Ryan remained silent long after Marcus finished speaking.

The office suddenly felt quieter.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, Manhattan carried on as usual. Cars crawled through traffic. People hurried along sidewalks. Somewhere below, a distant siren echoed through the afternoon.

But inside Ryan’s office, time seemed to stand still.

Marcus didn’t say another word.

He knew Ryan well enough to understand that silence wasn’t rejection.

Ryan was thinking.

Really thinking.

After almost a full minute, Ryan finally leaned back in his chair and rubbed both hands across his face.

“I don’t know what happened to me, Marcus.”

Marcus smiled gently.

“You met someone.”

Ryan let out a quiet laugh.

“I didn’t even meet her.”

“No,” Marcus replied. “You met her heart first.”

Ryan looked at him.

Marcus continued.

“You fell in love with the person behind the messages. Then you discovered the face wasn’t the person writing them.”

Ryan sighed deeply.

“That’s exactly what’s confusing me.”

Marcus nodded.

“I figured.”

Ryan stood up and slowly walked toward the large glass windows overlooking the city.

“I’ve built my whole life around logic.”

He folded his arms.

“I solve problems every day.”

“I make decisions worth millions of dollars without blinking.”

“But this…”

He shook his head.

“This doesn’t make any sense.”

Marcus smiled.

“That’s because you’re trying to solve emotions like they’re business problems.”

Ryan turned around.

“And they aren’t?”

Marcus laughed.

“If they were, divorce lawyers would be unemployed.”

That finally earned Marcus a genuine laugh.

Ryan shook his head.

“You always know how to ruin a serious moment.”

“It’s one of my hidden talents.”

Both men laughed.

For the first time in days…

Ryan looked lighter.

Marcus noticed immediately.

Good.

He’s smiling again.

Marcus stood up from his chair.

“Can I ask you something?”

Ryan nodded.

“Shoot.”

Marcus folded his arms.

“When Emily came here…”

Ryan’s expression softened.

“…did you believe she was telling the truth?”

Ryan didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he walked back toward his desk before finally speaking.

“I did.”

Marcus looked surprised.

“You believed her?”

“I believed every word.”

“So why did you ask for time?”

Ryan slowly lowered himself into his chair.

“Because believing someone…”

“…and trusting someone again…”

“…aren’t always the same thing.”

Marcus nodded thoughtfully.

“Fair enough.”

Ryan looked down at the desk.

“I could see how terrified she was.”

“I could hear the regret in her voice.”

“I don’t think she lied when she said the conversations were real.”

Marcus remained silent.

Ryan continued quietly.

“But trust…”

He sighed.

“…once it’s broken…”

“…isn’t repaired in a single conversation.”

Marcus completely understood.

After another brief silence, Marcus smiled.

“You know…”

Ryan raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

“I’ve worked with you for almost eight years.”

Ryan nodded.

“And?”

“I’ve never seen you cancel meetings because of a woman.”

Ryan chuckled.

“Neither have I.”

“You nearly postponed the biggest client presentation of the quarter.”

Ryan shook his head.

“I know.”

Marcus pointed toward him dramatically.

“That frightened me.”

Ryan laughed.

“You were frightened?”

“I almost called Human Resources.”

Ryan burst into laughter.

“What exactly would you tell them?”

Marcus cleared his throat theatrically.

“‘Excuse me… I believe our CEO has been infected by emotions.'”

Ryan laughed so hard he had to lean back in his chair.

“You really are impossible.”

“I’ve been told.”

The laughter slowly faded.

Then Marcus became serious again.

“Ryan.”

“Hmm?”

“I need to ask one favor.”

Ryan looked at him.

“What favor?”

Marcus hesitated.

Not because he was afraid.

But because he wanted Ryan to understand how important this was.

“It’s about the Sterling Dynamics meeting.”

Ryan immediately knew what he meant.

“The meeting in two days.”

Marcus nodded.

Ryan looked away.

Marcus continued carefully.

“We’ve spent almost four months negotiating that opportunity.”

Ryan remained silent.

“The entire executive team has been preparing.”

“The client flew in from California specifically because they wanted to meet you.”

Ryan sighed quietly.

“I know.”

Marcus moved closer.

“And they specifically requested you.”

“I know.”

“They didn’t ask for the Vice President.”

“They didn’t ask for me.”

“They asked for Ryan Carter.”

Ryan smiled faintly.

“You really came prepared.”

Marcus smiled back.

“I had to.”

Ryan leaned back in his chair.

Marcus continued.

“You built Carter Technologies from nothing.”

