Chapter 6
The boardroom was already full when Zara walked in.
Executives sat in neat rows, tablets open, murmurs low. At the head of the table sat Ethan.
Not as Ethan Cole, but as Ethan Milton.
He wore authority differently than she expected. Calm, looking in control.
No trace of the easy charm he once used to soften her long days. This version of him was composed, distant, and unmistakably in charge.
Zara took her seat without looking at him.
Charles Milton stood beside his son, hands folded behind his back. “As you all know, Milton Corp is entering a critical phase. Our global presence needs revitalization. Not just a rebrand, but a repositioning.”
A slide lit up behind him.
GLOBAL BRAND REVITALIZATION PROJECT.
Charles continued, “This initiative will define our next decade.
I want two leaders on this. One who understands the company’s legacy. And one who understands its future.”
Zara felt it before she heard it.
“Ethan will co-lead this project,” Charles said. “Alongside Ms. Williams.”
The room shifted. A few heads turned. A few brows lifted.
Zara’s fingers tightened around her pen.
She raised her hand. “With respect, Mr. Milton, my department is already handling three regional launches. This project deserves full focus. Perhaps another executive would be more suitable.”
Charles looked at her thoughtfully and said. “You two work well together. Your results prove it.”
Then Ethan spoke. His voice was steady, professional. “Ms. Williams’ concerns are noted. However, this project requires precision and speed. Her team delivers both. I would prefer her involvement.”
Prefer… The word landed hard.
Zara looked at him and their eyes met for a brief second. There was something unspoken there. Something restrained.
Charles clapped his hands once. “Good. It’s settled. Kickoff meeting tomorrow morning. I expect progress reports weekly.”
The meeting ended abruptly.
Zara gathered her files and stood. She moved quickly toward the door, but Ethan’s voice stopped her.
“Ms. Williams. A word.”
She paused, and turned to him slowly.
The boardroom emptied, leaving only the hum of the city beyond the glass.
“Yes, Mr. Milton?” she said.
He gestured to the table. “Sit.”
“I prefer to stand,” she replied.
He studied her for a moment. Not as a man. As a leader. Then he nodded. “Fine. This project is non-negotiable, and I need your cooperation.”
“You need my compliance,” she corrected.
A flicker crossed his eyes. Regret, perhaps. Or frustration.
“I need your professionalism,” he said. “Whatever happened between us stays out of this room.”
She laughed once, quietly. “That would be easier if you were not sitting in the chair you hid from me.”
He took a breath. “Zara—”
“No,” she cut in. “You do not get to say my name like that anymore.”
Silence stretched between them.
Finally, he said, “We start tomorrow. My office will send over the campaign framework tonight.”
She nodded once. “My team will review it.”
She turned and walked out before he could say anything else.
That night, the rain came hard.
Zara sat alone in her office, the glass walls glowing with reflected lightning. Her inbox pinged.
From: Ethan Milton
Subject: Brand Framework V1
No greeting, No sign off.
She opened the attachment. The strategy was solid. Sharp. Visionary. It carried her fingerprints even though she had not touched it.
She typed a response.
From: Zara Williams
Notes attached. Section three needs restructuring. Audience segmentation lacks regional nuance.
She sent it.
Minutes later, another email arrived.
Agreed. I will revise. Thank you.
That was it.
No warmth. No edge.
She should have been relieved.
Instead, her chest ached.
By ten, the storm worsened. Thunder cracked overhead. The office floor was nearly empty when Ethan appeared at her doorway.
“We need to finalize projections,” he said. “The board wants them by morning.”
She did not look up. “Send them.”
“They require alignment,” he replied. “In person.”
She hesitated, then nodded. “Five minutes.”
They worked side by side in silence.
Numbers, charts, markets and growth curves.
The air between them was heavy.
At one point, Zara reached for a page at the same time he did. Their fingers brushed.
She pulled back instantly.
“I will handle this section,” she said.
“Zara,” he began, then stopped.
She glanced at him. His hand hovered above the table, then dropped.
“I am trying,” he said quietly. “To do this right.”
She met his gaze. “Then keep trying without asking me to feel sorry for you.”
Lightning flashed. Thunder followed.
The lights flickered once.
For a moment, they stood too close. His hand lifted slightly, as if drawn by instinct. He stopped himself.
She saw it, the restraint, the choice, and It made everything worse.
Zara closed her folder abruptly. “I am done for tonight.”
He nodded. “I will finish the revisions.”
She grabbed her coat and walked out without looking back.
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