Amelia's POVI had been sending mixed signals, clinging to a fragile hope while simultaneously pushing him away with the label of "employer-employee."His words, harsh as they were, carried an undeniable truth."I…" I stammered, searching for a defense that wouldn't crumble under the weight of his accusations. "Maybe… maybe you're right," I admitted reluctantly. "Perhaps I did send mixed signals."His blue eyes narrowed, searching my face. "Perhaps?" he echoed, his voice still laced with anger. "You were the one pulling away when things got intense, Amelia. You were the one who insisted on this strict employer-employee boundary."A wave of guilt washed over me. He was right again. Every time he'd tried to bridge the gap, I'd retreated, clinging to the fragile line I'd drawn to protect myself. Fear, a leftover from the painful ending of our past relationship, had held me back."I..." I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. The carefully constructed wall of anger that had shielded

"Look, Amelia," I said, suddenly feeling exhausted and sick of the back and forth Amelia and I had been having ever since she started working for me. "I think we both need some time to sort this out. To figure out what we really want, and what's truly important to us."She stared at me with a hurt expression on her face. But I could not trust that it was genuine or that she would not find a reason to push me away again. First, it had been the fact that she could not get over the way that I had abruptly broken up with her when we had still been in college, although she claimed she had forgiven me. Then, she had said she had no feelings for me. And then, after we had kissed a couple of times, she had claimed that we were nothing but employer and employeeand that we should keep it that way. Then she said we were nothing but friends. So I could not understand why she seemed to be having another change of mind. Regardless, I was done. I was done trying to woo her and I just wanted to go

Jenna's POVAs I walked away from the reporter and the cameraman, Sarah followed closely, holding up and arranging the train of my dress for the full effect. I began to walk up the stairs that led to the entrance of the building in which the award ceremony would take place. I had already mentally planned out the next few minutes. I had planned that the moment I got to the top of the stairs, I would turn around slowly and wave to the crowd while gently tossing my head to the wind. "Remember what we talked about, Sarah," I muttered underneath my breath to Sarah. She looked sweaty and exhausted, her eyes darting back and forth between the crowd and our lane. She appeared to not have heard me and so I discreetly jabbed her in the side with my pointy elbow. She winced in pain and her eyes came to meet mine. She flinched when her furious gaze met mine and quickly stammered out an apology. "I'm… I'm sorry, I didn't quite get that."I rolled my eyes at her and as a camera flashed, I quickl

Eddie's POVPushing open Chloe's door a crack, I peeked inside. The room was bathed in the warm glow of a bedside lamp, casting long shadows across the walls. Chloe lay sprawled on her bed, a stuffed unicorn clutched tightly in one hand. The sight brought a tug to my chest, a reminder of the innocent world she inhabited, blissfully unaware of the complications plaguing the adults around her."Hey, sleepyhead," I called out softly, closing the door gently behind me.Chloe stirred slightly, a frown creasing her brow. "Daddy?" she mumbled, her voice muffled by the unicorn."That's right, princess," I said, walking over to the bed and sitting on the edge. "Time to wake up."Chloe's eyes fluttered open, blinking away the remnants of sleep. "Is it morning already?" she asked, her voice groggy."Not quite," I chuckled. "But it's getting close to dinner time. Are you feeling hungry?"Her eyes widened in response. "Dinner?" she repeated, a hint of excitement in her voice."Absolutely," I confi

Jenna's POVThere it was, the backhanded compliment. Michelle knew damn well emerald was my least favorite color, a fact I'd confided in her during a "friendly" lunch date a few months ago. I forced a smile, the taste of metal on my tongue a sign of my tightly gritted teeth."Thank you, Michelle," I replied coolly. "Your sunshine yellow is positively radiant against this red carpet." My words were polite, but the pointed reference to her dress, a shade she often used to project an overly cheerful persona, carried a subtle sting.Michelle's smile faltered for a fleeting second before she recovered, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Why, Jenna, you're too kind. But yellow is such a happy color, don't you think? It just brightens everyone's mood. And besides, that emerald dress is simply divine. Where on earth did you find it?"I gritted my teeth, forcing a smile back at her. "Thanks, Michelle. It's from a new boutique in Beverly Hills." I knew my answer was vague, but I didn't want to give