Jacob’s POV
With an icy stare, she tilted her head and gazed at him. Her spine straightened, her posture emanating a firm and unyielding resolve “Appreciate the suggestion, Thomas,” she said, her voice steady and assertive “However, I doubt I’ll find much leisure time for hanging out in the foreseeable future”
He parted his lips, eager to interject, but she continued. Her smile was tight, her words sharp “If you’ll excuse me, I have a mountain of work to complete for Mr. Snow. As you pointed out, he’s quite stringent about focusing solely on business”
The hint landed with precision. Thomas ceased his casual slouch against her desk, straightening up with a casual shrug “Fair enough. Just remember, I’m always around if you change your mind. Don’t hesitate to ring me… or text, whatever suits your fancy”
With a wink, he fished out a small card from his shirt pocket, sli
Rima’s POVAs I held my silence, uncertain of how to respond, he lifted his gaze from the glowing screen of his laptop. His solitary raised eyebrow jolted me from my reverie “Uh… sure okay… can I get a coffee first?” I stumbled over my words “I can bring one for you as well… if you’d like”His eyes flickered back to the laptop screen, fingers flying over the keys in a dance of digital fluency “Sure, bring something to eat too” he commanded, not missing a beat.“What would you like to eat?” I asked, trying to reclaim some semblance of control.His gaze returned to mine with a level of intensity that caught me off guard “For you, Rima. This endeavor will consume a significant portion of our energy and time. I need you at full capacity, completely focused, and energized enough to keep pace with me”“Oh… okay” I replied, my voice barely more
Rima’s POVAs the elevator doors slid open to reveal our shared floor, he cast a firm glance in my direction, keys already in hand “Our project isn’t done yet,” he declared, his voice echoing down the empty corridor “You’re coming over”Nodding, I veered towards my own apartment, my voice echoing back “Just give me five minutes. I need to slip into something a bit more comfortable” My feet were screaming for release from the high heels I’d donned this morning in a futile attempt to project an aura of confidence and poise. Now, they were simply instruments of slow, torturous pain.His hand paused on the half-open door, his head swiveling back to catch one last glimpse of me. His eyes, as if magnetized, traced an invisible line from my head to my toes. A flicker of something unidentifiable passed through his gaze before he blinked, offering a curt nod, and disappeared behind his door, Travis tailing right
Rima’s POVAfter a moment of silence, I cleared my throat, mustering the most professional tone I could “Alright, I’ll do it. And… thank you, for your confidence in me. I’ll do my best not to let you down”His smile widened a bit, and he nodded approvingly “I know you won’t. And remember, we’re a team. We’ll work on this together”“Okay, that sounds… less terrifying” I admitted, letting out a nervous chuckle “So, we should probably start preparing, shouldn’t we?”“Yes, we should. Let’s start by going over the details of your strategy again, and then we can craft the presentation around that. Sound good?”I nodded, the knot in my stomach slowly starting to loosen “Sounds good. Let’s do this”As we dove into the work, I couldn’t shake off the lingering nerves entirely, but his calm and supportive demeanor was reassuring. Maybe, just maybe, I could pull this off. And if not, well… it would be a private spectacle, limited to Mr. Snow and the company we’re pitching to. No office gossip, no
Rima’s POVEvery word was a self-condemnation, a bitter pill that I forced myself to swallow. A reminder of my gullibility, my foolishness, and the bitter taste of betrayal that still lingered.“You’ve been wronged, Rima, and it’s natural to feel anger, even towards yourself. But remember, you’re not to blame. You’re a victim of their malicious games” Tony continued, his voice firm yet gentle.“You’ve got a big heart, Rima, and it’s one of the things I admire about you. You’re not the fool here, they are. They failed to appreciate the person you are, they misused your trust. That’s on them, not you”“Right now, it’s important to focus on healing, on moving forward. You’re stronger than you think, Rima. You’ve survived this, and you will thrive too. Don’t let them define you. You are so much more than what they made you believe”I let To
Rima’s POVI nodded at Mr. Snow’s words, appreciating the sentiment even though I had no intention of revealing any more of my vulnerability to him “Thank you, Mr. Snow” I said quietly “Shall we continue with the presentation?”Instead of agreeing, he shook his head “Rima, you’re excused for today. We can continue working tomorrow”I stiffened at his words. I didn’t want his pity, nor did I want his judgment of my ability to work based on what he’d witnessed. The idea of being alone with my thoughts was daunting. The work was a distraction, something I needed now more than ever “I’m fine, Mr. Snow” I retorted stubbornly “Let’s finish this”He regarded me silently for a moment, his gaze probing as if searching for something. Whatever he found in my determined expression seemed to convince him that I needed this. With a mild nod, he finally agreed “Al
Jacob’s POVThe day at the office was bustling with activity, a whirlwind of meetings and decision-making. Rima was at the center of it all, managing the chaos with an admirable level of competence. I couldn’t help but notice how bright her eyes were today compared to yesterday. She was alert, more determined, and less tense. The day ended with a sense of accomplishment, and we both knew it was time to shift gears – from the day’s work to the impending presentation.Day one of our practice sessions was in the confines of my personal office, an intimate space that was designed to inspire confidence and comfort. The city lights painted a captivating backdrop, as if the city itself was playing a part in this pivotal moment. The day's work had culminated to this moment - coaching Rima for a critical client presentation that lay two days ahead. And it was not just a part of it, she was to carry the entire presentation on her shoulders.The mom
Rima’s POVAs I sat at my desk, the humdrum tasks that usually consumed my attention seemed to fade into the background, replaced by a vivid and unshakeable replay of last night. It was as if my brain had suddenly been hijacked, stubbornly looping the same scenes like a glitching software refusing to load the next task.The moment Mr. Snow stepped away from his desk and closed the distance between us was etched into my mind with startling clarity. I could still feel the electric charge that crackled in the air, the anticipation that made my heart flutter wildly against my ribs. And his words, oh his words, they echoed in my mind, a silent mantra that transformed my fears into something more tangible, more conquerable.“Your stance,” he had said, his fingers feather-light on my shoulders “It should echo your confidence. Shoulders back, chin up, eyes steady”I remembered how my breath hitched when he traced a path from my shoul
Rima’s POVThe room was silent, save for the sharp echo of Mr. Snow's final threat. Mr. Demir rose from his chair, his smirk still in place.As he collected his things, he paused, a calculating look in his eyes. He turned to Mr. Snow, his smirk still firmly in place.“Jacob,” he drawled, a hint of mockery in his tone “You’ve always been good at playing the respectable businessman. But we both know the truth, don’t we?” His eyes flicked to me, then back to Mr. Snow, the insinuation clear.“Your past… it always has a way of catching up, doesn’t it? It’s a shame your assistant had to find out this way. But we can’t all keep our skeletons as well hidden as we think, can we?”With that, he shrugged, as if the words he’d just dropped were nothing more than casual conversation. He strolled towards the door, but paused at the threshold, throwing a final glance over his sho