before sitting beside her on the couch instead, close enough that the sleeve of his hoodie brushed against her bare shoulder now and then when either of them moved.

Jenn suddenly became very aware that she was still wearing that tiny dress. Maybe this outfit was not exactly appropriate for emotionally spiraling in a man’s penthouse.

Her gaze lifted back to the faint bruise along his cheekbone. “…What happened to your face? Those weren’t there in the morning.” 

Chris looked momentarily confused before realization crossed his features. “Nick.”

“Nick did this?”

Chris hummed lazily.

Her eyes widened immediately. “Did you guys fight? Is that why you were with him downstairs earlier?” she continued quickly. “He doesn’t exactly seem like the violent type, and he’s literally your brother—”

“No,” A quiet laugh escaped him for the first time tonight. “We weren’t fighting. Well, not exactly.”

“Then why does your face look like someone punched you?”

Chris leaned back slightly against the couch, a faint smirk finally appearing. “Because someone did. I join Nick for boxing here and there when I get time.”

The words caught her completely off guard. “Boxing?” 

Chris nodded casually like he hadn’t just unlocked an entirely different version of himself she’d never imagined before. 

“You’re joking. You voluntarily let people punch you for what? stress relief?”

Chris smirked slightly wider now. “Pretty much.”

She couldn’t deny the fact that she found that extremely attractive. 

“Well,” Jenn said lightly, finally leaning back against the couch cushions a little easier now. “I guess that explains your crooked nose.”

“Ah,” Chris looked personally offended for half a second before a grin spread across his face. “There she is.”

Jenn tried to fight the smile threatening at her lips and failed slightly anyway.

“You’re not the worst company,” she admitted quietly.

And that statement alone felt strange coming from her.

Because for years she’d either hated Christopher Sturniolo or tolerated him in small doses.

She has always felt second to Chris and believed he was the reason she wasn't making progress. However, she is now realizing that it isn't him holding her back; it is her choice to stay in a job she hates and her father, who is so blinded by his love for her that he underestimates her potential.

“Can you admit that you just complimented me?” Chris said slowly, still watching her with that faint smirk, “I almost can’t believe my ears.”

Jenn rolled her eyes lightly. “Maybe.”

“Wow, mark the calendar.”

A quiet laugh escaped her before she could stop it. 

“Why’d you come to me tonight, huh?”

His stare made her feel a bit cornered. She could either lie or tell the truth. But she didn’t want to lie to him after how honest he'd been with her recently. 

“I just…” she swallowed lightly. “You already knew about me having the deal, so… you were the first person I thought of.”

“Yeah?”

His voice made her stomach flutter nervously.

“Don’t make it a big deal, Chris.”

His eyes slowly moved over her face before drifting lower for a brief second, before manspreading lazily as he leaned back slightly against the couch, eyes still fixed on her.

“Do you always dress like this on dates?” he asked casually.

“I mean, yeah? People usually try to make good impressions, plus, it's just a dress.” 

“A very small dress.”

Jenn rolled her eyes, though the faint smile lingering on her lips gave her away anyway. “Women are allowed to wear what they want, Christopher. We’re not living in the eighteen hundreds.”

Chris huffed out a quiet laugh through his nose. “Didn’t say you weren’t allowed.” His eyes dragged over her briefly again before returning to her face. “Wear what you want, what's it to me?” 

Jenn shook her head, trying not to smile harder at that. She looked down at the glass in her hands quietly before speaking again.  

“He really upset me today.”

That slight shift in him whenever the conversation drifted back toward anything involving the deal or her father. “I know. And for what it’s worth, I think he’s wrong.”

A sudden idea popped into her head.  “Can I ask you something?” she said quietly.

Chris nodded once. “What?”

She hesitated for a second before finally asking, “Can you convince him?” Chris went still, eerily still. “Please,” Jenn looked at him hopefully now, moving a little closer without realizing it. “He listens to you.” 

“I don’t know, Bella,” he said carefully. “You know how your father is. He loves you, but he’s stubborn.”

Jenn let out a humorless little laugh. “Yeah, and you know who he loves more than me? You.”

Chris immediately looked back at her. “That’s not true.”

“Yes, it is.” Her voice sharpened slightly now, emotion creeping back in. “My father practically worships you. Every conversation somehow circles back to how great you are.”

“Jenn, he still loves you,” he corrected quietly.

“But he trusts you,” Jenn shot back instantly. “There’s a difference.”

The sentence hit harder than she realized. She’s never let her insecurely so vividly so in front of him. 

“He looks at you like you’re the son he actually wanted in business,” she admitted quietly. “And I’ll never measure up to that, which is fine… but at least you can help me, even if we haven’t exactly seen eye to eye all the time.”

“You have no idea how wrong you are.”

“Please?” Jenn sighed softly at that, rubbing tiredly at her face before looking back at him again. “Just… talk to him.”

Chris stayed silent for a second, studying her carefully.

Then, instead of answering directly, he asked something else entirely. “Why do you even want to work there so badly?”

Jenn frowned slightly. “What?”

“At your father’s company.” He leaned back slightly, eyes still fixed on her. “Why are you fighting this hard for it?”

Jenn opened her mouth automatically to answer—then stopped, because she honestly didn’t know anymore. “Do you want the honest answer?” she asked quietly. 

Chris nodded once.

“I fucking hate corporate.”

Chris’s brows lifted slightly.

“No matter what side of it I’m on,” she continued tiredly. “I hate it. Marketing, acquisitions, meetings, I hate all of it.” That clearly wasn’t the answer he expected.

“Then why are you working for your father?” he asked carefully.

Jenn leaned back into the couch cushions with a sigh. “Just because I don’t like my job doesn’t mean I’m not good at it.” And that part was true. “My dad’s hinted at me working for him since I was little. It was always just… assumed.”

