Cloud Company
The office buzzed with activity. Phones rang, keyboards clicked, and designers hunched over their screens with furrowed brows and intense focus. But nestled within the productivity, Clara and Wren leaned in close at the edge of their shared desk, whispering feverishly, eyes glinting with scandal.
"Did you hear Willow kidnapped the second son of the Smith Company?" Clara whispered, her voice laced with disbelief as she scanned the room.
Wren flipped her pen lazily between her fingers and smirked. "Yes, I heard. Honestly, I've always known that girl was evil."
Clara shook her head dramatically, mouth slightly agape, her brows lifted. "She's going to ruin the company's image, just watch."
A calm yet firm voice cut through the gossip like a blade. Elizabeth looked up from her sketchpad, her fingers stilling. Her eyes were steady, her posture composed. "If you don't know what's going on, don't judge."
Wren rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, not bothering to hide her disdain. "Look at one of her dogs."
Elizabeth's spine straightened, her lips drawing into a thin, determined line. "I'm not a dog," she said, voice like steel wrapped in velvet.
Clara crossed her arms, lips curling into a smirk. "She kidnapped someone, and you really have the nerve to defend her?"
Elizabeth's hand tightened around her pencil, knuckles whitening. "I'm just saying we don't know what really happened."
Wren leaned closer, her tone sharper, almost biting. "So if your family member was kidnapped, would you try to understand why the kidnapper did it?"
Elizabeth's expression faltered. Her lips parted, but no words escaped. Her shoulders tensed, and her pencil trembled in her grasp. Of course she won't try to understand the abductor if her family is kidnapped
"Elizabeth," came a cheerful voice.
Jasmine strolled toward them with a soft smile, her steps poised and practiced. She stopped beside the group, radiating calm, though a coolness lingered beneath the surface.
"I know you revere Willow a lot, but a crime is still a crime," she said with a casual shrug, distancing herself from the heat.
"Miss Jasmine…" Elizabeth's voice was louder than she meant, and her wide eyes shimmered with something close to hurt.
Wren scoffed with a dry chuckle. "At least she has a brain, unlike you, Elizabeth."
Jasmine's smile slipped, her words now clipped. "Willow has always been our boss and a nice person, but she's now a criminal—someone that doesn't need to be defended."
"If Willow heard you saying this, she would be very disappointed," came a voice from behind.
They all turned. Michael stood there, sketchbook under his arm, gaze calm but unwavering. He rarely get involved in this ladies gossip,even with Willow it's always professional talks,so it was surprising he was actually defending Willow.
Clara blinked. "Michael?"
He gave a slight shrug. "Just saying."
"I'm sorry, I can't defend a criminal," Jasmine said flatly.
Elizabeth's voice came again, quieter, almost pleading. "Miss Jasmine…"
Her voice trembled slightly, doubt creeping in—but her heart still clung to the truth she believed in.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried heels echoed on the marble floor. Rosemary burst in, breathless and flushed.
"Did you watch the news?" she asked, panting.
"What news?" Wren snapped.
Rosemary held up her phone. "Look."
The screen showed a breaking news broadcast. Alder Smith stood in front of a swarm of reporters, black suit pristine, expression composed.
Anchor: Are you saying you went with her of your own accord?
Alder: Yes. We planned it together, but unfortunately we got caught.
(He smiled softly.)
Anchor: Can you tell us a little about your love story?
Alder: Just like everyone, we met and fell in love. It was love at first sight.
Anchor: She fell for you first?
Alder: (chuckling) Actually, I fell for her first, the very first day I met her.
Anchor: What do you have to say to your fiancée Miss Flora and to the Montclair family?
Alder: I'm sorry for everything. And to Miss Flora, I'm sorry for being a jerk. I shouldn't have given you hope only to shatter it.
Rosemary let out a dreamy sigh. "Who would've thought Miss Willow was dating Mr. Alder Smith?"
Clara's jaw dropped. "That explains how she became head of the design team so young."
"Mr. Alder and Mr. Reed are best friends," Wren muttered. "It all makes sense now."
Michael shook his head slowly. "You're all made of gossip. Not worth wasting words on." He turned and walked away.
