The third floor buzzed with the low hum of productivity—printers whirring, keyboards clicking, phones occasionally ringing with that polished tone that belonged to corporate rhythm. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Luca leaned over Bella’s desk, reviewing the client’s follow-up report on her screen.

His tie was slightly askew, his sleeves rolled up—that usual blend of confidence and barely controlled chaos that somehow worked for him.

Bella clicked her pen and gave him a look. "You’re hovering again."

"I’m supervising," Luca countered, peering closer. "That’s part of being team."

"Supervising or micromanaging?" she said dryly, leaning back. "Because if you breathe down my neck one more time, I’ll start charging you rent."

He grinned. "You’d miss me if I stopped."

"Debatable." She raised a brow. "You’re only charming when you bring coffee."

"Then I’ll bring two tomorrow," he said, pretending to jot it down on his notepad. "’Operation Keep Bella Civil: Step One—Caffeine.’"

Wei Chen glanced up from his desk across the aisle, smirking. "You two sound married already."

Bella threw a paperclip at him. "We’re divorced. Years ago. He got custody of the chaos."

Luca laughed, leaning against the desk. "And look at me thriving."

Camila, seated near the corner, chuckled while pretending not to. "You’re thriving because Bella keeps your deadlines alive. Without her, you’d be halfway to a mental breakdown."

Luca held up his hands. "Teamwork makes the dream work, right?"

"Sure," Bella said, flipping a page. "Except you dream and we work."

That earned another round of laughter—light, easy, the kind of banter that kept long hours from feeling heavy.

But beneath it all, Luca’s gaze occasionally flicked toward his phone, resting face-down beside his laptop.

He hadn’t heard from Noel since morning.

And though he knew his boyfriend was buried in work upstairs with Mr. Max, that thought lingered.

"Earth to Luca." Bella snapped her fingers near his face. "You zoned out again."

He blinked, straightening. "Just thinking."

"About work or someone with an International Business badge?" she teased.

Luca’s smirk faltered for half a second before he recovered. "Focus, Bell. We’ve got numbers to review."

She eyed him knowingly, but let it go. "Uh-huh. Sure, boss."

He shot her a look, half warning, half grateful, and bent over the report again—his smile returning, but softer now, a little distracted.

As he scrolled through the figures, the teasing laughter fading into the steady hum of keyboards, he thought—maybe tonight, he’d insist on picking Noel up again.

Georgia’s door swung open with its usual authority, the soft click of heels marking her approach.

"Luca, Bella," she said, scanning the room. "I need the client file from reception—the one marked ’Export Liaison.’ Can you grab it for me?"

"On it," Luca said, too quickly.

Bella stood, stretching with a groan. "I knew teamwork was just a fancy word for errands."

Georgia gave her a faint, unimpressed smile before turning back to her office. "Try not to take the scenic route."

The moment the door shut, Bella muttered, "Translation—no gossip detours."

Luca smirked. "You? Gossip? Never."

She rolled her eyes, falling into step beside him as they made their way toward the elevator.

When the doors slid open, they stepped in side by side.

Bella tapped the button for the lobby.

"Still quiet today," she noted, arms crossed. "Feels weird after last week chaos."

"Yeah," Luca murmured, distracted, watching the numbers descend.

The doors opened to the polished brightness of the reception floor—sunlight streaking across marble, reflections crisp and cold.

They stepped out together.

And that’s when he saw them.

Noel and Mr. Max—walking side by side, conversation low, posture easy.

The senior manager’s hand hovered close as he pointed something out on a tablet, leaning just a little too near.

Luca froze mid-step. His breath hitched—subtle, but enough that Bella noticed.

Her gaze flicked to the pair, then back to Luca.

The small tightening around his jaw said everything.

"Hey," she said lightly, bumping her shoulder against his. "You okay?"

He blinked, forcing a nod, eyes still on them. "Yeah. Just—didn’t expect to see him here."

Bella’s voice softened. "Work, Lu. It’s just work."

He exhaled, trying for a grin. "Yeah. I know."

But his eyes didn’t move. The sight twisted something deep in his chest—the easy way Noel listened, the casual closeness, Mr. Max’s polished confidence.

Bella noticed. She sighed and looped her arm through his, tugging him gently toward the reception desk. "Come on. File first, existential crisis later."

That earned the faintest laugh from him. "You think I’m that dramatic?"

She gave him a sideways look. "You blush when Noel texts you a smile emoji. So yeah."

He groaned, rubbing his forehead. "You’re never letting that go, are you?"

"Not until you buy me lunch."

He chuckled, finally breaking his gaze away from Noel and Max as they disappeared down the hall. "Fine. Lunch it is."

Bella smiled faintly. "That’s better."

By the time they reached the reception desk, Luca’s grin had almost returned.

But as he signed for the file, his mind drifted again—replaying that image like a whisper he couldn’t shake.

The elevator hummed softly on their way back up, the kind of silence that pressed between them—not heavy, but thick with thought.

