The Iceberg Waits
Aurevale Group.
CEO’s Office.
Sitting straight, Selene Aurevale rested against the smooth edge of her dark wood desk, strands of jet-black hair spilling down past her collar, gaze sharp and pale like winter sky. Papers fanned out in front of her - clean edges, fresh ink - the outline of another land venture pressing into her fingertips. Cost? Close to a hundred billion Euros - not massive by House Aurevale standards, yet still enough to pull every ounce of focus she had.
Now and then, the woman’s eyes drifted toward Selene - her posture stiff, hands folded tight. Beside that calm certainty, even breathing felt like too much noise. Every flick of a gaze sharpened the gap between them: one carved from stillness, the other restless under skin. Distance grew without steps taken. Perfection didn’t shout - it simply filled the room, leaving little space for anyone else to stand.
What made certain won seem flawless? The thought crept through her mind, sharp and quiet. Her own na surfaced then - Selene - soft, familiar, carrying its weight.
Suddenly looking up, Selene spoke without urgency, only wonder in her words. Six now, she noted, then asked if staying was the plan
"Huh?" The secretary blinked, caught off guard. She gave a nervous smile. "I... didn’t hear the usual knock, so I thought it was still early."
Most days, just when the clock hit six, Julian D’Aurelius would show up at her doorway. The boy from that old family line had done this now for three full years. Quiet steps, sa ti, every evening. Dinner was his reason, though he never said so out loud. Selene always went with him, without delay. Not once did he fail to co, except on holidays. His presence beca part of the air in those halls. A habit worn smooth by repetition. Even silence between them felt expected, sohow right. Then again, so things need no explanation after such long practice.
Sure, Selene wasn’t about to just say yes. Her freedom mattered more than most things, plus being grabbed like so kid rubbed her the wrong way. Still, that ceremony tugged at her mind, stirring sothing uneasy inside.
A hollow feeling crept in after her offhand comnt. That silence wasn’t normal. The doorway stayed empty, though it rarely did. Usually, footsteps ca right about now.
That constant push of his? She’d always hated it, felt trapped by it. Yet now - silence where knocking used to be - it tugged at sothing hollow inside. Missing him wasn’t the word, but the absence sat heavy anyway.
"Selene, I heard you and Young Master D’Aurelius got engaged? Congratulations on finally being together. I’ll be heading out now," her secretary said brightly, beginning to pack her belongings with an almost conspiratorial cheer.
A tune slipped from Selene, quiet and low. Her ribs tightened like a fist had closed beneath them. The light inside her dimd, slow then sudden.
A ring? Hardly convincing. Her mouth tightened without aning to. Three full years he’d watched her, steady as clockwork. Not once did she doubt his attention. Then - silence. All of it gone before it could even be nad.
A quiet ache settled in her chest, sharp but small. Still, pointing fingers felt wrong sohow. Truth was, silence had been her choice - long stretches without word, building barriers so high they blocked even warmth.
Her voice barely rose above a whisper when she asked what was off about herself. Pressing fingers to her forehead, she acted like pressure could clear the weight inside. Over one shoulder went the expensive handbag, carried without care. Out the door she moved, feet pacing slowly but each step dragged. The air around her seed thicker than before.
Footsteps echoing on the tile, she moved past reception where the last few workers spoke at once. Their voices blended into a single welco that hung just above silence.
"Hello, Selene."
"Thank you for your hard work, Selene."
"Leaving for the day, Selene? Congratulations on being with Young Master D’Aurelius!"
Every cheerful hello made her breath catch a little more. Bright grins surrounded her, though sothing sharp humd beneath them. Staff called her Iceberg when they thought she couldn’t hear.
Fatigue clung to her like a heavy coat. Masks never seed to co off, she realized, eyes drifting beyond the room.
Sothing about Julian pulled her thoughts back. Not because he spoke often, but when he did, aning ca through clear. While others hid behind practiced smiles, he let everything show - no pause, no filter. His honesty felt sharp, like light in a dark room.
Out here where everyone hides behind layers... you’ll find him showing up bare. Almost like he forgot how to pretend.
A quiet lift touched Selene’s mouth, just a hint of sothing soft breaking through. Relief arrived - unusual, sudden - even while her body stayed tight, unsure how to let go.
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