Bitter Love

Chapter 22:I didn't

Evie's pov

I bolted into the washroom, the door swinging shut behind me as I rushed to the sink. My breathing was uneven, and my hands, still tingling from the encounter, gripped the cold porcelain. The reflection in the mirror greeted me with flushed cheeks and wide, embarrassed eyes-an undeniable portrait of someone affected. I scowled at myself, willing the warmth in my face to disappear, but it only seemed to intensify.

He's your boss. Nothing more.

The words echoed in my mind, a mantra I desperately clung to. It was just instinct. That's all it was when he held you in the elevator, I repeated, as if saying it enough times would make it true.

But the reflection staring back at me wasn't convinced. The heat burning through my cheeks, the way my ears felt like they were on fire-it was impossible to hide from it. His touch still lingered on my skin, that warmth, that shiver that had crept through me the moment his hands brushed my shoulder. I splashed water on my face, hoping it would drown out the feeling.

It didn't.

I pressed my hands to my cheeks, trying to shake off the sensation. It means nothing, I thought again, but my reflection didn't let me get away with the lie this time. There was something there, just under the surface. I could still feel it-the way his eyes followed me, the way my pulse quickened when he was close.

I shook my head, refusing to linger on the thought. No. It didn't change anything. Adrien Lacroix was my boss, nothing more. I had to keep it that way.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the washroom, my legs feeling heavier with every step as I made my way back to the party. The hum of conversations and clinking of glasses buzzed around me, but all I could think about was him-somewhere in the room. I kept my head down, eyes fixed on anything but Adrien. I couldn't risk another encounter, not when my heart was still racing from the last one.

Yet, I felt it.

That pull, that awareness of his presence. Even without looking, I knew he was watching me. His blue eyes, sharp and piercing, following my every movement. I resisted the urge to glance his way, to confirm the feeling, but it was impossible to ignore. The weight of his gaze was tangible, and no matter how hard I tried to pretend he wasn't there, I felt him.

A part of me wanted to confront it, to look up and meet his gaze, but I couldn't. I wasn't ready for what I'd find there-wasn't ready to admit that maybe, just maybe, this was more than instinct. So I kept moving, weaving through the party, offering polite smiles to people I barely saw.

As the celebration continued, the noise, the lights, the laughter-all of it blurred into the background. I had to leave. I couldn't stand being in the same room as him, feeling his presence without acknowledging it. When the speeches started winding down, I quietly slipped out, unnoticed by anyone but the one person I was avoiding.

I went straight home, my heart pounding the whole way. Even in the quiet of my room, his touch lingered. I dropped my bag on the floor and leaned back against the door, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. I had managed to avoid him for the rest of the night, but I couldn't avoid the truth that was starting to creep in.

There was something there. And no matter how much I denied it, I felt it. I wasn't ready to face it yet, but the feeling wouldn't disappear. It clung to me, just like the warmth of his hands.

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Heey guyss😊

It's been a long time but I have finally updated itt

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