Three days.
That's how long it had been since Maya walked out of Adrian's apartment — and out of his world.
The photo scandal had burned across every social platform. "CEO Knight's secret affair with unknown chef", the headlines whispered. The restaurant where Maya worked was suddenly crowded — not with customers, but with gossip.
Still, she showed up every morning, her apron tied tight, her eyes calm. She moved like a storm hidden beneath silence. Every slice of the knife, every dish plated perfectly, was her way of saying I'm still here.
Inside, though, her heart ached. She missed his morning voice, his quiet laughter. The way he said "Chef" like it was her name alone.
But she told herself — he chose silence.
So she chose distance.
---
On the other side of the city, Adrian sat in his office, staring at the glowing screen filled with crisis reports. He hadn't slept properly. His assistant spoke, his board demanded statements — but his mind only echoed one thing.
Maya's voice. The way she said, "Just trust me."
He'd broken that trust.
His phone buzzed again — another message from Veronica.
> Veronica: "Still ignoring me? You could've avoided all this, Adrian."
He exhaled sharply. Enough.
He stood, walked straight into the PR department, and barked, "Who leaked those photos?"
The staff exchanged nervous glances. One woman hesitated, then whispered, "Sir… the metadata traced back to an internal account — Ms. Veronica Lane's."
Adrian's eyes turned cold. "Call security. I want every copy deleted, every source wiped clean."
His next message was short.
> Adrian: "We need to talk. Now."Meanwhile, Maya was working late in the kitchen.
The restaurant lights glowed dim, only the hum of the oven filling the air. She was practicing a dessert — lemon souffle — the one she'd once promised Adrian she'd make when she succeeded.
Her hands trembled slightly. The timer beeped.
When she opened the oven, the souffle had risen perfectly.
She smiled weakly. "Looks like at least something didn't fall apart."
A tear slipped before she could stop it.
---
That night, Adrian waited in the empty meeting room of his company. Veronica arrived, confident as ever, heels echoing like thunder.
"Wow," she said, smirking. "You actually look angry. Is this about your little chef?"
Adrian's voice was ice. "You leaked the photo."
Veronica shrugged. "Please. Everyone would've found out eventually. You think a CEO and a kitchen girl could stay hidden forever?"He stepped closer, his tone low. "You didn't just ruin her reputation — you made her believe she wasn't enough."
Veronica laughed softly. "She isn't. You belong to this world, Adrian. She doesn't."
He leaned forward, eyes burning. "Then maybe I'm done belonging to this world."
For a moment, her smirk vanished.
Adrian turned away, voice firm. "Effective immediately, you're out of this company. And if I hear you mention Maya again, I'll make sure no one hires you anywhere."
As Veronica stormed out, Adrian sank into the chair, exhausted but resolute.
He pulled out his phone, opened Maya's contact — and typed:
> Adrian: "You once said I needed to trust you.
I should've trusted us.
I'm coming to make it right."
He didn't hit send. Not yet.
But for the first time in days, his heart felt clear.
---
That night, two people looked at the same moon from different sides of the city —
One with a heart still broken,
The other with a heart finally ready to fight.