"Ms. Vivian, there''s a man outside who''s been waiting to meet you for the last hour."


    Vivian glanced up from her desk, her fingers pausing on the pen that had been dancing across the pages of a report. Her round spectacles caught the last rays of the setting sun, casting a faint crescent reflection on the desk. "He hasn''t left yet?" she asked, her voice calm but edged with annoyance.


    "No, ma''am. He insists he will stay here until you meet him," Sophia replied, her voice tinged with reluctance. She hesitated, her eyes darting nervously around the room. "About the security issues..."


    Vivian''s gaze sharpened as she looked through her glasses, the fading sunlight framing her face in a halo of golden light. "He won''t do anything," she said with quiet confidence. "But for the last time, try to send him away. If he causes any problem, let me know."


    Sophia nodded, her worry evident as she left the room. Vivian turned her attention to the window, the setting sun casting chromatic rays that bathed her shadowed cold heart in a warm glow. She put down her head, her face toward the window and closed her eyes, feeling a moment of serene detachment, as if she could photosynthesize the calm of the setting sun into her being. Breathing deeply, she tried to empty her mind of all thoughts, letting the day''s stresses dissipate into the warm dusk.


    As the light faded and the office darkened, Vivian snapped back to reality. She resumed her work with renewed focus, the day''s tasks gradually coming to a close. The office around her was silent, the usual bustle replaced by an eerie stillness.


    Vivian finally closed her last file and looked around. The only lights on were in her office; the rest of the building was cloaked in darkness, indicating that everyone else had already gone home. A sense of unease prickled at her, and she hastily packed her things, feeling the oppressive weight of the darkened halls pressing in on her.


    She exited her office, the sound of her heels echoing ominously as she crossed the corridor to the lift. As the doors opened, she stepped inside, hoping to slip away unnoticed. But when she reached the lobby, a familiar figure caught her eye. There was a man seated in the waiting area, his back turned to her.


    Vivian''s breath hitched. She quickly held a file in front of her face, attempting to pass by unnoticed. But her heels betrayed her, clicking sharply against the marble floor. The sound seemed to echo endlessly in the silent lobby, drawing unwanted attention. As the man stood, his movements slow and deliberate, Vivian''s heart raced. She could feel his gaze settle on her, an invisible weight that made her pulse quicken.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    "Viva," he called softly, his voice carrying a note of desperation that cut through the stillness.


    She froze, the name hanging in the air like a ghost from the past. She refused to meet his eyes, staring straight ahead with a rigid posture. "I told you not to call me by that name," she hissed, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion. It was a name she had long distanced herself from, a piece of her history she preferred to forget.


    The man, paused. He lifted his hands in a placating gesture, a peace offering in the midst of a brewing storm.


    He was in his late twenties, his appearance disheveled and worn, as if life''s hardships had taken their toll on him. His clothes were shabby, his hair unruly, but there was a certain rugged handsomeness about him, a latent charisma that was getting eroded by the traumas of life that were wearing him down...


    "Okay, okay, I won''t," he soothed, his voice gentle and conciliatory. "Ms. Donovan, you don''t even want to see your brother?" he said with a gale smile


    Vivian''s eyes flashed with anger, a fire igniting within her. "STOP IT! You''re not my brother!" Her voice echoed through the empty lobby, the sound bouncing off the walls like a painful confession, reverberating with years of unresolved tension and bearing witness to this unsolemn testimonial of an unbreakable break up....


    Rupert approached slowly, undeterred by her outburst. His movements were familiar, almost resigned, as if this was a dance they had performed many times before. There was a weary acceptance in his eyes, a reflection of countless encounters marked by rejection and hurt. As he drew closer, Vivian''s phone buzzed in her bag, shattering the moment''s intensity. She seized the distraction, answering the call with a hurried urgency, using it as an excuse to escape the confrontation.


    Rupert watched her retreat, his expression a mix of resignation and sorrow. His shoulders sagged slightly, but he did not turn away. As Vivian reached her car, he followed, his steps slow but determined, as if each one carried the weight of his resolve.


    Vivian started her car, her hands trembling as she gripped the steering wheel. She glanced in the rear view mirror, catching a glimpse of Rupert standing in the headlights'' glow. Suddenly, he appeared in front of the vehicle, forcing her to slam on the brakes. The car jerked violently, the force throwing her forward against the seatbelt. In the confusion, Rupert swiftly opened the back door and slipped into the car, shutting the door behind him with a decisive click.


    Vivian''s anger flared, her eyes blazing with fury as she turned to face him. "Get out of my car!" she demanded, her voice tight with barely controlled rage. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps, the adrenaline coursing through her veins.


    Rupert merely held onto the seatbelt, his expression calm and composed. "I’m not leaving," he said quietly, his voice carrying a steely determination.


    Before Vivian could respond, the parking attendant approached, motioning for her to move out of the lot. The attendant''s presence was a silent but firm reminder of the need to maintain order. Frustrated and out of options, Vivian reluctantly drove off, the tension in the car thickening like a storm cloud ready to burst.


    The ride was silent, the air heavy with unspoken words and unresolved feelings. The weight of their shared history hung between them, palpable and suffocating. Vivian gripped the steering wheel tighter, her knuckles white with the effort. She could feel Rupert''s gaze on her, a silent question lingering in the space between them.