Bella glanced at Luca’s reflection in the chrome walls.

He wasn’t frowning exactly, but his eyes were distant, his jaw tight, the file in his hand clutched just a little too firmly.

She sighed. "You look like you’re rehearsing a breakup speech in your head."

He blinked, dragging his eyes to her. "What?"

"You heard me." She tilted her head, studying him. "You’ve been somewhere else since the lobby."

"I’m fine," he said automatically, forcing a small laugh.

Bella arched a brow. "You’ve said that three times in the last ten minutes. That’s usually the international sign for not fine."

Luca let out a slow breath. "I just—" He hesitated, fingers tapping against the file. "It’s stupid, really."

"Good," she said. "Those are usually the fun ones. Go on."

He gave her a look, half-exasperated, half-defeated. "Seeing them together."

Bella didn’t react immediately, just hummed softly. "And?"

"And he was—" Luca rubbed his neck, searching for the right words. "Standing too close."

Her lips twitched. "You realize how you sound right now?"

"Yes," he groaned. "Like an insecure boyfriend. I know."

Bella smirked, but her tone softened. "Hey. You’re not crazy. Max is... well, he’s got that smooth, corporate charm thing going. Makes everyone feel like they’re the most important person in the room."

"Yeah," Luca muttered. "And he’s with Noel every day now."

She leaned against the elevator wall, her voice calm. "You trust Noel, right?"

He looked up, meeting her eyes. "Of course I do."

"Then that’s what matters." She shrugged. "The rest? Just background noise. Don’t let your head make a movie out of one scene."

The elevator dinged, doors sliding open onto their floor.

Luca exhaled and nodded. "You’re right."

"I know I am." Bella grinned, stepping out first. "But if it helps, I did notice Max’s hand hovering. So you’re not imagining things entirely."

He gave her a glare that barely hid a smile. "You’re not helping."

"Correction," she said, tossing her hair. "I’m validating your paranoia."

He couldn’t help but laugh—a quiet, real one this time. "You’re impossible."

"That’s why you keep me around," she said, waving the file. "Now come on, lover boy. Let’s deliver this before Georgia comes hunting us."

The hum of the floor softened after Georgia dismissed them with a brisk "thank you." Papers shuffled, keyboards clicked, and the faint sound of the air conditioner filled the quiet stretches between it all.

"Liam," Georgia called through the open door, tone crisp but even. "Can you come in here for a minute? I want to review these figures before we send them upstairs."

Liam froze mid-sip of his coffee. "Now?"

"Yes, now," Georgia replied, already flipping through the file.

Bella bit her lip to keep from laughing as Liam gave Luca a helpless glance. "Save me," he mouthed dramatically before slipping into Georgia’s office.

The door clicked shut.

Luca stretched back in his chair, hands behind his head. "Well. RIP to our boy Liam. Gone too soon."

Bella grinned, leaning toward him. "He lasted a whole hour free. That’s a record."

Wei Chen looked up briefly from his desk. "You two gossip like retirees."

Camila chuckled softly beside him. "At least they keep the floor alive."

"Alive?" Bella said. "We are the heartbeat of this place."

Luca nodded solemnly. "Exactly. Without us, morale drops, coffee tastes bitter, and the office plants die."

"Office plants die because you forget to water them," Wei Chen muttered.

"False," Luca said. "They die because they lack love."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Don’t start philosophizing again."

He turned to her, mock-offended. "Excuse me, I’m deep. I have layers."

"Yeah," she said dryly, "like an onion."

Luca gasped. "You wound me."

She smiled. "Good. Keeps you humble."

The floor settled into its familiar mid-morning rhythm again—mild chatter, the steady hum of computers, Camila leaning close to whisper something that made Wei Chen’s ears turn faintly pink.

Bella’s voice dropped. "You know, if Georgia keeps Liam in there too long, he’s going to come out emotionally aged by five years."

"He’ll survive," Luca said, spinning his pen. "Maybe even learn something."

"Doubt it," she said. "He’s been allergic to responsibility since week one."

"That’s why Georgia loves him," Luca replied with a smirk. "She likes a challenge."

Just then, a muffled voice rose faintly from behind Georgia’s door—Liam’s, frustrated, followed by Georgia’s calm, precise correction. Bella stifled a laugh.

"See?" she whispered. "Told you."

Luca grinned. "Tragic, really."

He leaned back again, gaze drifting toward the window, sunlight catching faint dust motes in the air.

The clock ticked past eleven-thirty.

His mind wandered—to Noel upstairs, probably bent over those endless contract pages.

Bella nudged him lightly. "Hey. You disappeared again."

He blinked, snapping back. "Work."

"Work?"

He smiled faintly. "Something like that."

Bella smirked knowingly but didn’t press. "Lunch soon. Don’t drift too far, Romeo."

"Wouldn’t dream of it," he said, leaning forward again as the office clock ticked closer to noon.

Outside Georgia’s office, the rhythm of the day carried on—steady, unhurried, the calm before another small storm.