Chris frowned faintly. “I doubt he’d stop you if you said you wanted to leave.”

“You’re not wrong.” Jenn looked down at her hands. “But if I left now, everyone would take me even less seriously than they already do.” Her voice sharpened slightly with frustration near the end. “They already think I’m some spoiled rich girl playing businesswoman because daddy gave her a title.”

“Bella, that's not true—”

“I know I’m capable,” she interrupted quietly. “I know I could do more if people would just stop deciding things for me first.”

Jenn realized how vulnerable her state looked at that moment. 

“You know what the worst part is?” Jenn gave another weak laugh. “I don’t even know what I’d rather be doing. I even feel ungrateful saying that. People would kill for my life.” Her voice trembled slightly now. “And I’m sitting here complaining because I don’t like my six-figure job and my luxury apartment and—” she stopped her thoughts. 

Jenn looked down quickly, trying to compose herself again.

“It’s stupid,” she murmured. “ I’ve just been so tired all the time and anxious, and I can never shut my brain off and—” Before she could stop herself, tears started spilling down her cheeks again.

“No, no—hey.” Chris reacted instantly. One of his large hands came up to cup the side of her head gently before he carefully guided her toward him. His other arm wrapped securely around her shoulders, holding her against him firmly but gently, as if he was afraid she’d break apart completely if he loosened his grip. “It’s okay, Bella, it’s okay.”

Jenn buried her face deeper into his hoodie, her shoulders shaking while she tried to catch her breath. One of his hands stayed cradling the back of her head while the other rubbed slowly up and down her back.

“You’re okay,” he whispered again. “I’ve got you.”

Something about hearing that completely shattered the last bit of composure she had left.

Chris wasn’t telling her she was dramatic or making her feel stupid for crying.

“You work yourself too hard,” he murmured against the top of her head. “And you carry everything by yourself until you explode. " Your worth isn’t tied to one deal or your father’s approval, do you hear me?”

Jenn nodded weakly against his chest even though part of her still didn’t fully believe it.

Chris lowered his head slightly closer to hers. “You are smart enough.” His voice softened even more. “And anyone who makes you feel otherwise is fucking blind.”

Chris just kept holding her through it all, whispering soft reassurances into her hair while his hand slowly stroked through it. 

Jenn remained curled against his chest as her breathing gradually returned to normal. Chris's hand never stopped moving; even after she finished crying, his fingers continued to glide gently through her hair, as if he instinctively knew she still needed comfort. Jenn's cheek rested comfortably against his chest while she stared blearily at the skyline lights.

She could hear his heartbeat beneath her ear.

Her body slowly started sinking further into him without even realizing it.

“Tired, Bella?” She heard him murmur from above. Jenn made the smallest sound of agreement against his chest. 

He adjusted slightly so she was more comfortably tucked against him, one arm securely around her waist now while the other continued tracing lazy strokes along her back.

The last thing she slightly registered was Chris lowering his head slightly toward hers again.

“You don’t have to hold yourself together all the time around me, beautiful.” 

ceyana’s note: i watched off campus, it was so good! i love you, mwah <3

The annual New York charity gala was held at the same venue every year. A tradition among the city’s elite.

The guest list was impossible to get onto unless your last name meant something. CEOs, surgeons, lawyers, investors—families with more money than sense, all dressed in designer gowns and tailored tuxedos while pretending they weren’t all there to judge one another.

Jenn stood near the back of the ballroom with a champagne flute resting delicately between her fingers, positioned beside her mother as she smiled politely through yet another conversation.

Kitty Sienee was made for events like this. Her mother greeted everyone like they were old friends. It didn’t matter if she knew them personally or not; Kitty always made herself memorable.

She smiled tightly as yet another older woman turned her attention toward her.

“Are you seeing anyone, sweetheart?”

Jenn gave the same practiced smile she’d been using all night. “No, not currently.”

“Oh, twenty-six is such a lovely age to settle down,” the woman continued. “You’re absolutely gorgeous. Have you met my son? He’s around your age.”

Jenn nearly laughed into her champagne.

She’d learned something very important at these events over the years: the second a wealthy woman started advertising her son like a business investment, it usually meant there was something deeply wrong with him.

Either he was unemployed, emotionally insufferable, or still calling his mother to book dentist appointments. Sometimes all three.

The woman finally drifted off after another minute, immediately redirecting her attention toward another unfortunate girl nearby.

The second she was gone, Jenn exhaled. “I think that’s the fifth son tonight.” 

“Only the fifth? You must be losing your touch.” Kitty hid a smile behind her own glass. “Although I do take pride in raising such an amazing daughter.”

“If another woman asks me about marriage tonight, I’m leaving.”

Her mother laughed quietly before her attention shifted elsewhere again, greeting another approaching couple. Jenn let herself tune it out, gaze wandering lazily across the ballroom as she brought the rim of the champagne glass to her lips.

“Mrs. Sienee.”

Jenn froze almost instantly.

Her mother lit up before she even turned around. “Christopher!” Kitty smiled warmly, stepping forward to pull him into a quick hug. “Look at you, sweetheart. You look handsome as always.”

Jenn slowly lowered her glass.

Of course, he was here.

Chris greeted her mother easily, one hand respectfully resting against Kitty’s back for a brief moment before he stepped away. “You look beautiful tonight.”

Kitty practically beamed. “See? This is why I adore you. Manners.” She glanced toward Jenn knowingly. “Such a good boy. Remind me to catch up with your mom.” 

Jenn forced a smile, finally looking at him properly for the first time tonight. Immediately regretting it.

Black tuxedo. Hair slightly pushed back in a way that made him look far too good under the ballroom lights. He looked expensive. 

