connection are more dangerous than lies

Emperor New Clothes

Chapter 12

Eve arrived at the office the next morning, her mind still weighed down by the tension from her confrontation with Gabriel. She hadn't been able to shake the emotions stirred by their exchange—the vulnerability he'd seen in her, the coldness she'd shown him in return. As much as she tried to focus, her thoughts kept returning to the bracelet on her wrist, the one Victor had given her. It had brought her a small sense of peace, but she couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead.

She stepped into the office building, mentally bracing herself for another long day of managing her new, diminished role, when something caught her attention. As she approached her desk, her eyes widened in disbelief.

The entire reception area was filled with flowers and balloons, bright colors and sweet fragrances filling the space. Dozens of vibrant bouquets were neatly arranged around her desk, the air carrying the scent of roses, lilies, and daisies. Balloons floated cheerfully above, tied to her chair and spilling over onto her desk. For a moment, she just stood there, frozen, completely taken aback by the gesture.

Among the flowers, there was a single red envelope perched on her desk, standing out against the array of vibrant petals. Eve stared at it, her heart beating faster as she reached for it. She slowly opened the envelope and pulled out a simple card. The message inside was short, but it was enough to stop her breath for a moment:

I'm sorry for not appreciating you more. Thank you for coming back.
–VK

Victor.

Eve sat down, holding the card in her hands, stunned. She had never expected this from him. Sure, Victor could be thoughtful in his own strange way, but this? This was something else entirely. He had gone out of his way to make her feel seen, valued, on her birthday of all days. A soft warmth bloomed in her chest as she gazed at the flowers surrounding her.

The day passed in a blur, and while Eve had work to do, there was an odd sense of calm she hadn't felt in a long time. For once, her tasks felt manageable. Her mind wandered occasionally to the card, to the flowers, and to the person who sent them. Victor was unpredictable, sure, but this—this was genuine.

As the day wound down and the office began to empty, Eve was tidying up her desk when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Eve."

She turned to find Victor standing there, his expression softer than usual, almost hesitant.

"I hope you liked the flowers," he said, his eyes glancing briefly at the bouquets that still surrounded her.

"They're beautiful," she said, her voice quieter than she intended. "Thank you."

Victor nodded, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes. "I also wanted to ask if you'd like to have dinner tonight. No hidden agenda, no work talk. Just a simple birthday dinner."

Eve blinked in surprise, taken aback by the unexpected invitation. She hadn't anticipated this—especially not from Victor. But there was something about his tone, about the way he asked, that made her pause. Maybe it was the gesture he had made with the flowers. Maybe it was the sincerity in his voice. Or maybe she was just tired of being alone on a day that should have meant something.

After a moment, she found herself nodding. "I'd like that," she said softly.

Victor smiled—just a small, fleeting smile—but it was there. "Great. I'll meet you in the lobby."

As they made their way downstairs, Eve couldn't help but feel an odd sense of anticipation building inside her. She hadn't allowed herself to relax in what felt like forever, but maybe tonight she could let her guard down, just for a little while. Maybe this was Victor's way of mending things, of showing that he cared, even if in his own, distant way.