There was a strange, cold silence in the office the morning Grayson returned from overseas.
Avery noticed it the moment she stepped through the lobby doors. The receptionist wasn't smiling like usual. No one was chatting by the coffee machine. Even the air felt heavier — like it had absorbed the weight of bad news.
And then came the whispers.
"Did you hear about the new dress code?"
"He told Martha she'd be fired if she came in jeans again."
"I heard nobody's allowed to apply for leave anymore. Anymore. At all."
Avery paused at the elevator, eyes narrowing.
Grayson Reid — the man who used to nod politely at interns and drop casual jokes during meetings — had returned from his family trip like a hurricane wrapped in a three-piece suit.
The new office rules came fast and hard:
No casual wear. Everyone must dress strictly in corporate suits.
No smiles. Except from the receptionist.
No lateness. Clock in by 8:00 AM sharp or face suspension.
No personal conversations. Phones were now to be kept in lockers.
No unapproved visits to the executive floor. Especially not to his office. Any breach? Immediate termination.
It was insane.
But no one dared protest.
By the third day, the entire staff moved like robots — silent, stiff, terrified.
Even Avery, who had survived worse, felt a knot forming in her stomach.
This wasn't the man she remembered. Not the man who once smiled at her over champagne, or whispered into her neck like she was the only woman on earth. This man was all ice and steel.
She had to know what had changed.
---
By Friday, she couldn't hold it in anymore.
Grayson had ignored her existence all week. No eye contact. No comments. Just cold professionalism — even when she submitted her reports.
And maybe it was stupid. Maybe it was reckless.
But she needed to speak to him.
She needed to understand.
So, during lunch break, while most of the staff was out, she made her move.
---
She stepped onto the executive floor, her heels echoing down the marble hallway.
Her heart thudded wildly as she approached his office.
The plaque on the door read: GRAYSON REID — CEO.
She knocked once. No answer.
She tried the handle.
Unlocked.
She stepped inside.
Grayson sat at his desk, brows furrowed as he flipped through a document. He didn't look up.
"I said no interruptions unless—" His voice stopped mid-sentence when he finally saw her.
Their eyes met.
"What are you doing here?" His voice was sharp. Controlled. Angry.
"I just—" Avery swallowed. "I wanted to check on you. You've been different since you got back."
"I told everyone not to enter without an appointment," he snapped, rising from his chair. "Do you think the rules don't apply to you, Ms. Carter?"
Her lips parted. "I—I'm sorry. I just thought maybe—"
"You just thought," he repeated, stepping closer. "That you could break protocol because what? You're new? A woman?"
"No," she whispered.
He scoffed. "This is a workplace, not therapy."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to overstep." She looked down. "Please don't fire me."
Grayson folded his arms. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't."
Avery's breath caught.
She raised her eyes slowly. "Because I'm a new mother. I have a daughter to feed. And this job is the only thing keeping us afloat. I swear I won't overstep again."
His eyes flickered for just a moment.
"A mother?" he said, voice softer now. "Aren't you… a bit young?"
Silence.
Avery nodded stiffly. "Yes. I am."
The air between them tightened. For a moment, neither spoke.
She saw something flash in his eyes — something like curiosity. But it disappeared too quickly.
He cleared his throat. "This is your final warning."
"I understand."
"Leave."
She turned and walked out, her hands trembling.
---
Two days later
Avery was refilling the paper tray in the printer when she heard his voice behind her.
"Ms. Carter."
She turned slowly.
Grayson stood there, hands in his pockets, no longer wearing that stiff, unreadable mask. There was something… hesitant about him.
"I was… harsh the other day," he said.
Avery blinked. "Sir?"
He glanced around. The hallway was empty.
"I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I was—dealing with some personal things. It wasn't your fault."
Avery nodded slowly. "Thank you."
An awkward pause stretched between them.
He looked like he wanted to say more — but didn't know how.
So she smiled gently, trying to ease the tension. "I guess I should've booked an appointment to check on your soul, huh?"
He blinked.
The joke hung in the air like perfume.
It wasn't just a joke. It was the joke.
The exact same thing she had said to him that night in the hotel, moments before he kissed her.
A flicker of recognition crossed his face.
His eyes narrowed slightly. "What did you just say?"
Avery's smile faltered. "Nothing. Just… a joke."
Grayson stared at her for a long moment.
Too long.
Then, without another word, he turned and walked down the hall.
She watched him go, heart pounding.
He didn't look back.
---
But she knew.
Something inside him had shifted.
He remembered.