And somehow, despite the month that had passed, the tension between them still sat there instantly the second their eyes met.

Chris seemed to feel it too.

His expression softened slightly as his gaze landed on her. She didn’t miss the way his eyes slowly looked her up and down. She was in a red gown that went down to the floor, and her neck was covered in minimal jewels. She was definitely dressed up today. 

“Jenn,” he greeted gently. “Good to see you're well.”

The sound of her name in his voice after weeks of barely speaking made something uncomfortable twist in her stomach.

She offered him a small smile, unsure what to say. A brief silence settled between them before her father suddenly appeared beside them, immediately breaking it.

“Christopher,” Richard greeted loudly, gripping his shoulder firmly. “There he is.”

Chris straightened slightly out of instinct, immediately respectful. “Good evening, sir.”

Richard looked entirely too pleased to see him. “I was just telling someone about your expansion deal in Manhattan. Brilliant move.”

Jenn resisted the urge to sigh.

Here we go.

“The security market’s evolving quickly,” Chris replied professionally. “We just adapted early.”

Richard laughed approvingly. “That’s exactly why you’re where you are now. Foresight.” He looked toward another businessman nearby briefly before continuing, “Men your age waste time partying and chasing distractions.”

Jenn nearly laughed at the irony of that statement, considering where Chris had found her a month ago. But she stayed quiet. 

Her father looked at Chris the way other men looked at sons.

And no matter how old she got, some small part of her still hated it.

Jenn tried to tune out the conversation between Chris and her father as they slipped easily into a discussion about business and investments, both of them completely absorbed now.

Instead, she focused on the dance floor in the center of the ballroom.

Couples moved slowly beneath the warm glow of chandeliers, soft music played through the room as gowns swayed against polished floors. It wasn’t really dancing, more like slow steps and gentle turns, but there was something beautiful about it regardless.

Something intimate.

“You should go dance, Jenevieve,” her mother said suddenly beside her. “There are plenty of handsome men here tonight.”

Jenn nearly choked on her champagne. “Mother, this isn’t the eighteenth century,” she muttered. “People don’t just walk up to strangers and ask them to dance so they can get married.”

Kitty laughed softly. “I know that, darling. I just meant you should enjoy yourself.” She nodded subtly toward the dance floor. “You’ve been staring at it all night.”

Jenn glanced back toward the couples again, unable to stop the small smile tugging at her lips. “It just looks…” She shrugged lightly. “Nice.”

Her mother’s expression softened for a second before something suddenly shifted in her eyes.

Jenn recognized that look immediately.

Kitty glanced behind her before smiling brightly. “Christopher, darling,” she called, feigning innocence. “Jenn’s been wanting to dance tonight. Would you mind taking her?”

Jenn’s head snapped so fast she nearly got whiplash. “What?”

Chris looked up at the same time, clearly caught slightly off guard himself. His eyes were darting between Kitty and Jenn in confusion.

“Mother,” Jenn hissed quietly, heat immediately rushing to her face. “I never said that.”

Kitty looked completely unbothered. “You’ve been staring at the dance floor all evening.”

“That doesn’t mean I want to dance.”

“Yes, it does.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Jenn quickly turned toward Chris before her mother could embarrass her further. “And besides, dancing doesn’t exactly seem like Chris’s thing. Plus, he's busy with his father.”

She was counting on that.

Chris hated public attention when it came to anything personal. He attended events, shook hands, and made appearances—but he never openly entertained women at them. He never lingered too close to anyone long enough for gossip to start.

So surely he’d say no.

Jenn looked at him expectantly, silently begging him to reject the idea so they could all move on.

“I don’t mind.”

Her stomach dropped.

Kitty smiled triumphantly. “See?”

Jenn stared at him in disbelief. “You don’t dance.”

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth for the first time tonight, but he didn’t say anything. Jenn looked between the two of them like they’d collectively lost their minds.

Kitty sighed dramatically. “Jenevieve, don’t be difficult.”

Jenn opened her mouth to argue again, but the music shifted before she could. A slower song began to flow through the ballroom, softer than the last one, instantly drawing more couples toward the center of the floor.

Kitty’s expression brightened as she had just received divine confirmation.

“Oh, this one’s lovely.”

“Mother—”

Before Jenn could continue protesting, Kitty grabbed her wrist lightly and placed her hand directly into Chris’s. “Go.”

Chris’s hand closed around hers automatically, warm and steady against her skin. Jenn tried pulling her hand back immediately, but Chris didn’t tighten his grip or force her. If anything, his expression looked almost amused by her panic.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” he said calmly.

That should’ve made her feel relieved. Instead, something about how easy he said it made her stubbornness flare, because now it sounded like she was the one making a scene.

Her mother gave her a pointed look from behind Chris.

Chris’s mouth twitched like he was fighting a smile.

Then, before Jenn could change her mind again, he gently tugged her closer, bringing his lips to her ear. “Just do it for your mother.” 

She let out a quiet groan under her breath before letting him guide her toward the dance floor, her heels clicking softly against the marble as they moved through the crowd.

She could feel eyes on them already.

Of course, people noticed.

Christopher Sturniolo never danced with women at these events, and now he was walking directly into the center of the ballroom with her hand in his.

Great.

“People are staring,” she muttered under her breath as they reached the edge of the floor. “Why would you ever even agree to this, Christopher?”

Chris shrugged, barely looking bothered. One of his hands settled carefully against her waist while the other held hers loosely, guiding her into the slow rhythm of the music.

Jenn tried not to focus on it.

Tried not to focus on the warmth of his hand through the thin fabric of her dress or the strange fluttering feeling beginning to settle low in her stomach.

It was ridiculous.

