Jeniva scanned her new assignment orders, her eyebrows knitting together. Her posting was set for the capital, a short distance away, much closer than she had anticipated.

"Sir, I was expecting a transfer to the Central District," Jeniva said, looking at her supervisor. She held back her suspicion; if Dominick had pulled strings to keep her here, she would be having a very stern conversation with him later.

"We have a new recruit whose profile is a better fit for that sector," her superior replied, not looking up from his paperwork. "We need to test their aptitude for high-stakes field work. You are better utilized here for the upcoming cycle."

"Understood. Thank you." Jeniva stepped out of the office, exhaling a long breath. She would for one year in the capital. A genuine smile tugged at her lips.

She pulled out her phone and sent a quick message to Dominick: 'Meet me at Red Moon Cafe this afternoon.' With the news confirmed, she turned her attention to the mountain of paperwork on her desk.

By late afternoon, Jeniva finally saved her last document and powered down her workstation. She checked her phone again, but there was no reply from Dominick. "I suppose he's tied up with the work at the palace," she muttered, feeling a pang of disappointment.

Just as she gathered her things to leave, a colleague leaned over from the next cubicle. "Jeniva, Prince Dominick is looking for you."

"What?" she exclaimed, her voice sharp with shock.

"He's in the lobby," her colleague replied.

Jeniva grabbed her phone and hurried to the exit. She skidded to a halt at the lobby entrance, her breath catching in her throat. Dominick stood in the center of the room, calm and composed, deep in conversation with her department heads. She turned to retreat, hoping to avoid a scene, but it was too late.

"Jeniva!"

She froze, forcing a tight, awkward smile as she turned to face him.

"I'll excuse myself," Dominick said to her superiors before striding toward her.

She stepped closer, keeping her voice to a low hiss. "What are you doing here?"

Dominick raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "Didn't you ask me for a date?"

"Not here," she murmured, glancing back at the office doors. Several colleagues were watching, their expressions a mix of curiosity and judgment. "What will they think?"

Dominick checked his watch, completely unbothered by the attention he was drawing. "Shall we go? I'll explain on the way."

He turned and headed for the exit. Jeniva followed closely, her head bowed to shield her face from the prying eyes of her coworkers.

Once they reached the car, Jeniva slid into the passenger seat and clicked her seatbelt into place, her movements sharp. The dark tint of the windows offered a much-needed shield from the prying eyes back at the office.

"What was that?" she demanded, turning to face him the moment the door shut. "We agreed to keep this private until we were both certain. Why show up there?"

Dominick tilted his head, his expression unreadable. "Are you still unsure of us? Because I'm not. I came today because I'm done with the uncertainty. I want you in my life, completely and openly."

Jeniva stared at him, momentarily stunned into silence.

"Fine," Dominick continued, his voice softening as he misread her quiet. "I won't come to your workplace if that's the issue. I'm sorry. I thought it would be a gesture of support, a way to show everyone where I stand."

"Don't apologize," Jeniva countered quickly, reaching out to stop him. "It's not that I don't appreciate the gesture. I'm just worried about the fallout for you. You have a reputation to protect, and I don't want you dragged into office gossip because of me."

"If you're worried about the divorce, stop," Dominick said. "I don't care what people have to say about it."

Jeniva frowned, watching the traffic blur past. "Are you certain? People don't hold back with their insults. And what if they come after me? After seeing what they put Juniper through, I've learned exactly how cruel this city can be. I'm just being cautious, Dominick. That's all."

"Don't I have the right to move on?" He shook his head, his gaze fixed on the road ahead.

"Most of them haven't the faintest clue what my past relationship cost me, or what it did to Juniper. I handled things poorly back then, I admit it, but this time will be different. I'm in control." He sighed, his posture relaxing slightly. "But never mind. I'll respect your boundaries. I won't show up at your office like that again."

He shifted the car into gear and pulled into traffic, driving them toward the cafe in thoughtful silence.

~~~~

The office erupted in applause, the team buzzing with excitement over Juniper's success in securing such a high-profile endorsement.

"It wasn't as difficult as it seemed," Juniper said, downplaying the effort. "I already had a personal connection with them, which made the approach easier." She thanked her colleagues for giving her the opportunity to prove herself on a project of this scale.

"We're celebrating this achievement," Manager Angela announced. "Team dinner is on the company card."

The announcement was met with a chorus of cheers. As the staff began filing out toward the nearby restaurant, Juniper's phone vibrated against her desk. She picked it up to see a message from Denzel:

"I heard from Prince Gabriel about the project you're launching. Congratulations!"

A genuine smile touched her lips. She typed a thank you for him and sent it. However, accidentally an emote pressed from her. A heart one.

"Oh my god! No!" She instantly deleted it but she knew it was late. "What will he think of me?" she nervously bit her bottom lip and shook her head.

"I need to explain to him if we meet. No, I shall avoid this topic," she told herself. Staring at the screen, she realized no reply had come, giving her some assurity that he didn't see it.

Meanwhile, far away, Denzel sat frozen on his chair.