Monday morning hit like a sledgehammer.
Aria marched into the office, adrenaline still pumping from last night's alleyway showdown and that dangerously good kiss she and Ethan still hadn't talked about.
But first things first — it was time to end Lawson.
She stormed through the glass doors of the executive floor with Ethan hot on her heels, ignoring the stunned looks from the junior associates and the wide-eyed assistant who squeaked, "Um, Mr. Lawson's in a meeting—"
"Not anymore," Aria snapped, shoving open the conference room door.
Lawson, smug in his overpriced suit, looked up from his folder, irritation flashing across his face.
"Miss Lane, what—"
"Save it," she cut him off, tossing a flash drive onto the table. "That's a recording of your hired spy confessing to framing me. Care to explain?"
Lawson's face went pale.
The room went so quiet you could hear the metaphorical mic drop.
Ethan crossed his arms, smirking. "Surprise."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Lawson tried.
"Cut the crap," Ethan growled. "We've got witnesses. And if this goes public, it won't just be your job you lose."
A bead of sweat trickled down Lawson's temple.
"I… It wasn't personal, Lane," he muttered weakly. "You were just—too ambitious."
Aria felt something inside her snap.
Too ambitious?
"All this because you couldn't handle a woman being better than you?"
Lawson didn't answer, but his silence said everything.
"I'll be calling the board," Ethan announced. "Expect a formal inquiry."
Lawson bolted from the room like a coward, leaving Aria shaking with leftover rage and adrenaline.
Ethan turned to her, brows raised. "Damn, Lane. That was hot."
She snorted, tension breaking. "Shut up."
But her grin betrayed her.
"Seriously though," Ethan said, his voice dropping to something gentler. "You okay?"
She shrugged. "I will be. Once Lawson's officially gone and Jason from finance pays up on that drink-in-the-face bet."
Ethan laughed, and for a second, the heaviness in her chest lifted.
But then, because she was an emotional disaster apparently, the words tumbled out before she could stop them.
"I meant what I said last night," she blurted.
Ethan blinked. "About hating Lawson?"
"No. About… about you."
He stilled, the playful grin fading into something softer.
"I didn't think I'd ever actually like you, Cole," she admitted, cheeks going red. "But somewhere between fake dates and chasing corporate spies, you kind of got under my skin."
He stepped closer, tipping her chin up so she had no choice but to meet his eyes.
"Good," he murmured. "Because you've been under mine since the day you spilled coffee on my $800 suit."
She laughed despite herself. "You deserved that."
"Probably. But this…" He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers. "I don't wanna fake this anymore."
Aria's pulse skipped.
"Neither do I," she whispered.
And this time, when they kissed, it wasn't about war or bets or saving face.
It was just them.
A little chaotic, a little ridiculous — and somehow perfect...