It was just Chris.

They moved quietly at first, blending in with the other couples swaying beneath the ballroom lights. Jenn cleared her throat softly after a moment.

“You haven’t been around my father’s office recently.”

Chris glanced down at her, amusement immediately touching his expression. “Missed me?”

She rolled her eyes instantly. “No. I was just wondering if I should prepare for the worst.”

“The worst?”

“You disappearing for weeks feels suspicious. I figured you were probably plotting something.”

“You caught me,” A quiet laugh left him. Jenn looked up at him expectantly, waiting for the actual answer. His gaze held hers for a second before he finally replied, “I went back home for a bit.”

“Boston?”

He nodded once. “Had some things to handle there.”

Something about the way he said it made her realize not to push further. His tone was closed off enough to make it clear he didn’t want to elaborate.

The music continued around them, couples spinning slowly beneath chandeliers while Chris guided her effortlessly across the floor. From this close, she could smell that musky manly scent coming from him, and all the specks from his stubble. 

After a moment, his gaze flicked back down toward her.

“You still upset with me?” he asked suddenly.

Jenn blinked. “About what?”

Chris raised a brow. “That night at the bar.”

Oh.

For a second, flashes of that night crossed her mind again—the rain, the arguing, the way his voice sounded when he apologized to her outside her apartment.

She looked away briefly before shrugging one shoulder. “Chris, that was a month ago. So, it doesn’t matter anymore.”

He hummed softly, clearly unconvinced. “That’s not really an answer.”

Jenn narrowed her eyes slightly. “Are you trying to irritate me?”

A slow smile pulled at his mouth.

“Bella,” he murmured, voice lower now as he guided her a little closer without thinking. “If I wanted to irritate you, I’d be doing a much better job.”

True. 

Jenn let the silence sit between them for a moment, the music carrying softly around them as couples swayed beneath the chandeliers.

Finally, she sighed lightly. “Well... If you must know, no, I’m not mad anymore.”

Chris’s brows lifted slightly. “No?”

She shrugged one shoulder. “You crossed a line that night, and I was upset.” Her gaze drifted briefly away from his before returning. “But… I don’t know. That’s kind of just what we do, isn’t it? We fight and then pretend it never happened.”

Her voice stayed light, but she conveniently left out the part where the guy from that night had texted her afterward, asking if she wanted to have a mutual sexual relationship. 

And when she told him she wanted to take things show he’d disappeared completely, basically ghosting her. But Jenn would die before she admitted Chris had been right.

“Well, I’m not going to deny that, but…” He looked like he was going to say one thing, but changed it at the last minute.  “I just hope you understand where I was coming from.”

Jenn didn’t answer that.

Because unfortunately… she did.

At least a little.

And she hated that she did.

The song slowed further, the orchestra softening into something smoother, quieter. Chris’s hand adjusted slightly against her waist as he guided her through another turn, unintentionally pulling her a little closer in the process.

Jenn’s breath caught faintly when she realized how little space was between them now.

Close enough to notice the subtle scent of his cologne. Close enough to feel the warmth radiating from him beneath the perfectly tailored tuxedo.

“You know,” Chris looked down at her then, “you’re a lot less mean when you’re not hiding behind your office desk.”

Jenn blinked before scoffing quietly. “And you’re a lot less insufferable when you’re not interrogating my life choices.”

A low laugh escaped him at that, brief but genuine. Chris’s thumb brushed absentmindedly against the fabric at her waist as they moved again, and Jenn was hyperaware of every single point of contact between them.

It was unfair how easy he looked doing this.

She glanced around the ballroom again, only now realizing something that made her stomach twist slightly.

Most couples had melted into each other by now.

Women rested comfortably against their partners’ chests, hands draped over shoulders, while the soft melody carried through the room. Meanwhile, she and Chris still stood slightly apart, their fingers intertwined formally instead of intimately. 

Jenn watched the dance floor quietly for a moment longer. “Everyone looks so…” she trailed off softly, eyes following the slow movements around them. “At peace,” A small smile touched her lips. “And in love.”

Chris let out a quiet scoff beside her.

Jenn looked back at him immediately. “What?”

His mouth twitched slightly before he tilted his head subtly toward a couple near the center of the floor. An older man in a navy tuxedo danced with a woman draped in diamonds, both of them smiling like something out of a movie.

“That couple over there? Married for twenty-four years,” Chris murmured calmly. “But he’s cheating on his wife.” Chris looked entirely unbothered. “Has a kid in California she doesn’t know about.”

Jenn stared harder at the couple now, immediate sympathy washing over her for the woman. She decided not to ask how Chris knew that.

“And them,” he continued casually, nodding toward another pair slowly swaying near the orchestra. “Finalizing their divorce next month.”

Jenn looked over again, startled. The couple looked perfectly fine from afar—the husband whispering something into his wife’s ear while she laughed softly.

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not.”

Her brows furrowed as she scanned the room again, suddenly feeling like the entire ballroom had changed. Every elegant smile now looked rehearsed.

“Welcome to Manhattan, Bella.” Chris’s voice carried a dry sort of amusement. “Most people here are just performing.”

“I mean, I knew that but…” Jenn looked back up at him slowly. “It's still depressing. You're saying…” She frowned slightly. “You're saying none of these people are actually happy?”

Chris shrugged lightly. “Some are.”

“And the rest?”

“They stay together for appearances. Both mine and your parents are undoubtedly in love, which probably blinds us to the ones that are not, but realistically…” His gaze drifted briefly across the ballroom before returning to her. “Love’s usually just an accessory around here.”

Jenn stared at him for a second, studying his face more carefully now. The way he said it sounded too certain. Too experienced. 

“You sound cynical, Chris.”

“I’d like to say observant.”

