CHAPTER SIXTY–TRUTH IN THE TANGLE
For a moment, both men looked at her, seeming to remember where they were. Then, as if by unspoken agreement, they turned and stormed off in opposite directions, leaving Nia standing alone in the middle of the ballroom
The silence that followed was deafening. Nia could feel the weight of curious stares and hear the
beginnings of whispered gossip. Her cheeks burning with embarrassment, she made her way to a quiet corner, wishing she could disappear.
The next morning, Nia called in sick, unable to face the prospect of running into either Leon or Justin at work. Instead, she found herself in one of the conference rooms, ostensibly to clean but really to have a moment alone with her thoughts.
As she half–heartedly wiped down the large table, her mind replayed the events of the previous night. The
vying tension between the brothers, the thinly veiled barbs, the way they both seemed to be for her attention… it was all too much.
Her phone buzzed repeatedly with texts from Justin, but she couldn’t bring herself to read them. Instead, her thoughts kept drifting to Leon. The way he had looked at her when she first arrived, the warmth in his voice when he praised her insights, the flash of vulnerability in his eyes when Justin mentioned Kyra….
Nia shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. This was dangerous territory. Leon was her boss, and Justin was… well, she wasn’t quite sure what Justin was to her. A friend? A potential romantic interest? The whole situation was a mess.
By afternoon, Nia couldn’t stand the solitude any longer. She made her way to Mr. Harlow’s office, knocking softly on the door.
“Come in,” his voice called out.
Nia entered, fidgeting with the hem of her uniform. “Mr. Harlow, I was wondering if I could take my break a bit early today? There’s… something I need to take care of.”
Mr. Harlow looked up from his paperwork, his kind eyes studying her face. “Of course, Nia. Is everything
alright?
She managed a weak smile. “Yes, sir. Just some personal matters I need to sort out.”
He nodded, understanding in his gaze. “Take all the time you need.”
Grateful for his understanding, Nia hurried out of the building, texting Maria to meet her at their favorite coffee shop.
Maria was already there when Nia arrived, two steaming mugs waiting on the table. “Spill,” she said as soon as Nia sat down. “What happened last night?”
Taking a deep breath, Nia launched into a detailed account of the gala. She described the tension between Leon and Justin, the way they both seemed to be competing for her attention, and the disastrous scene
the auction.
“And now,” Nia concluded, her voice dropping to a whisper, “I think I might be falling for Leon.”
Maria’s eyebrows shot up. “Leon? As in, your boss Leon?”
TRUTH IN THE TANGLE
Nia nodded miserably
know it’s crazy. And completely inappropriate. But there’s just something about
him…. He’s not at all what I thought he was when I first started working there.”
“What about Justin?” Maria asked gently.
Nia sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Justin is, he’s fun, and charming, and he makes me laugh. But I don’t think there’s any real depth to his interest In me. And honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about him either.”
Maria reached across the table, squeezing Nia’s hand. “Oh, honey. You’ve gotten yourself into quite a situation, haven’t you?”
Nia nodded, feeling tears prick at her eyes. “I don’t know what to do, Maria. I feel guilty every time Justin flirts with me because I know I’m thinking about Leon. But then I feel guilty for thinking about Leon because he’s my boss and it’s completely unprofessional.”
“Listen to me,” Maria said firmly. “You need to be honest with yourself and with them. It’s not fair to string Justin along if you don’t have genuine feelings for him And as for Leon… well, that’s a more complicated situation. But you can’t keep torturing yourself like this.
They spent the next hour dissecting Nia’s feelings, with Maria offering advice and support. By the time. they parted, Nia felt a little more clear–headed, though her heart was still conflicted.
That evening, Nia sat on her bed, staring at her phone. She had drafted and redrafted a message to Justin at least a dozen times. Finally, taking a deep breath, she typed out a final version and hit send before she could second–guess herself again.
“Justin, I value your friendship more than I can say. You’ve brought so much laughter and joy into my life. since we met. But I need to be honest with you I don’t see a romantic future for us. I hope we can continue to be friends, but I understand if you need some space. I’m sorry if I’ve given you any false Impressions. You’re an amazing person, and you deserve someone who can reciprocate your feelings fully.”
With that task done, Nia turned her attention to the more complex issue of Leon. How could she face him at work after everything that had happened? Should she address the growing tension between them, or pretend nothing had changed?
Hours passed as Nia tossed and turned, her mind racing with possible scenarios. Eventually, exhausted but unable to sleep, she found herself scrolling through Colossius Tech’s public social media accounts.
There, among the corporate announcements and product launches, she found a few candid photos of Leon. One showed him laughing with a group of employees at a company picnic. Another captured him deep in concentration, working late in his office.
Nia’s finger hovered over the screen, tracing the lines of his face. In that moment, all the complications of their situation – the professional boundaries, the rivalry with Justin, the lingering shadow of Kyra seemed to fade away. All she could see was Leon, the man who had slowly but surely captured her heart.
