Shattered Trust

When he saw Lily again later that afternoon, his heart sank. She was talking to Kate outside the building. From his distance, it was hard to see the full conversation, but it didn’t look like a friendly exchange. She handed Kate money—money. The image seared itself into his brain. He watched as Lily gave her a quick look, one that seemed almost desperate, as if she was pleading with Kate to keep quiet. Henry’s chest tightened.

So, that’s it. She had kissed him for money. For a payoff. The way she had acted so innocent, so genuine before—it had all been an act. He should have known better than to trust someone like her, someone willing to manipulate situations for her own benefit

As he sat in his car, staring at the screen of his phone, watching the video again, he felt that familiar ache of confusion twist inside him. It was hard to ignore the pang of betrayal that gnawed at him. He had allowed himself to trust her—really trust her. He had let down his guard, let the walls he’d built around his heart weaken, and now, everything felt like a lie.

His mind kept replaying the moments they'd shared—the small, unspoken moments where he thought he saw something more in her eyes. He had wanted to believe the connection they shared was real, but now, all of that felt like it had been a mistake. What if he was just another target for her, a means to an end? He had always been cautious, and he’d let her in when he shouldn’t have. The disappointment he felt in himself was palpable—he had fallen for it.

It wasn’t just that he was hurt. It was the shame of his own vulnerability, of letting his guard slip so easily with someone he barely knew. How could he have been so naïve? He clenched his jaw, angry with himself, with the situation, and with her.

A bitter laugh escaped him. She had played him. She had played him so damn well.

As Lily entered the building, her thoughts were consumed by one question: Has Henry seen the video?

The possibility that he might think she was the one who had recorded and posted it haunted her. She could already imagine how he might interpret it, how he could believe that she was using him for fame or to make herself known. It made her sick to her stomach, but what could she do? How could she explain herself? She had to clear this misunderstanding, whatever it took.

She didn't even know someone was recording them, but she could already hear the accusation in Henry's voice, the disbelief that she’d let something like that happen. The worst part was the idea that he might never believe her—that he might think she’d planned the whole thing for the attention, to climb some invisible social ladder. The very thought of Henry thinking that about her made her feel like she was suffocating.

I didn’t know there was someone recording, she silently promised herself. I’ll tell him that. I’ll make him understand.

But for now, she didn’t have the chance to speak with him. As she walked toward the office, her eyes darted around the lobby. She spotted William, his usual casual but professional demeanor standing out. With a sense of urgency, she hurried toward him, hoping he might know where Henry was.

"William," she asked quickly, her voice tinged with anxiety, "Is Henry in the office? I need to speak to him. There’s something important I need to explain."

William looked up and gave her a small, knowing smile. “The boss isn’t in right now. He’s left for a meeting. But I’ll make sure to let him know you wanted to meet him as soon as he’s back.”

Lily’s heart sank. She had hoped to talk to Henry today, to somehow clear the air, but it looked like that wasn’t going to happen. Still, she nodded politely. “Thank you, William. I’ll catch up with him later.” She turned away and walked out of the building, her thoughts still swirling with worry and frustration.

The next few days passed in a blur of deadlines, endless meetings, and the stress of the company’s takeover. Lily barely had a moment to breathe, let alone search for an opportunity to talk to Henry. The air in the office had become thick with tension, as everyone scrambled to manage the last details of the merger.

Then, finally, it happened—the takeover was completed. And though it wasn’t without its challenges, Henry had been the driving force behind it all. His dedication, his tireless work, had pushed everyone else forward, and now, as the company stood stronger than ever, it was clear that Henry’s leadership had been the key to their success.

The day Henry returned to the office after finalizing everything was marked with a buzz of energy. William passed along the orders, and the office erupted in a flurry of excitement. Henry, standing tall as always, looked every bit the leader. His eyes gleamed with exhaustion, but also with a quiet satisfaction that only came from hard-earned victory.

"Give everyone the rest of the day off," Henry told William with a decisive tone. "They’ve earned it. And tell them we’ll be having a celebratory party this evening to thank them for all their hard work and overtime. It’s well deserved."

As the buzz continued around the office, Lily, now seated at her desk, felt a momentary pause in the chaos. She was too far back to immediately join in the celebration, but she knew she had to acknowledge what had been accomplished. Henry had worked harder than anyone else, and despite the tension between them, she couldn’t deny the admiration she felt for his dedication.

She made her decision—she would go up to him and congratulate him and clear any misunderstanding he might have. She’d put aside everything that had happened, if only for a moment, to tell him how much she respected what he’d done. She stood up and made her way in the elevator, the elevator reached the first floor, as the got out of it she saw Henry waiting for his private elevator to come down.

Henry stood there, his eyes focused on something ahead, the familiar intensity in his gaze, but something was different this time. As their eyes met, Lily felt an instant jolt, like a cold wind sweeping through her.

His gaze was like ice—sharp, distant, and entirely devoid of the warmth she had once seen there. He didn’t smile at her. He didn’t even acknowledge her presence in a way that made her feel seen. Instead, there was just an icy indifference, as if she was nothing more than a passing colleague. The usual warmth in his eyes was gone, replaced by something harder, something more guarded. She knew it was because of the video, because of the kiss. But it wasn’t just the kiss—it was everything that followed.

Lily froze in her tracks. The knot in her chest tightened painfully.

This isn’t the Henry I know, she thought.

This was a man who no longer seemed to care about her, who no longer saw her the way he had before. The way he looked at her now was almost… accusatory. His eyes had lost the kindness that once lingered there, replaced by something hard, something cold.

For a moment, it felt as though the air itself had grown thick, and Lily’s words caught in her throat. She had planned to congratulate him, to acknowledge his success, but now, in the face of his icy stare, she felt her confidence falter.

She wanted to say something, to clear the air, but the weight of his gaze made her hesitate. How could she even explain herself when it felt like he was already so far removed from her? How could she talk to him when everything between them seemed so broken, so fragile?

She had thought that perhaps, just perhaps, he might be the one person who could see her for who she really was, beyond the mistakes of her past. But now, the walls he had built up around himself seemed even thicker, and Lily couldn’t help but feel the weight of her own failure pressing down on her. The worst part was, she had no idea how to fix it.

The silence stretched between them. Finally, with a small, almost imperceptible nod, Henry stepped past her, his body language stiff and closed off. He didn’t speak. He didn’t even look back.

Lily stood there, the sharp sting of his indifference settling in her chest. As the doors of the elevator closed between them, she was left standing alone, the question echoing in her mind:

Had he really seen her as she had hoped—or was this the end of any chance they ever had?

[ TO BE CONTINUED ;) .........]

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