“Well, you also sound like someone who doesn’t believe in love. Which doesn’t surprise me, hence your blase attitude towards dating.”

For the first time since they stepped onto the dance floor, Chris didn’t immediately respond. Jenn kept eye contact with him and she could of sworn his eyes dipped down to her lips.

“I believe it exists,” He looked back up. “I know it exists.” Jenn swallowed slightly beneath the intensity in his eyes as she waited for him to continue. “Just not for most people.”

Just for a second, it felt like he wasn’t talking about the couples around them anymore.

The intensity in his gaze had suddenly become too much. So, naturally, she did what she always did when things felt too real between them. She joked.

“Okay then,” she said lightly, trying to pull the conversation away from whatever dangerous direction it had started drifting toward. “Hypothetically speaking…If everyone here actually was in love, who would you be here with?”

The second the question left her mouth, she regretted it.

Chris visibly paused. His hand against her waist stilled slightly, and for the first time all night, he looked genuinely caught off guard.

Oh.

Maybe that was too personal for the dysfunctional relationship between them. 

“Never mind,” Her stomach twisting awkwardly. “You don’t have to answer that.” A small nervous laugh escaped her. Chris was still looking at her quietly. “And before you say anything, no—I wouldn’t tell anyone if you actually did answer.”

A faint smile almost appeared on his face at that, but it disappeared just as quickly. “You think I don’t have an answer?” he asked softly.

Jenn shrugged, trying to play it off even though her pulse had started beating a little too hard. “I think you avoid talking about anything remotely emotional like it personally offends you.”

That earned her a quiet laugh under his breath. Just as she thought he was going to ignore the question, he answered. 

“There’s only ever been one person I could picture beside me at things like this,” Jenn’s heartbeat stumbled as Chris glanced briefly at their joined hands before looking back at her. “But she argues with me too much.”

Something in her chest dipped. For some reason, she’d never really pictured Chris wanting anyone romantically. The idea of him genuinely liking someone, wanting someone, felt strangely unnerving. But she hated that it unsettled her at all. 

Jenn covered it quickly with a teasing smile. “She argues with you too much?” she repeated lightly. “So what you’re saying is I’m not the only woman you manage to piss off.”

Chris looked down at her with quiet amusement. “I guess you could say that.”

“Wow...” Jenn shook her head dramatically. “I knew you were an ass, but I didn’t realize you were enough of one to torment the girl you like too.”

“I don’t torment her.”

Jenn raised a brow. “Oh, please. You practically antagonize people as a hobby. Your version of affection is psychological warfare.”

That actually made him grin properly for a second. “And yet you keep talking to me.”

Unfortunately, she had no comeback for that. 

“And you?” Chris watched her for another moment before turning the question back on her. His voice sounded slightly testing. “Is there someone you’d picture here with you?”

Jenn’s expression faltered slightly.

“Not really,” she admitted quietly. “Men have been making me a little disillusioned lately.”

A quiet chuckle left Chris before his expression smoothed out again. “Does that include me?”

Jenn looked back at him immediately. “That especially includes you, Chris.”

That earned another low laugh from him. The conversation faded after that, leaving them swaying gently. The steady movement of his hand against her waist until it gently grazed up her spine, sending a small jolt through her. 

Chris didn’t seem in a rush to speak again either, his attention drifting lazily across the ballroom before settling back on her every few seconds like he couldn’t help himself.

After a moment, curiosity got the better of her again.

“So…” she started carefully, tracing her thumb absentmindedly against the side of his hand before realizing what she was doing and immediately stopping. “The girl you like…why haven’t you pursued her?”

One of his brows lifted slightly. “Why are you so curious?”

Jenn rolled her eyes softly, trying to keep her tone casual. “I’m just asking because you clearly like her enough to picture bringing her to things like this.” She glanced around the ballroom briefly before looking back at him. “And you hate these events anyway. Which is why I’m surprised you even come. No one would care if you skipped them.”

And it was true. Chris had built a reputation strong enough that people adjusted around him, not the other way around. If he stopped attending these galas altogether, nobody would dare question it openly.

He studied her like he could tell there was something deeper hidden underneath the question she was trying so hard to pass off as harmless curiosity before shaking his head softly.

“She doesn’t like me like that.”

That answer caught her off guard more than she expected.

“What?”

Chris’s mouth curved slightly, though there wasn’t much humor behind it. “Hard to pursue someone when they don’t want you.”

Something about hearing him say that felt… strange. Christopher Sturniolo was the kind of man people wanted automatically. He was successful, intelligent, attractive even—men spent years trying to become half of what he already was.

Sure, she had her own complicated reasons for constantly clashing with him, but she’d never once thought Chris was lacking. If anything, most women probably fell for him the second he walked into a room.

Jenn studied his face more carefully now, noticing the subtle tension sitting beneath his calm expression. “Did she actually tell you that?” she asked softly.

“No,” Chris shook his head once. “You can just tell sometimes.” He looked… disappointed? Hurt almost. Jenn suddenly didn’t know what to do with that version of him.

“Well…” she murmured after a moment, her voice quieter now. “I guess you love who you love.”

Chris looked at her for a second longer before nodding faintly. “Yeah, you do.” He looked like he wanted to say more. Jenn could see it in the subtle tightening of his jaw, the way his eyes stayed locked onto hers like he was debating something internally.

But before the silence could stretch too long, Jenn spoke again.

“But let’s say she did like you back,” she said, trying to sound casual despite the weird, tight feeling settling in her chest. “Would you actually pursue it?”

Chris’s brows lifted slightly. Now he was definitely looking at her suspiciously. “Why are you so hung up on this topic?” he asked slowly.

