Lina Pov:
The morning air smelled of toasted bread and fresh coffee. Sarah and I sat at the breakfast table, the clink of cutlery against porcelain the only sound. Addison and Miles had already left for Cape Town, leaving us to manage the mess of unfinished deals and looming deadlines. Raun was still in the hospital, and Sarah had to set up a crucial deal with Romano and Co.
After breakfast, I packed my luggage and decided to video-call Raun. The screen flickered to life, and there he was, sitting up in a hospital bed, a sterile white sheet pulled up to his waist. The hospital room hummed quietly in the background, machines beeping in lazy rhythm.
"How are you?" I asked, offering a small smile.
Raun looked tired but managed to smile back.
"I'm going to San Francisco this afternoon. I already sent the proposal plan to James," I continued.
He paused, his brows knitting slightly. "Lina, don't tire yourself. I know you're already busy, and you still have extra work to handle."
I waved it off with a grin. "It's fine. Remember, I'll be on vacation for a whole month soon."
Raun chuckled, though it was half-hearted. "I'll believe it when I see it. Let's see how many days you can survive without working."
"November is here, so remember to take care," I said, my voice softening.
Raun's eyes held a warmth that made the sterile hospital room seem less cold. "It's raining there. The weather's cooler. Don't forget your herbal medicines."
Just then, a knock echoed through my room. I opened the door to find Sarah standing there, checking her watch.
"It's time. We need to leave for the airport. It's already 11:30 AM, and your flight is at 2 PM. It'll take an hour from here," she said. Her eyes flicked to the laptop, where Raun was watching us.
"Raun, brother! How are you feeling?" Sarah greeted with a wave.
Raun glanced at her, then asked, "Aren't you going with Lina?"
Sarah shot me a quick look, as though asking permission to lie. I gave her a subtle shake of my head, the universal sign for 'don't even think about it.'
She laughed. "Haha! Of course, I'm going too."
Raun studied her for a moment, his silence hanging between us like a thick fog. Finally, he said, "Okay."
I laughed, more to break the awkwardness than anything else. "Raun, I'm going now. Bye, bye, bye!" With that, I shut the laptop, turning to Sarah.
"Don't worry," she whispered, chuckling. "I won't tell him."
Relieved, I slid the laptop into my tote bag, grabbed my phone, and we made our way to the lobby. But life, as always, had a flair for surprise.
There, waiting like a character from a noir film, was Christian. Black shirt, black pants, blazer casually draped over his shoulder. The lobby's cold air swirled around him as if the universe itself was trying to flirt with him. Women nearby eyed him like he was the last piece of chocolate cake at a diet convention.
When he saw me, he stood up smoothly, his eyes unreadable. "Luca told me to drop you at the airport," he said, his voice cool and casual, though I doubted his intentions were.
I gave him a sharp look. "Thank you, Christian, but you don't have to waste your time."
He smiled, stepping a little closer. "I'm not wasting my time."
Then, leaning in slightly, his breath warm against my ear, he added, "I guess my intentions weren't clear last night."
Chills raced down my spine, but I kept my expression cold. "Mr. Romano, we should maintain boundaries."
He smiled again, soft and persistent. "Christian."
The tension was thick enough to slice with a knife. Sarah broke it with a laugh. "Haha! Lina, you can talk about location later."
I shot her a look that said, "You're not helping."
Just for today, I told myself. After this, I would avoid Christian like he was a one-star hotel with no Wi-Fi.
"Okay," I said, my tone clipped.
Christian, unbothered, took my luggage and led the way. Outside, his car was parked neatly by the entrance. Kate took my luggage and loaded it into the Mercedes G-Wagon, while Christian opened the door for me. I climbed in silently, Sarah sliding into the front seat while Christian sat beside me.
The ride was quiet, except for the occasional click of Sarah's phone. Christian broke the silence, handing me an iPad.
"These are the location options for San Francisco. Once you confirm, your team can schedule visits."
I flipped through the photos and videos, noting a few I liked. "Sarah and my team will visit in two days. Once the process is done, we can proceed."
Christian nodded. "Okay."
The silence returned, awkward and heavy. I could feel his gaze on me, as persistent as a mosquito on a summer night. Finally, I turned to meet his eyes. There was something there, beneath the surface, something I couldn't quite place. When he smiled, the dimples were a dangerous bonus.
"Lina, when do we meet again?" His question caught me off guard.
"I don't know," I said softly.
He nodded, eyes still holding mine. "Just reply to my messages once a day. If you want to. I'll be waiting."
I hummed noncommittally, turning back to the window.
At the airport, I took my luggage from him, hugging Sarah tightly. "Take care and don't do anything alone. Let us know," she said, worry creasing her forehead.
I nodded and turned to Christian. "Thank you for the ride. I look forward to our collaboration."
He chuckled lightly, nodding to Kate as well.
Just as I was about to walk away, Christian caught my hand. I turned, surprised. He placed something in my palm, warm and small.
"It's cold in San Francisco. Use this," he said, his voice low.
It was a simple gesture, but my heart stuttered. I nodded blankly and walked towards the security check. Just before I disappeared inside, I glanced back. Christian was watching, his smile warm, while Sarah and Kate waved.
I waved back, then stepped inside, the cold air of the terminal enveloping me.....