The group scattered in silence, but Jasmine remained rooted, her eyes unfocused, lips slightly parted, caught in a silent, personal storm.
Cloud Company Restroom
"I wonder how Jasmine feels now that Miss Willow isn't a kidnapper but actually eloped with her lover," Dana Murrell mused, fixing her lipstick in the mirror.
"She and Willow used to be close, but she didn't even defend her," added Felicity Mendez, brushing lint off her blouse.
"It's not easy to defend someone who never opens up to you,Miss Willow is close to no one" Dana said thoughtfully.
"Still, you should stand by your friend,since they are a little close" Felicity insisted, arms crossed.
"I once heard Jasmine's father died in a kidnapping... maybe it's trauma," Lilah Rowe murmured, leaning her hip against the counter.
"Maybe," Dana replied softly. "But Willow doesn't seem like someone who'd elope."
"Looks can be deceiving," Lilah answered.
"The one I feel sorry for is Miss Flora Montclair," Felicity said, sighing.
"Yeah, she lost such a handsome man to Willow," Dana agreed.
"Willow is beautiful," Lilah noted.
"No one's denying that. But Flora is more beautiful," Felicity replied.
"That's your opinion. Willow's more beautiful to me," Lilah countered.
"I heard Flora had plastic surgery to be that beautiful," Lilah added.
"You hear too much," Dana said with a laugh and exited the restroom.
The restroom emptied. Jasmine stepped out of one of the stalls, her reflection pale and silent in the mirror. Her eyes glistened—not with tears, but with something far more haunted. Her hands gripped the counter like it was the only thing grounding her.
Cloud Boardroom
The atmosphere was tense, the air thick with murmurs. When Reed entered, silence dropped like a curtain. He walked to the head of the table and sat down, eyes sweeping across the room.
"Let the meeting begin," he said coolly.
"We need to remove Willow Larkspur from the design team and release a statement distancing the company from her," a board member insisted.
"Why?" Reed asked, flipping through a file without glancing up.
"Our company shares have dropped," Bryce Ocean's husband replied.
"By how much?"
"3.8 percent."
Reed raised an eyebrow. "That's not enough to sink a company."
"Still, her involvement could tarnish our image."
"We all know this lady is a criminal," another voice added.
"But Alder said they eloped. That changes things, doesn't it?" Ocean countered.
"The Montclairs might still back out of business with us," another said.
"She's contributed so much to this company," Bryce said. "Maybe we should sleep on it for now."
"She could easily be snatched up by competitors," Reed said, voice calm but decisive.
"Let's at least talk to her first," Ocean suggested.
Reed closed the file. "Agreed. Let's invite Miss Willow."
Willow's House
Willow sat curled on the couch, the television glowing softly in the dim room. Her hands gripped the edge of the cushion as though it might anchor her.
Alder: I fell for her first… The very first day I met her
She looked at the television with a sad expression.
He took the blame for her.
"Does he love me… or hate me?" she whispered, wrapping her arms around herself.
"Alder, do you really still love me?"
Reed and Alder at a Bar
The low light in the bar shimmered against the glass in Reed's hand. He swirled the amber liquid, voice calm.
"How have you been?"
Alder slouched against the counter. "I'm okay."
"Are you sure?"
"Don't I look okay to you?" Alder snapped, downing his drink.
Reed tilted his head. "How are you and Willow?"
Alder slammed his glass down. "That heartless woman hasn't called me in five days. Five damn days."
"Maybe she doesn't know how to talk to you."
Alder laughed bitterly. "She's always been heartless. Sometimes I wonder if she ever loved me."
"Alder," Reed said gently.
Alder's voice cracked, raw and aching. "I loved her more than I should've. So much that no matter what she does, I can't fault her."
"Then talk to her."
Alder stared at his empty glass. "Am I being childish? I just want her to take a step forward. I'll take the remaining thousand steps."
Reed chuckled. "A step? She already took two thousand steps forward. She was brave enough to kidnap you and ruin her name. Now it's your turn."
Alder's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Yes."
"What if she doesn't love me?"
"Then you'll know. But you'll never know if you don't talk to her."
Alder stood abruptly, heart thudding.
"Where are you going?" Reed asked.
"To talk to Willow."