“I’m not hung up,” Jenn immediately felt heat crawl into her cheeks. “I’m literally just trying to make conversation like a normal person.” She rolled her eyes dramatically. “But fine, forget I asked. Stay single and emotionally repressed forever.”

From the corner of her eye, she caught the faint smirk pulling at his mouth. Unfortunately, it only made her more flustered. “What do you think?” he asked after a moment. “Should I pursue her?”

Jenn’s heart gave an abrupt, painful sort of thud.

“I—” She blinked at him. “Why are you asking me?”

Chris looked at her as if the answer were obvious. “Because you’re the one conducting the interrogation and said you were just trying to talk.”

Jenn scoffed softly. “It’s not an interrogation.”

“Mhm…”

She narrowed her eyes at him, but Chris just looked amused now, watching her unravel in real time.

And the worst part? Jenn suddenly realized she didn’t actually want to answer his question. Because saying yes felt strangely awful for reasons she didn’t yet fully understand.

“I don’t know,” Her fingers tightened slightly against his shoulder before she forced herself to shrug casually. “If you want to, then… go for it, I guess.”

Chris hummed softly, studying her face carefully. 

Her stomach flipped again.

Gosh, who was this mystery woman? 

A childhood friend?

Some hot chick he met at a bar?

A model—

But before either of them could speak again, the music abruptly changed. The soft orchestra melted into louder jazz, the ballroom instantly growing more energetic as laughter rose around them and couples broke apart into quicker movements.

Jenn startled slightly at the sudden shift.

Chris blinked too, almost like he’d forgotten where they were for a second.

Then his entire demeanor changed. Before she could question it, Chris gently guided her off the dance floor, his hand still secure around hers as they moved through the crowd. People were starting to do their own thing again. 

Unexpectedly, Chris lifted her hand slightly and pressed a soft kiss against her knuckles.

Jenn’s breath caught instantly. The gesture was brief and polite enough that no one around them would think twice about it. But the way his lips lingered for that split second longer than necessary made heat rush straight to her face.

Chris lowered her hand carefully afterward, his thumb brushing ever so slightly against her skin before letting go completely.

“It was lovely speaking with you tonight, Bella,” he said smoothly, though there was still something restrained lingering beneath his tone. “But I have a few people I need to speak to before the night ends.”

Jenn nodded quickly, trying very hard to ignore the lingering warmth from where he’d kissed her hand. But before either of them could fully separate, someone suddenly approached from the side holding a camera.

“Mr. Sturniolo? Miss Sienee?” the photographer asked politely. “Would you mind if I grabbed a quick photo of you two together for the gala coverage?”

Jenn blinked in surprise. “Oh, um—we’re alright.”

“It’s just for the archives,” the photographer assured quickly. “Nothing will be posted publicly. The photos are only shared privately between guests afterward.”

Before she could decline again, Chris spoke calmly beside her. “Make it quick.”

The photographer nodded immediately before lifting the camera again. “If you two could stand a little closer?”

Without making it awkward or drawing attention to it, he stepped closer gradually instead of crowding her. Unfortunately, that still didn’t satisfy the photographer. “A little closer still, please.”

Jenn internally wanted to disappear. Chris glanced down at her briefly, almost like he was checking she was still okay, before shifting slightly closer again. The warmth from him instantly wrapped around her. 

“Perfect,” the photographer said brightly. “And sir, if you could maybe put a hand around her waist?”

Jenn’s stomach flipped, Chris, meanwhile, didn’t hesitate. One arm slid carefully around her waist, his hand settling lightly against the side of her dress while keeping her tucked close against him for the picture.

Jenn tried very hard not to react to how natural it felt.

Or the fact that his chest was solid and warm against her shoulder now. He was close enough for her to notice the faint stubble along his jaw, the softness that had returned to his eyes, the way his hand unconsciously tightened just slightly against her waist.

“Perfect,” the photographer said happily before stepping away. “Thank you both.”

The second the camera lowered, Chris’s entire demeanor shifted again, his expression smoothing back into something composed and controlled. Almost tense.

He dropped his hand from her waist carefully before stepping back. “I’ll see you around, Bella,” he said quietly. “Stay safe, be good.” And before Jenn could really respond, he was already walking away into the crowd again, posture straight and unreadable.

Jenn stared after him for a second longer than she meant to.

“Well,” her mother’s voice suddenly appeared beside her again, sounding entirely too pleased. “That was adorable.”

“What?”

Kitty smiled knowingly as she watched Chris disappear deeper into the crowd. “The way he looks at you.”

Jenn nearly scoffed. “Mother, please.”

“Oh, don’t act oblivious.” Kitty took a delicate sip of champagne, entirely too entertained right now. “That boy is completely taken with you.”

“He is not,” Jenn said immediately, heat rising to her face anyway. “You practically forced him to dance with me.” 

She glanced back toward the ballroom despite herself, spotting Chris across the room speaking with a group of businessmen now. His posture was straight again, like the softer version of him from the dance floor had never existed in the first place.

Kitty followed her gaze, smile only growing. “You should get to know him better, darling.”

“I already know him.”

“No,” her mother corrected gently. “I mean really know him. Go on a date or something.”

“Fuck no.” 

“Jenevieve.” Kitty frowned slightly. Her mother hated cursing. “Language. I know you two bicker constantly, but Christopher is a good man. He seems like he’d take care of you well.”

Jenn raised a brow. “You sound like you’re trying to auction me off.”

Her mother softened slightly afterward, nudging her arm gently. “I’m serious, sweetheart. He’s intelligent, respectful, disciplined…” She lowered her voice slightly. “And the way he looks at you is not subtle.”

If only her mother knew Chris literally admitted tonight that he liked someone else.

