The rain had finally stopped, leaving behind the smell of wet earth and a chill in the air. Alina stood at the bus stop, her eyes glued to the note she'd scribbled hurriedly in her journal — "Delmore & Hastings—yes, that's what he told his assistant."
It wasn't much, just the name of a business district, but it was enough.
She had heard it weeks ago when Evander was on a call outside his apartment. She hadn't thought much of it then. But now, it was her only lead. Her only hope of finding the man who had kissed her like she meant something... and then vanished like a ghost.
No messages. No calls. Not even a goodbye.
Alina took the next tram to Delmore. She asked around — a tall man, sharp jawline, a little too charming for his own good — until someone directed her to a glassy office building with the name Ross Holdings in gold.
Her heart thudded. "He's here."
She walked in like a storm.
---
Evander Ross looked up from a file, his brows instantly arching in surprise. "Alina?"
He rose from his chair, genuinely stunned.
She stood at the entrance of his office, cheeks flushed from running, hair slightly damp, breath short. She looked like fury and longing wrapped into one.
"Alina, how did you—?"
She didn't let him finish.
"Oh, now you want to talk? Now that I've practically turned the city upside down looking for you?"
"I—"
"You know what? No. You don't get to talk right now. I've got questions. A lot of them. And you will answer each one of them unless you'd like a hot cup of tea thrown at your very expensive face."
Evander blinked. "You're threatening me with tea?"
"Yes! Because that's what I drink when I miss someone. And guess who's responsible for me finishing an entire box in a week?" she snapped.
He smirked, but quickly wiped it away as she narrowed her eyes.
"Why did you leave without a word?"
"Why didn't you message me?"
"Why didn't you even say goodbye?"
"Why did you kiss me if you were going to disappear?"
"Was it all a game to you?"
Evander slowly raised both hands in surrender. "Are you done?"
She crossed her arms. "That depends. Are you ready to explain?"
He exhaled and walked over to the glass wall, staring out before speaking.
"I had to come here. There was a major issue with a deal I've been working on for months. One of our overseas clients pulled out suddenly. I had to fly here and fix things before it all collapsed."
"But you could've told me," she whispered.
"I didn't want to involve you in the chaos. I thought I'd come back soon. But days turned into weeks. I kept thinking of messaging you... but what would I even say? Sorry I kissed you and vanished?"
Alina scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Well, at least that would've been something!"
Evander stepped closer. "You really missed me that much?"
She flushed. "Don't flatter yourself."
"You mentioned the kiss... was it that memorable?"
He was dangerously close now.
"I didn't mean to bring that up—"
"Oh but you did, Miss Hart," he grinned. "So... you liked that kiss?"
Alina tried to step back, but he followed. "Why didn't you tell me you enjoyed it? Hmm?"
"You're insufferable!"
"And you're adorable when you're mad."
"You— You're coming too close!"
"Oh, am I?" he teased, still moving toward her.
Alina kept backing up until her heel slipped on the rug. She gasped, ready to fall, but before she could, his arms wrapped around her waist, steadying her.
Déjà vu.
"You really have a thing for falling into my arms," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. Do you want me to recreate that scene?
She pushed at his chest, flustered. "Do you want me to slap you?"
He chuckled. "Only if it means I get to touch you again."
"You're a pervert!"
"Guilty."
With a furious glare, Alina turned and stormed out.
---
Despite her dramatic exit, Alina didn't leave.
In fact, they spent the rest of the afternoon walking through the city. Evander took her to a quaint little bookstore hidden between alleys, knowing how much she adored the smell of old pages. They browsed through poetry collections and shared random lines with each other.
Then came a trip to a tea café where Alina tried her favourite chamomile and made Evander try the weirdest combination she could find — lavender-peach-mint.
He gagged dramatically. "You drink this for fun?"
She smirked. "Only to torture people like you."
Later, they bought handmade earrings from a street vendor, with Evander insisting on choosing a pair for her.
"These are too shiny!" she argued.
"They match your eyes when you're being stubborn."
She rolled her eyes, but secretly, she wore them all day.
By sunset, they were eating churros at a riverside bench, watching the city light up.
Alina sighed, resting her head back. "This feels like a date."
Evander smirked, licking sugar off his thumb. "Isn't it?"
"No."
"Maybe a little?"
She blushed but didn't argue.
As they reached the tram station, the sky above them turned a deeper shade of indigo. The city lights shimmered in the river's reflection, and the cool breeze carried the scent of roasted chestnuts and distant music.
Evander stopped near the platform. "You should head back now."
Alina turned to him, blinking. "What do you mean you won't come?"
"I told you earlier. I still have work here. It's important."
She stood still, arms crossed, trying to control the storm within her. "Important enough to walk away again?"
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alina... it's not like that."
"Then what is it like?" she asked, voice trembling. "Because I'm standing here, in a city I never even liked... and suddenly it feels like home. Because you're here. And now you're telling me to go back alone?"
Evander looked at her, guilt and something softer glinting in his eyes. "You know I want to come with you. But I can't, not tonight."
She shook her head, laughing bitterly. "You always say the right things, don't you? Charming words. Pretty lines. But when it's about actions, you disappear like fog in the morning."
"Alina—"
"No," she interrupted, taking a shaky breath. "It's okay. You have your priorities. I get it."
There was a pause, heavy and full.
Then she whispered, barely audible, "It's just... for once, I wish I was the emergency you couldn't ignore."
Evander's brows lifted slightly. His lips curved into a knowing smirk, even though something in his chest ached.
"Oh?" he tilted his head. "Do I sense jealousy, Miss Hart?"
She rolled her eyes, hurt flashing through them. "Shut up."
He stepped a little closer. "You want me to drop everything for you, huh? Leave my entire empire behind just because you batted your lashes and showed up at my office?"
"I didn't bat my lashes!" she snapped, cheeks heating up.
He leaned in with a teasing grin. "Oh but you did. And you even wore the earrings I picked. That's practically a confession of love in my books."
Alina stepped back, face reddening. "You're unbelievable."
"You're adorable when you're emotional," he said softly.
There was a pause again — this time tender, raw.
Her eyes searched his, voice cracking slightly. "You say all these things, but you're still staying back. So tell me, what am I supposed to feel?"
Evander's smirk faded. "I don't want you to feel hurt."
"Too late."
And with that, she turned to walk toward the tram.
But before she boarded, she looked back, voice quiet but firm. "I hate you, Evander Ross."
He watched her go, the words lingering in the night air like perfume.
And yet... he smiled.
Because only someone who cared that deeply could hate with so much softness.