The air was thick with things unsaid.
Ava could feel the weight of Ethan's stare as she finished answering the question, her voice steady even though her heart hadn't stopped racing since she walked in.
He was different now.
Sharper.
Colder.
But beneath the tailored suit and hardened jawline, she could still see traces of the man who used to whisper promises against her skin under midnight skies.
Ethan leaned back in his chair, arms folded across his chest like a barrier. "Interesting," he said, tone unreadable. "And you really believe you're the best candidate for this position?"
She met his gaze head-on. "Yes."
Silence.
Then HR jumped in, shifting the energy with a polite chuckle. "Well, your references are stellar, and your experience speaks for itself. We'll be in touch soon, Ms. Bennett."
Ava stood, smoothing her skirt. Her hands didn't tremble—she wouldn't let them. "Thank you for the opportunity."
Ethan didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Just watched her like she was a memory with teeth.
She walked out of the boardroom, her heels echoing louder than before, and only when the door clicked shut did Ethan release the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
The room was silent now, the buzz of phones and click of pens suddenly gone.
"She's impressive," someone from HR murmured, gathering papers.
Ethan didn't respond. He was somewhere else entirely—five years back, in a night soaked with rain and regret.
She handed him his jacket. His warmth. His second chance.
Then she walked away.
That night had broken something in him. Something he'd never had time to fix. Because after Ava, he had buried everything. The pain. The softness. The part of him that used to believe love could survive ambition.
Now, here she was again. Not just a ghost from the past, but a woman with credentials sharp enough to earn a seat at his table.
And he hated how much he still felt her.