“He’s not my type,” Jenn said quickly, looking away. “And besides…” She hesitated briefly. “He’s probably interested in someone else.”

Jenn forced herself to look away from the crowd entirely, because suddenly, the idea of Christopher Sturniolo wanting another woman felt far more irritating than it should have.

ceyana’s note: i have a few ideas up my sleeve. i love you, mwah <3

“Good evening, Bella.” Some people say the devil has horns, red skin, and looks like something monstrous enough to warn you from a distance to stay away from sin.

But if you asked Jenevieve Sienee, she’d tell you the devil looks like a thirty-year-old man in a tailored suit, a sharp jawline, and a smirk so smug it could ruin your entire day.

Or, more simply, Christopher Sturniolo.

“What do you want, Chris?” Jenn sighed, not looking up from her laptop as her fingers kept moving across the keys. “I’m working.”

“I can tell,” He sounded almost amused, pushing off the doorway, as he walked in as he owned it. He stopped at her desk, but Jenn kept her eyes on the screen. She wasn’t giving him that satisfaction. A cup was placed beside her laptop. “You know,” he added casually, “if you tie up that bun any tighter, you might actually cut off circulation.”

Jenn’s grip on her mouse tightened. She always wore her hair in a tight updo during working hours. “And if you keep talking, you might lose yours,” she replied flatly, finally glancing up at him, “when I strangle you, I mean.” 

“Is that a threat or a promise?” Chris smiled down at her, “I do love a woman in charge.” 

Jenn ignored him, not giving in to his sexual innuendo. She wasn’t new to his teasing. Instead, her eyes dropped to the cup. “What’s that?”

Chris nudged it closer to her. “Your dad told me to give it to you.”

She picked it up, already knowing. The smell confirmed it—brown sugar cinnamon latte, hot. Exactly how she liked it. A content sigh slipped out before she could stop it, and she took a sip.

Christopher Sturniolo being in her father’s building wasn’t unusual. He was there more often than not for meetings and conversations that didn’t include her but somehow always circled back to him. 

What was unusual was how often he found his way to her office, which was located across the hall from her father. In his terms, he was “checking in.” But in hers, he was just being annoying. 

She had taken her place at her father’s company a few years ago, at twenty-three. As the only child of Richard and Kitty Sienee, it had always been expected of her. She had a good relationship with both her parents; they were supportive in their own way, but that didn’t mean she was free in every way. Which is how she ended up in a job she hated, and excelled at anyway

Chris lingered by her desk a moment longer, unmoving, his gaze steady as he studied her like he had all the time in the world.

“You know,” Jenn said, finally glancing up at him, “my father has assistants. I don’t understand why he keeps asking you to bring me coffee.” This wasn’t the first time Chris had delivered her coffee. 

“I’m usually near his office,” he replied easily, hands slipping into his pockets. Then, after a beat—“And it’s not exactly an inconvenience. I’ll always make time to see you.” Jenn let out a quiet groan, dropping her gaze back to her screen. “See?” He grinned and replied to her groan. “Charming as always.”

“Whatever,” Jenn rolled her eyes, ignoring the way her heartbeat had picked up. “You can go now. I’m actually busy—and I’m sure you have somewhere more important to be.”

Chris didn’t move.

Of course, he didn’t.

He was the CEO of his own company, and his office was only a few blocks from her father’s building. He had no reason to be standing in hers, lingering as he had nowhere else to go.

And yet, here he was.

Christopher Sturniolo hadn’t inherited anything. He built COS Security from the ground up, brick by brick, deal by deal, until his name meant something people didn’t question.

Security, at its highest level.

Private protection, high-end surveillance. He offered things that people with too much money and too many secrets were willing to pay for without hesitation. Bodyguards that didn’t fail. Systems that didn’t break. Luxury properties designed with privacy so airtight that they were practically invisible. 

And he was very, very good at it, which made it all the more irritating that he was wasting his time here. “Well, so?” Jenn finally looked up again, brows lifting slightly. “Don’t you have a company to run?”

His gaze didn’t waver. “I do.”

“Then go run it.”

A corner of his mouth lifted. “You seem eager to get rid of me.”

“Chris, I’m really not in the mood right now.” Jenn turned in her chair, fully facing him now. “My dad just handed me a list of things that should realistically take a week, and I have emails piling up faster than I can answer them. If I don’t finish everything now, I’ll fall behind—and if I fall behind, I’ll—”

She cut herself off. Great. Now she was rambling. Jenn pressed her lips together, but when she looked up again, Chris wasn’t interrupting or making one of his usual comments. He was just… watching her.

There was something softer in his expression. Amused, maybe—but not in the way that made her want to roll her eyes. That was new. Before she could overthink it, her phone buzzed on her desk.

Chris’s eyes flicked to it automatically. Jenn reached for it, unlocking the screen and immediately felt heat creep up her neck as she read the message. See you tonight…

 “Alright,” Chris said after a second, straightening slightly. “I’ll let you—” He paused. Jenn didn’t notice at first. She was still looking at her phone, a small smile slipping onto her face before she could stop it. “…Who’s that?”

Her head lifted. “Hm?”

“You just got a text.”

“Oh—just someone. I have something later,” Jenn blinked at him, setting her phone back down a little too quickly. “Which is why I actually need to finish my work.”

“Something,” he repeated lightly. “Like what?” Gosh, why was he still here? “Meeting friends?” he added, tone casual, but there was something underneath it she couldn’t quite place. 

“Just a date.”

The word slipped out before she thought about it.

Chris’s expression looked like it didn’t change, but it did. It was too subtle for most people to catch. But Jenn had spent years watching him, whether she liked to admit it or not.

His posture stilled. His gaze sharpened just slightly. “A date…” he echoed, slower this time. Jenn shifted in her seat, suddenly aware of the weight of his attention again. “With who?”

