Page 12

LENNOX

I ran my fingers through my fresh silk pressed hair, admiring the sleekness in the rearview mirror. “Self-care,” I muttered to myself as I pulled out of the salon parking lot.

The Thursday afternoon sun was relentless, glinting off the windshield as I drove through the city.

I had one more day, one day to decide if I was going to uproot my life for this promotion.

“President,” I said aloud, testing how the words sounded coming from my lips.

A small part of me swelled with pride, but the larger part felt. . . unsure.

The offer was everything I’d worked toward. The culmination of late nights, canceled vacations, and every time I’d chosen my career over everything else. But Chicago wasn’t just another city; it was a fresh start. A clean slate. And wasn’t that what I always said I wanted?

I tapped my fingers against the steering wheel, my mind flipping through the pros and cons for the thousandth time. Chicago meant advancement. Bigger paychecks, bigger opportunities, bigger lifestyle.

It had been two weeks since I’d walked out of Omir’s office, and I couldn’t stop replaying every moment we’d spent together. The pull between us was undeniable, even when I tried to convince myself it was just physical. But was it? As I hit a red light, I sighed, gripping the wheel tighter.

“Get it together, Lennox,” I scolded myself. I wasn’t the kind of woman who let a man cloud her judgment. But Omir wasn’t just any man.

Before I knew it, I found myself driving toward his neighborhood, the streets growing quieter and more residential as I got closer.

I told myself I was just. . . checking in.

Closure. Maybe even goodbye. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but I had to see him.

My heart raced as I parked across the street, my palms slick against the steering wheel.

I stepped out of the car, adjusting my blouse nervously.

The house was quiet, the curtains drawn, and I hesitated at the foot of his driveway, debating whether I should turn back.

“Stop being ridiculous,” I whispered, steeling myself as I climbed the three steps to his door.

Just as I raised my hand to ring the doorbell, the door swung open, and I froze.

Omir stood there, bare-chested in a pair of low-hanging basketball shorts, his tattoos on full display against his chiseled chest. His skin gleamed faintly, like he’d just showered—or done something else.

Behind him, a gorgeous woman followed, her hair disheveled in that unmistakable “just woke up” way.

She was tall, with smooth skin, full lips, and a figure that made my heart sink.

“Oh,” I blurted, my voice sharper than I intended.

Omir’s face was blank, his dark eyes giving nothing away as he glanced at me. The woman leaned in, pressing a kiss to his cheek, her hand brushing his arm. “I’ll call you later,” she said, her voice light and flirtatious.

“Cool,” he replied, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Her gaze flickered to me, lingering just long enough to make me feel small, before she walked past, her heels clicking against the pavement as she headed to her car.

I stood there, rooted to the spot, my chest tight as I watched her drive off. My throat burned with the effort it took to keep my composure.

“What are you doing here?” Omir asked casually, leaning against the doorframe.

I glared at him, my emotions bubbling dangerously close to the surface. “Seriously?”

“What?” he asked, his tone indifferent.

“You’re really going to stand there like you didn’t just walk another woman out of your house?” I snapped.

Omir’s expression didn’t waver. “What the hell did you expect, Lennox? You made it clear where we stood.”

My breath hitched, his words slicing through me. “Are you kidding me right now?”

He shrugged, folding his arms over his chest. “You said it was just sex. That you didn’t want anything serious. So I’m living my life. Or does that shit only apply to you?”

“I’m not. . .” I clenched my fists, struggling to find the words. “I didn’t think?—”

“You didn’t think what?” he interrupted, his voice calm but sharp. “That I would do me? That I’d take you at your word?”

Tears stung the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. “You’re unbelievable,” I hissed.

“No, Lennox,” he said, stepping closer. “You’re selfish as fuck. You show up here out of nowhere, and for what? To see if I’m still waiting around for your ass? Newsflash—I’m not.”

The words hit me like a slap, but I straightened my spine, refusing to crumble. “You know what?” I said, my voice trembling with anger. “It doesn’t even matter. I came to tell you I’m moving to Chicago anyway. I got a promotion, and I’m taking it.”

Omir’s expression remained infuriatingly blank. “Congrats,” he said flatly.

I stared at him, my heart breaking even as fury surged through me. “You can forget any of this ever happened,” I spat.

“Already done,” he replied, his tone devoid of emotion as he stepped back, closing the door.

I turned on my heel, storming down the steps and back to my car. My hands shook as I fumbled with the keys, my vision blurring as tears threatened to spill. As I slid into the driver’s seat, I allowed one tear to fall, but only one. I didn’t have time for heartbreak. Not now. Not ever.

With a deep breath, I started the engine and drove off, leaving Omir and everything we could’ve been in the rearview mirror.