Chloe's apartment was warm.
Not just warm in temperature, but warm in feeling.
Soft lights glowed from two small lamps in the living room. A blanket was thrown lazily across the couch, and the faint smell of takeout noodles filled the air.
It felt lived in.
Comfortable.
Completely different from Sebastian Wolfe's massive, quiet mansion.
Lillian stepped inside, slipping off her heels near the door.
Chloe looked up from the couch immediately.
"Well, well," she said, grinning. "Look who finally decided to come home."
Lillian rolled her eyes as she set her bag down.
"I've been home for three seconds."
"And you already look emotionally exhausted," Chloe added.
She patted the empty spot beside her on the couch.
"Sit. Talk."
Lillian sighed and collapsed onto the couch beside her.
Her body felt tired after the long day.
But her mind was still racing.
Chloe studied her carefully.
"You were with him all evening, weren't you?"
Lillian looked at her.
"…Yes."
Chloe's eyes lit up instantly.
"Oh my god."
"It was work."
"Sure it was."
Lillian grabbed a pillow and threw it lightly at Chloe.
"It was work!"
Chloe caught the pillow easily, grinning like a mischievous cat.
"Tell me everything."
Lillian leaned back against the couch and rubbed her temples.
"There isn't much to tell."
Chloe raised an eyebrow.
"Lillian."
"What?"
"You spent hours alone in an office building at night with the most intimidating CEO in the country."
She leaned forward slightly.
"There is absolutely something to tell."
Lillian hesitated.
Then sighed.
"Fine."
Chloe sat back, satisfied.
"Good. Start talking."
Lillian folded her legs under her and began explaining.
"We stayed late finishing the smart-home interface deal."
Chloe nodded.
"Mhm."
"He was… normal."
Chloe blinked.
"Normal?"
"Yes."
"That's concerning."
Lillian rolled her eyes again.
"You know what I mean."
Chloe waited.
Lillian continued.
"He stood behind me while I was showing him the projections."
"Oh?"
"He was very close."
Chloe's grin slowly grew.
"How close?"
"Chloe."
"I'm just gathering information."
Lillian sighed.
"Close enough that it was… noticeable."
Chloe leaned back against the couch, clearly enjoying this.
"And?"
"And nothing."
Chloe looked disappointed.
"Nothing?"
"We worked," Lillian insisted.
Chloe pointed at her.
"You're leaving out emotional details."
"I'm not."
"You absolutely are."
Lillian hesitated.
Chloe noticed immediately.
"Aha."
Lillian groaned quietly.
"He laughed."
Chloe froze.
"…Sebastian Wolfe laughed?"
"Yes."
Chloe stared at her like she had just announced the discovery of aliens.
"I'm sorry. I need a moment to process this."
"It wasn't a big laugh."
"Still counts."
Chloe crossed her arms.
"What else?"
Lillian stared at the floor.
"He asked why I came back."
"And what did you say?"
"I said I didn't like how things ended between us."
Chloe nodded slowly.
"Good answer."
Lillian continued quietly.
"And I told him he scared me when he went after Ethan."
Chloe's expression softened slightly.
"That must have been intense."
"It was."
Lillian leaned back against the couch again.
Chloe studied her face carefully.
"You're smiling."
"I am not."
"You absolutely are."
Lillian quickly wiped the expression away.
"I'm just tired."
"Mhm."
Chloe leaned closer.
"So… you spent hours alone with him."
"Yes."
"And he was actually nice to you."
"He's not always terrible."
"Debatable."
Lillian gave her a look.
Chloe smirked.
"But seriously," she continued, "that man is colder than Antarctica with literally everyone else."
Lillian stayed quiet.
Chloe tilted her head.
"But with you?"
She pointed dramatically.
"He's different."
Lillian stared at the floor again.
The realization slowly crept into her thoughts.
Chloe continued talking.
"He rescued you from a literal kidnapping."
Lillian winced slightly.
"He practically destroyed Ethan."
"He apologized to you."
"He asked you to come back."
Chloe leaned closer.
"And he only smiles when you're around."
Lillian's heart skipped.
She hadn't thought about it that way.
Chloe watched her carefully.
"Oh no."
"What?"
"You're thinking."
"That's usually how thinking works."
"No," Chloe said dramatically. "You're realizing something."
Lillian shook her head.
"I'm not realizing anything."
"Yes you are."
"No I'm not."
Chloe leaned back on the couch, folding her arms.
"Say it."
"I'm not saying anything."
"Say it."
Lillian sighed heavily.
"You're impossible."
"Takes one to know one."
Silence settled between them for a moment.
Lillian stared at the soft glow of the apartment lights.
Her mind replayed moments from the past week.
Sebastian standing in the doorway after rescuing her.
Sebastian apologizing.
Sebastian asking her to come back.
Sebastian laughing in the office tonight.
And the look in his eyes when he said he didn't want anyone else in her position.
Her chest tightened slightly.
Chloe watched her carefully.
Then she said quietly,
"You like him."
Lillian immediately shook her head.
"No."
"Lillian."
"No."
"Lillian."
She sighed.
"Okay maybe a little."
Chloe gasped dramatically.
"Breaking news!"
"Stop it."
Chloe pointed at her again.
"You like the cold, rude, impossible CEO."
Lillian buried her face in her hands.
"This is humiliating."
"No," Chloe said proudly. "This is entertaining."
Lillian groaned.
"He's impossible."
"Yes."
"He's arrogant."
"Yes."
"He's intimidating."
"Yes."
"And he's my boss."
Chloe nodded.
"Also yes."
Lillian looked up.
"So why do I like him?"
Chloe smiled softly.
"Because he shows you a side he doesn't show anyone else."
Lillian fell quiet.
That was exactly it.
Sebastian Wolfe—the terrifying billionaire CEO.
Cold.
Controlled.
Untouchable.
Except with her.
With her he apologized.
With her he laughed.
With her he showed concern.
With her he looked… human.
Lillian leaned back slowly against the couch.
Her heart beat a little faster.
"Oh no."
Chloe grinned.
"Oh yes."
Lillian stared at the ceiling.
"I actually like Sebastian Wolfe."
Chloe raised her takeout box like a toast.
"To terrible decisions."
Lillian threw another pillow at her.
But this time…
She couldn't stop smiling.