AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But as I make my way towards my corner suite, I can't help but notice the hushed whispers and furtive glances from my employees. They fall silent as I pass, their eyes darting away guiltily as if caught in the midst of some forbidden conversation.
Frowning, I pause outside the break room, straining to catch the thread of gossip that seems to have infected my usually focused and professional staff.
"...heard she was sleeping with him long before the promotion. I mean, how else do you think she climbed the ladder so quickly?"
"I always thought there was something fishy about their relationship. I mean, the way he looks at her? That's not just a boss appreciating his assistant's work, if you know what I mean."
"Do you think that's why his ex dumped him? Because she found out about the affair?”
“Of course, you know Cathy said she stopped by and told her everything."
I feel my blood run cold, a mixture of shock and rage coursing through my veins. How dare they speak about Amara that way, as if she was some kind of opportunistic seductress? And for Sophia to mettle, to insinuate that our relationship was anything less than professional before we fell in love...it's unthinkable.
I'm about to burst into the break room and give my gossiping employees a piece of my mind when I catch sight of Amara through the glass walls of her office. She's hunched over her desk, her shoulders tense and her face pinched with stress.
My heart clenches at the sight, all thoughts of confrontation flying out of my head. In that moment, all that matters is comforting the woman I love, reassuring her that no amount of vicious rumors or petty speculation can touch the unshakable bond we share.
I change course, striding purposefully towards Amara's office and rapping gently on the door. She looks up, startled, and I feel a pang at the shadows lurking in her usually bright eyes.
"Hey, you," I murmur, slipping inside and closing the door firmly behind me. "Is everything okay? You look...tense."
Amara tries to force a smile, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm fine, Grayson. Just...a lot on my mind, I guess."
I perch on the edge of her desk, reaching out to take her hand in mine. "Amara, love...I know things have been stressful lately, with the merger and the long hours. But I need you to know that I'm here for you, always. That you can tell me anything, no matter how big or small."
She looks up at me, her eyes searching mine as if looking for some kind of reassurance. "It's just...people are talking, Grayson. About us, about our relationship. They're saying...horrible things, things that couldn't be further from the truth."
I feel a flash of anger, my jaw clenching at the thought of anyone causing my Amara pain. "Let them talk," I growl, cupping her face tenderly in my hands. "Their small-minded gossip means nothing, Amara. They don't know us, they don't know the depth of our love or the strength of our bond."
A single tear slips down her cheek, and I brush it away with the pad of my thumb. "I know, Grayson. I know. It's just...it's hard, sometimes. Hearing those whispers, feeling those judging eyes on me wherever I go. As if I'm some kind of...of homewrecker, or gold digger. I’m not sure if I can take it. Will it always be like this?"
My heart breaks at the pain in her voice, the undeserved shame coloring her words. "Amara Jeffries, you listen to me," I say fiercely, tilting her chin up until her eyes meet mine. "You are the most brilliant, talented, kind-hearted woman I have ever known. You earned your place at this company through hard work and dedication, not because of some imagined affair with me."
I lean in, resting my forehead against hers. "And as for our relationship...it's the most real, most beautiful thing I've ever experienced. Falling in love with you, building a life with you...it's the greatest joy of my existence. And no amount of petty gossip or baseless rumors will ever change that."
As hard as it is to resist the urge to drop on my knee, then and there, I know that now isn’t quite the time. The ring presses against me, a sturdy reminder that rumors will fall to the wayside when I make her my wife.
Amara sniffles, a watery smile breaking through the clouds of her distress. "I love you, Grayson Winthrop. More than I ever thought possible."
"And I love you, Amara Jeffries. With every fiber of my being." I seal my declaration with a soft, sweet kiss, pouring every ounce of my devotion into the gentle press of my lips against hers.
As we lose ourselves in the tender moment, the rest of the world fades away. The whispers, the rumors, the ghosts of my past...none of it can touch us here, in the sanctuary of each other's embrace.
19
AMARA
The sound of the door slamming breaks me out of my blissful reverie, my heart plummeting as I take in the scene unfolding before me.
Grayson and I had been enjoying a quiet, romantic dinner at his place, basking in the glow of our rekindled connection after his return from Tokyo. But our peaceful evening has been rudely interrupted by the sudden appearance of Sophia, who seems to have let herself in with a key I didn't know she possessed.
"What the hell?" Grayson demands, rising from his seat with a look of shocked anger on his face. "What are you doing here? And how did you get in?"
She ignores him, her icy blue eyes locking onto me with a triumphant gleam. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the flavor of the month. I hope you're enjoying your little fairy tale romance, sweetheart. Because it's about to come crashing down around you, just like I told you, stupid girl. You should have stayed in your lane. The ruse is up."
I feel my stomach twist, a sense of foreboding washing over me at her cryptic words. "I think you should leave. Grayson and I are trying to enjoy a private dinner, and you're not welcome here."
She laughs, a harsh, grating sound that frays at my nerves. "Oh, but I think Grayson might want to hear what I have to say. After all, it concerns him just as much as it does you."