“You’ve poured years of your life into this company.”

“You’ve inspired thousands of employees.”

“You’ve changed people’s lives.”

He paused.

“I know you’re hurting.”

“And honestly…”

“You deserve time to heal.”

“But don’t allow one painful chapter to erase everything you’ve spent years building.”

Ryan looked at Marcus quietly.

The sincerity in his voice couldn’t be questioned.

Marcus wasn’t speaking as an employee.

He was speaking like family.

Ryan smiled.

“You know…”

Marcus raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

Ryan shook his head slowly.

“You must be the brother my parents refused to give me.”

Marcus blinked.

Then both men laughed.

“I’m serious.”

Ryan stood up and walked over to him.

“I don’t say this enough…”

“…but thank you.”

Marcus smiled.

“For what?”

“For being loyal.”

“For always telling me the truth.”

“For reminding me who I am whenever I start forgetting.”

Marcus shrugged modestly.

“That’s my job.”

“No.”

Ryan shook his head.

“That’s not in your employment contract.”

Marcus laughed.

“No, it isn’t.”

Ryan extended his hand.

Instead of shaking it…

Marcus pulled him into a quick hug.

Ryan laughed.

“I offered a handshake.”

“I upgraded it.”

Ryan smiled.

“Apparently.”

Marcus stepped back and grinned.

“So…”

Ryan folded his arms.

“So?”

“Is that a yes?”

Ryan pretended not to understand.

“A yes to what?”

Marcus groaned dramatically.

“The meeting!”

Ryan chuckled.

“You really don’t give up.”

“I can’t.”

Ryan looked at him for a few seconds.

Then he smiled.

“Fine.”

Marcus waited.

“The meeting stays.”

Marcus’s eyes widened.

“Seriously?”

Ryan nodded.

“We’ll meet them the day after tomorrow.”

Marcus threw both hands into the air.

“Yes!”

Ryan laughed.

“Easy.”

Marcus pointed excitedly.

“This calls for a celebration.”

Ryan shook his head.

“Let’s win the contract first.”

Marcus smiled confidently.

“We will.”

Ryan folded his arms.

“You sound very certain.”

Marcus nodded without hesitation.

“Because there’s never been a time you genuinely committed yourself to something and didn’t give it your absolute best.”

Ryan smiled.

“I appreciate the confidence.”

“It’s not confidence.”

Marcus grinned.

“It’s evidence.”

Ryan laughed again.

“You really should become a motivational speaker.”

Marcus chuckled.

“I’ll consider it after we sign this contract.”

Ryan shook his head, still smiling.

“You know…”

Marcus looked at him.

“What?”

Ryan’s smile slowly faded into something more reflective.

“It’s strange.”

“What is?”

Ryan looked out through the window once more.

“My career…”

He smiled softly.

“…has always made sense.”

Marcus waited.

“I’ve been fortunate.”

“I’ve worked hard.”

“And most of the things I’ve truly wanted professionally…”

“…I’ve eventually achieved.”

He paused before letting out a quiet breath.

“But relationships…”

He laughed without humor.

“That’s a different story.”

Marcus stayed silent.

Ryan continued.

“First Olivia.”

He looked down briefly.

“I was ready to build a future with her.”

“I trusted her completely.”

“And she shattered that trust.”

He sighed.

“Years later…”

“I finally decide to open my heart again.”

“And somehow…”

“…I end up caught between two women…”

“…one who hid behind another person’s face…”

“…and another who stepped into a life that wasn’t hers.”

He shook his head.

“Relationship-wise…”

“I hardly get what I want.”

“I guess I’ve just been unlucky.”

Marcus smiled warmly.

“No.”

Ryan looked at him.

“I don’t think you’re unlucky.”

Ryan raised an eyebrow.

“No?”

Marcus shook his head.

“I think you’re simply early.”

Ryan looked confused.

Marcus continued with a reassuring smile.

“Sometimes life protects the right person until the right time.”

He walked toward the office door before turning back one last time.

“So don’t write your love story’s ending after reading only the first few chapters.”

Ryan couldn’t help smiling.

Marcus pointed playfully toward him.

“Your true love may be much closer than you think.”

He winked.

“She might just be waiting around the corner.”

Ryan smiled, though he didn’t respond.

After Marcus left the office, Ryan stood quietly by the window.

His eyes drifted toward the bustling streets below.

Then, almost without realizing it…

One face came to mind.

Not the face from the profile picture.

But the nervous young woman who had stood in his office…

Trembling…

Yet brave enough to tell him the truth.

Emily.