The Cold Edge Of Romance | hj

Chapter Ten: Shattered Expectations.

Aria sat at her desk, unable to focus. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, all centered around the events of the lunch meeting and Joshua's behavior. She replayed the scene over and over in her head-Mr. Peterson's flirtations, Joshua's hand gripping her thigh, the tension that had crackled between them. She felt a mix of anger, confusion, and something she was reluctant to acknowledge-an undeniable attraction.

She knew she couldn't go on like this. She needed answers, and she needed them now. Resolute, she stood up and marched to Joshua's office, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't bother knocking; she opened the door and walked in, closing it firmly behind her.

Joshua looked up from his desk, his expression unreadable. "What is it, Aria?" he asked, his tone cold and detached.

"I need to talk to you," Aria said, her voice trembling slightly with a mix of nerves and determination. "I can't keep pretending that nothing happened."

Joshua sighed, leaning back in his chair. "There's nothing to talk about. Just forget it and move on."

Aria's frustration boiled over. "How can you say that? How can you act like what happened meant nothing?"

"It meant nothing," Joshua said coolly. "Just drop it."

Her anger flared. She walked around his desk, standing beside him. "How can you expect me to pretend that nothing happened? You crossed a line, Joshua. You touched me, you kissed me, and then you act like it's nothing?"

Joshua's expression darkened. He stood up abruptly, towering over her. "Oh, I see. Did you expect me to confess some deep feelings for you? Did you think this was a romance story? Get real, Aria. You mean nothing to me."

His words hit her like a physical blow. She felt her eyes well up with tears, but she refused to let them fall in front of him.

Aria's heart ached with humiliation and anger. She hated him in that moment, hated how he could be so cruel. "I will never want to be with someone like you," she spat, her voice icy. "You're a heartless bastard."

Joshua's eyes flashed with something-regret, pain?-but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. "Good. Now get out of my office and stop wasting my time."

Aria turned on her heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. She barely made it to the bathroom before the tears started to fall. She locked herself in a stall and let the sobs wrack her body, feeling the full weight of Joshua's cruel words. The humiliation was overwhelming, but amidst the tears, a steely resolve began to form.

From now on, she vowed, she would not let Joshua Hong get under her skin. She would speak to him only when necessary, and she would do everything in her power to keep her professional composure. He would not see how much he had hurt her.

After a few minutes, she dried her tears, took a deep breath, and straightened her clothes. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and nodded to herself. "You can do this," she whispered. "You're stronger than this."

With renewed determination, she left the bathroom and returned to her desk, ready to face whatever came next.