Lucas stepped out of the executive elevator, Riven trailing behind him, both dressed for business. The car was already waiting outside—he had a client meeting across the city, nearly an hour’s drive from Draeven Nexus. Timing was tight, but Lucas moved with his usual calm precision.
Down the adjacent corridor, Elara walked with Mina and two other admin staff, chatting about the new scheduling system. She was at the front, animated, her voice light with laughter.
Neither group saw the corner coming.
And then—
Impact.
Elara turned the corner too fast, her shoulder brushing Mina’s as she laughed—only to collide straight into Lucas’s chest.
Hard.
She gasped, stumbling backward from the force, but before she could fall, Lucas’s arm shot out, catching her by the waist.
Firm. Steady. Unshakable.
Her breath hitched.
“I—sorry—”
But she couldn’t move.
Her hair had tangled—caught in one of the buttons of Lucas’s suit jacket. A few strands looped tightly, refusing to let her step back.
She reached up, fingers fumbling.
“Wait, I think it’s stuck—”
Lucas’s hand gently covered hers.
“Let me,” he said, voice low. “Just stay still.”
Elara froze, heart thudding.
His fingers worked carefully, untangling the strands without pulling. The hallway was quiet now—Mina had stepped aside, wide-eyed, and the others had paused mid-step.
Lucas didn’t rush.
When he finally freed her hair, he didn’t step back immediately.
He looked at her.
Not with annoyance.
Not with amusement.
Just… something else.
Then, softly—just for her to hear:
“Stay away from corner corridors. You always get collided.”
Elara blinked.
“That’s only twice—”
Lucas leaned in slightly.
“Twice is a pattern.”
Her cheeks flared red.
Because she remembered the first time.
The hallway.
The rain.
The seal.
The accidental kiss.
Lucas’s voice had dropped to a whisper, but nothing escaped Riven’s ears.
He stood a few steps behind, watching silently.
And when Lucas turned to resume walking, Riven followed—with a barely suppressed smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
The moment Lucas disappeared around the corner, the silence broke.
Mina let out a low whistle.
“Well. My day is officially complete.”
Jace snorted behind her.
“Same. I mean, who needs coffee when you get a full view of President Lucas in motion?”
The other staff chuckled, and Elara tried to keep her expression neutral—even as her cheeks still burned from the collision.
Mina leaned in, eyes sparkling.
“You know, Elara… You’re kind of lucky.”
“Lucky?” Elara echoed, trying to sound casual.
“You’ve bumped into him now. And he caught you like some corporate drama lead.”
Elara groaned softly.
“It wasn’t that dramatic.”
“Oh, come on,” Mina teased. “The waist grab? The tangled hair? The way he looked at you like you were the only person in the hallway?”
Elara opened her mouth to protest, but Mina wasn’t done.
“You two have chemistry. I’m just saying.”
“We do not,” Elara said quickly, voice a little too high.
Mina raised a brow.
“You sure? Because Riven looked like he was holding back a laugh. And trust me—he doesn’t smile unless something’s worth noticing.”
Elara turned away, pretending to check her tablet.
But her thoughts were already spiraling.
Chemistry? No. Just a coincidence. Just proximity. Just…
She sighed.
Just Lucas.
The hallway buzzed again once Lucas disappeared around the corner, and the admin staff slowly dispersed—though not without a few lingering glances and whispered commentary.
Mina, however, stayed close.
Too close.
She nudged Elara with her elbow, eyes gleaming like she’d just uncovered a scandal.
“Okay, but seriously—how did that feel?”
Elara blinked, caught off guard.
“What?”
“You. Him. Waist grab. Full frontal view of President Lucas in motion. That man is basically a walking drama scene.”
Elara tried to laugh it off, but her voice came out thinner than expected.
“It was… unexpected.”
Mina leaned closer, practically vibrating with curiosity.
“Unexpectedly good?”
Elara hesitated, then sighed.
“He’s really handsome, isn’t he? I used to be a fan. Back when he was still acting.”
Mina froze mid-step, eyes wide.
“Wait—you also know that?!”
Elara blinked.
“Of course. I followed his dramas. Interviews. Even had a poster once.”
Mina gasped like she’d just discovered a celebrity scandal.
“You’ve been walking around here like a normal person while secretly holding VIP-level Lucas lore? Elara, this is betrayal!”
Elara laughed nervously.
“It was years ago. I thought I outgrew it.”
Mina clutched her chest dramatically.
“You were a fan. A real fan. And now you’ve bumped into him. Waist-grab level proximity. This is a full-circle moment!”
Elara groaned.
“It’s not a moment.”
Mina narrowed her eyes, voice dropping just enough to sound conspiratorial.
“Your heart still beat faster when you saw him, didn’t it? Especially with that drama scene a while ago. Come on, tangled hair and intense eye contact? That was straight out of a series finale.”
Elara looked down, cheeks warming.
“Maybe a little.”
“Aha!” Mina clapped her hands. “I knew it. Former fan feelings reactivated. This is better than anything on my watchlist.”
Elara covered her face with her hand.
“Can we not turn this into a headline?”
Mina grinned.
“Too late. I’m already drafting the article: ‘Ex-Fangirl Collides with CEO—Chemistry Confirmed by Eyewitness Riven, Who Definitely Saw Everything.’”
Elara groaned louder.
It’s just the seal. Just the past. Just… Lucas.
But even she didn’t believe that anymore.