“Just someone I've met,” She narrowed her eyes a little. “Why do you care?”

“I don’t, was just asking,” His response came out slow. Jenn nodded slowly, like she accepted that answer, even if she didn’t really believe it. She had just started typing again when his voice cut through the silence. “You don’t usually do that.”

She looked up at him, one brow lifting. “Do what?”

“Go on dates, Rosa.”

She frowned immediately.

Gosh, she hated when he did that. Sometimes it was bella, sometimes rosa, like she was supposed to understand the difference. Either way, she hated the way he called her whatever the fuck that meant.

She scoffed lightly, shaking her head. “I’ve been on plenty of dates.”

“Plenty…” he repeated, slower.

“Yeah,” Jenn turned back to her screen, forcing her tone to stay light. “It’s not exactly a rare concept, Chris.” She added casually, “You should try it sometime. Might help with that permanent scowl you’ve usually got going on.”

Chris didn’t budge at her comment. Okay weird. 

“So…” he drawled after a moment, “Who’s the lucky guy?” His voice was so sarcastic, she wanted to strangle him. That was the second time that thought popped into her head today.

She turned in her chair again, fully facing him now, brows pulling together. “Why are you so hung up on my date? Is it that unbelievable to you,” irritation crept in, “that I don’t spend all my time locked in this office or at home?”

His jaw shifted slightly. “Of course not. I just didn’t take you for someone who wastes her time on pointless dates with men who only want one thing.”

“Excuse me?” Her voice came out sharper now, louder than she intended. “You don’t know anything about my dates. The men I’ve met have been perfectly pleasant.”

Chris raised a brow, unimpressed. “Have they?” There was something almost mocking in it. “Then why do I get the feeling none of them have made it past a second date?”

She wanted to wipe that look off his face. What made it worse was that he wasn’t entirely wrong. Most of the men she’d gone out with had wanted something. Usually, a climb up the status pole or sex. 

And no, none of them had made it to a second date. Yet. But he didn’t need to know that.

“That’s not your concern,” she snapped, lifting her chin slightly. “Maybe I just have standards.”

Chris’s gaze sharpened. “Standards?”

“Yes,” she said coolly. “Something you wouldn’t understand, considering you don’t date at all.”

“Don't be ridiculous. I've been on fucking dates. I just choose not to,” A flicker of irritation crossed his face. “I don’t see the point in wasting time that could be used for better things,” he said evenly.

“Right,” Jenn let out a dry laugh. “Because no one’s ever been worth your time, is that it?” That tiny hesitation in his gaze made something in her push further. “Or is it that you just don’t know how to date or love?”

“You seem pretty confident for someone who can’t even manage a second date,” he said, voice lower now. “So maybe I should be the one asking you if you don't know how to date.”

“At least I try,” Jenn’s eyes narrowed. “You hide behind your work like it’s the only thing that makes you interesting.”

Another pause.

“You think that's my reasoning for not dating?” he asked quietly. 

“I think...” she continued. She had already insulted the man once; why not a second time? “...that you don’t want to settle because you wouldn’t know what to do if someone actually expected something real from you.”

There it was.

That one hit deeper than the others. Chris didn’t move. Didn’t react the way he usually would. His gaze held hers, but there was something underneath it now.

If he were anyone else, she wouldn’t have said it.

But this was Chris. The man she’d been compared to for as long as she could remember. The man who walked into her life ten years ago and, somehow, managed to outshine her in every way that mattered.

Years of doing everything right, everything expected felt like it counted for something. Until he showed up and suddenly, it didn’t.

If she made dean’s list, it was “So did Christopher when he was in college” If she brought a new idea to her father, it was “He already suggested something similar.” If she worked harder, stayed later, pushed herself further, Chris had already been there and already done it.

She didn’t have siblings to compete with. But somehow, she’d still lost.

Chris finally took a step back, creating distance again. “I have work to get back to.” All that earlier teasing and amusement in his features was gone.

She didn’t miss the way his shoulders squared a bit; he always did that when he felt tense. “Yeah, you should.”

He gave a small nod, turning toward the door, and just as he reached for it, it opened. Both of them froze slightly.

“Ah—Christopher, I thought you’d already left.” Her father stepped into the office without hesitation, “Our meeting ended half an hour ago.”

“Yes, sir I was just leaving.” He gave a polite nod, composed as ever. “I’ll see you in a few days.” Then he was gone. Jenn watched the door for a second longer than she meant to before forcing her attention back.

“Hi, Father,” she said, offering a small smile as he approached her desk.

“Hello, darling.” He leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to the top of her head. “Almost done? I’ll need those files within the next few minutes,” he added, already scanning her desk for what he came in for.

“Of course.”

He moved around her office with purpose, picking up a folder from the side table, barely pausing before turning back toward the door.

“Oh, and thank you for the coffee, I didn't know you knew my order.”

Her father stopped, “Coffee?”

She blinked, lifting the cup slightly from her desk. “The cinnamon latte. Chris said you asked him to bring it.”

Her father’s brows pulled together, confusion settling in. “I didn’t know you liked cinnamon with your coffee, dearest. I didn’t ask him to—”

A knock at the door interrupted him. “Sir, they’re waiting for you,” someone said from the hallway. “Your meetings starting.”

Her father sighed lightly, glancing between his daughter and the door. “We’ll talk later, darling. Love you.” And just like that, he was gone too. 

Confusion filled Jenn's gaze as she slowly looked at the cup in her hand.

Brown sugar cinnamon latte. Exactly how she liked it. Exactly when she wanted it.

ceyana’s note: we are back !! get ready to dive deep into meeting jenn and chris really soon <3 i love you, mwah