Rachel sat in her cramped studio apartment, staring at the computer screen late into the night. She couldn't get Marcus out of her head. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his bright green gaze and felt the warmth of his touch.
But she knew that nothing could happen between them. He was engaged, and she was just a lowly intern. She felt like she was in a constant state of limbo, somewhere between the life she wanted and the life she was forced to live.
The next morning, Rachel arrived at Harrington Enterprises early as usual. She tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach as she made her way to her desk. But when Marcus saw her in the elevator, his heart skipped a beat.
"Good morning, Rachel," he said, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips.
"Good morning," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
They parted ways as he went into his office, and Rachel sat down at her desk. However, her fingers wouldn't stop typing, and before she knew it, she had written four pages for a pitch meeting she had later that day. She was so absorbed that she didn't hear Emma come up behind her.
"Rachel, right?" Emma's voice was cold and clipped.
Rachel forced a smile. "Yes, that's me. Is there anything I can help you with?"
Emma leaned in close to Rachel's ear, her expensive perfume overwhelming her senses. "I heard that you've been spending a lot of time with my fiancé. I don't appreciate that."
Rachel felt her cheeks burn as she pulled away, trying to keep her composure. "I've been working with Mr. Harrington on some projects, but it's strictly business. I would never do anything to jeopardize my position here."
"Good," Emma said, her ice-blue eyes glinting. "Because if you did, you would be out on the street before you knew it."
Rachel felt a pang of anger and frustration bubble up inside of her. She was tired of being pushed around and reminded of her place in the world. She wanted to be respected for her ideas and her hard work, not for who she knew.
As the day dragged on, Rachel couldn't shake the feeling that something was going on behind the scenes. She noticed Emma and Marcus whispering in corners, and both of them seemed to be distracted and distant.
Finally, late in the afternoon, Marcus called her into his office. Rachel could feel the butterflies in her stomach as she made her way to his desk.
"Rachel, I need to tell you something," Marcus said, his eyes dark and serious.
She felt a pit form in her stomach. Had he finally decided to break things off with Emma?
"I know we've been working together a lot lately, and I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate everything you've done for this company." Marcus paused, his voice cracking slightly. "But Emma and I, we're going to get married. And I need you to understand that, as much as I might want to, I can't pursue any sort of romantic relationship with you."
Rachel felt her heart shatter into a million pieces. She had known all along that it was impossible, but hearing Marcus say it out loud made it hurt all the more.
"I understand," she managed to say, her voice shaking. "It's okay."
But it wasn't okay. Rachel knew that, deep down, she was still hopelessly in love with Marcus Harrington. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the feeling that he might feel the same way.
