|SAME DAY, CLOSING HOURS|

BRIANNA

It was well past 7 p.m. when I finally left the building, and the sun had long set. The night was dark, but the streetlights painted the world in pools of golden light. The usual hum of traffic mixed with the distant chatter of pedestrians, a sound I was all too familiar with by now. I’d just started down the street toward the bus stop when a sleek black car pulled up beside me. For a moment, I thought nothing of it, assuming it was just another passerby. But the back window rolled down, revealing Mr. Adrian, looking every bit the intimidating figure he always did in his perfectly tailored suit.

“Get in,” he ordered.

“No, thank you,” I replied, trying to keep my pace as I kept walking.

“That’s a command, not a request,” he insisted, his tone all business, no room for argument.

“Thanks, but no thanks. I’d rather catch the bus,” I said, now walking a bit faster, hoping he’d get the hint.

Just as I was about to ignore him completely, he spoke again, this time with a tone that struck a nerve.

“You don’t want me threatening your job, Brianna. Get in the car—I’m even saving you the transport fare,” he said. The words hit me like a slap, and for a brief moment, I hesitated. Money was tight, and the idea of saving a few extra bucks was tempting. I groaned inwardly. Why did he always have to be so relentless?

“Fine. I’m only agreeing because you’re not giving me a choice,” I muttered, my voice dripping with frustration. Glaring, I opened the door and slid into the backseat next to him, all too aware of how little choice I truly had.

“You really didn’t have another choice,” he said, his lips curling into a smug grin. “I’m sure your job matters to you. Honestly, I’m being generous. I’ve never offered a ride to any of my previous assistants.”

“Probably because you liked them better than me,” I shot back, crossing my arms over my chest. “You’re only offering me a lift because you want to torment me.”

“Whatever,” he replied, rolling his eyes as he settled back against the leather seat. “Where are you headed? You should tell Brandon...”

At that moment, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen—it was Cherry. The smile I’d been suppressing broke free as I answered the call.

“Hey, babe!” she hollered from the other end, her voice bright and full of life.

“Hey, bestie! What’s up?”

“I’m good. Are you off work?” she asked.

“Yes, why?”

“I want us to have dinner together. I’ve missed you,” she whined dramatically, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“But we just saw each other yesterday evening, Cherry,” I teased, rolling my eyes though I knew she couldn’t see me.

“I know, but I still miss you! I want to see your face,” she pouted, and I could almost hear her kicking her feet in the way she always did when she wanted something.

“You can be such a baby, Cherry. How did I end up friends with someone so... clingy?” I joked, and I heard her burst into a fit of giggles on the other end.

“Because you love me that way, Brianna. Admit it,” she replied, sounding far too smug for my liking.

“Sure, sure,” I said, pretending to roll my eyes again. “I’m so thrilled by your neediness.”

“We can even gossip about that crazy boss of yours,” she added, and I stiffened. I stole a quick glance at Mr. Adrian, thankful he hadn’t overheard yet.

“Shush, Cherry!” I whispered quickly, my voice low.

“What? Don’t you want to talk about him?” she teased, her voice dripping with curiosity.

“It’s not that,” I said hastily, then cleared my throat. “By the way, where should we meet?”

“That restaurant on your street,” she replied.

“Alright, I’ll be there in a few minutes,” I said before hanging up, looking up at Mr. Adrian. He was watching me with an unreadable expression, and I couldn’t decide if he was genuinely interested in the conversation or just pretending to be aloof.

Mr. Adrian arched a brow, clearly curious. “Who were you talking to?”

“Why do you ask? That’s none of your business,” I snapped, trying to hide the unease that crept up in my chest. There was no way I was going to tell him it was Cherry.

“It could be,” he said, his voice taking on a teasing edge. “What if you’re plotting my downfall? Or worse, planning to kill me?”

I sighed dramatically, rolling my eyes. “Goodness, Mr. Adrian. You really need to work on your trust issues. Why on earth would I plot against you? What could I possibly gain?”

“Maybe you despise me and want to be rid of me,” he suggested, his tone laced with sarcasm.

“I may not be your biggest fan, but that doesn’t mean I want you dead,” I retorted, unable to help the sharpness in my voice. “And for the record, I was talking to my best friend. You must’ve heard me say ‘Hey, bestie.’”

“Oh, so it was your best friend,” he said, trailing off awkwardly as if the situation had suddenly turned uncomfortable.

“Yes!” I snapped, feeling a mix of irritation and amusement. “You’re acting like I’ve just shared the most scandalous thing ever.”

“Right...” he said, his voice a little lower now, and for some reason, I didn’t mind it.

“So, where did you say you’re headed?” he asked, almost as though he were trying to shift gears. The sudden change in topic caught me off guard.

“Brandon,” I answered, addressing the driver, who glanced at me briefly in the rearview mirror.

“Yes, Miss?” he responded with a polite nod.

“Just follow this road, and when you reach the T-junction, take a left. There’s a restaurant a bit down the street. I’ll be getting off there.”

“Understood, Miss,” he said, his tone respectful as he turned the car smoothly.

The car lapsed into silence after that, the only sound being the soft hum of the engine. I tried to ignore the presence of Mr. Adrian next to me, but it was harder than it seemed. My mind kept drifting back to the fact that I was literally in his car again, and I couldn’t shake the sense of unease mixed with something else—something I wasn’t ready to label.

A few minutes later, Brandon slowed and pulled over in front of the restaurant. I felt a sigh of relief bubble up inside me.

“Thanks, Brandon,” I said, my tone more casual than I felt. “And thanks for the ride, Mr. Adrian, though it wasn’t necessary.” Without waiting for a response, I quickly stepped out of the car and shut the door behind me.

I dialed Cherry’s number immediately, and she answered on the second ring.

“Hey, Cherry. I’m out front. Where are you?”

“I’m inside. I can see you—I’m at the table by the glass wall. Look up,” she said, her voice unmistakably cheerful.

“Got it. Coming in now.” I hung up, glanced around for a moment, then noticed Mr. Adrian’s car was already gone. His presence was like a shadow that I couldn’t quite shake, but for the moment, he was gone.

I walked into the restaurant, the bell above the door chiming softly as I entered. Spotting Cherry, I made my way over to her table. She waved enthusiastically, her face lighting up with a smile that was so bright it made my chest feel warm.

“You can be such a baby, you know that?” I said, flopping down in the seat across from her.

“Pfft! Whatever! You love me as I am. And for the record, I love you too, so don’t bother saying it. I already know,” she said, her voice dripping with confidence.

“Gross,” I replied, scrunching my nose in mock disgust, though I couldn’t hide my smile.

“I feel like smacking you right now,” she said, feigning seriousness.

“You wouldn’t dare!” I teased back.

“Watch me,” she said with a grin, and we both burst into laughter, our giggles echoing through the restaurant. Some people shot us glances, but we didn’t care. It felt good to laugh, especially after the strange, tense ride I’d just had.

“What was that about?” I asked, catching my breath.

“You tell me!” she said, still chuckling softly.

After a moment, her smile faded, and she sighed, her face falling into something more serious. “I lost my job at the restaurant,” she admitted quietly, and the weight of her words hit me like a ton of bricks.