Alexis Morgan had been by Cameron Hughes' side for so long, yet she had never seen him like this.

Whenever Arianna Stone’s name came up, he would smile. During their boys' nights, he’d drop his pool cue and leave without a second thought. At the time, Alexis convinced herself this was just a man’s need for conquest—that once the chase was over and the novelty wore off, he would snap out of it. After all, Cameron had never kept a girlfriend for longer than three months.

Yet, after he "conquered" Arianna, they had been dating for over six months, and he was still head over heels.

Alexis began to sense that something was wrong. She urged him to bring his girlfriend to meet the group, but Cameron shot the idea down, claiming Arianna was too busy with her internship and thesis. It wasn’t until later that Alexis realized he didn't dare tell Arianna that women were present at his social gatherings. Every time they met up, he came in secret.

Alexis felt a creeping sense of panic. She began to annoy Cameron at every opportunity, specifically choosing the moments when she knew he was with Arianna, including birthdays and major holidays. Cameron was, by nature, a reliable friend; if a friend was truly in trouble, he would show up. Alexis relied on this, and it worked every single time.

The first time she met Arianna, Alexis was predisposed to dislike her. Arianna was undeniably beautiful, with a personality that most people found magnetic. Alexis often thought that, had Arianna not been dating Cameron, they might have actually been friends. But, as it turned out, life had other plans.

But now, Alexis didn't care about any of that. Last night, Cameron had finally accepted her confession and agreed to be with her. That was enough. Everything else was irrelevant.

Her mind raced, buzzing with nervous energy. It wasn't until the first gray light of dawn that she finally curled up under her duvet and drifted into a shallow sleep.

She was jolted awake less than two hours later by her phone ringing. When she saw the caller ID, her heart leaped into her throat. She pressed a hand to her chest, took a few deep breaths, and answered. "Hello?"

This was a fresh start. A brand new beginning for her and Cameron.

On the other end, Cameron’s voice was raspy from sleep. "Alexis... I’m sorry."

The apology hit her like a physical blow, leaving her stunned.

"I woke up, and with a clear head, I realized what happened last night. The way you looked then... it was so much like Arianna’s."

"The day she agreed to date me, she was just as flushed, just as shy. So... forget everything I said last night. Don’t take it to heart."

Alexis sat stiffly on her bed, her eyes losing their focus.

Cameron’s final words hung in the air: "I’ve always seen you as a friend, through all these years. I never imagined you felt this way."

"It seems Arianna was right. She always had a problem with you being around, and it wasn’t without cause."

"Let’s stop seeing each other. I don’t want Arianna to get jealous."

The life had drained from Alexis' eyes. She stared at the phone screen, her voice trembling. "Cameron, what do you mean by that?"

"I’m going to win Arianna back."

—

Just as Maxwell King had predicted, the day Arianna arrived in Riverside, a steady drizzle began to fall, and the temperature plummeted. Arianna was relieved she had brought a coat, grateful that her work didn't require her to spend much time outdoors.

Still, the days were miserable. The relentless rain drumming against her umbrella, paired with the slow progress at the office, left Arianna feeling frayed. For days, there hadn't been a glimpse of sunlight. The weather was as gloomy as her mood. She felt like she had drained every ounce of her energy, yet she forced herself to keep pushing.

She spent her days navigating between the R&D and marketing departments. While she didn't have access to top-tier management, she did her best to compile a thorough risk assessment based on what she could gather—analyzing company history, patent leaks, and past market crashes that had forced them to pivot to their current business model. She even cross-referenced their weekly management training and monthly off-site workshops.

Miranda Green flipped through the final report, unable to hide the look of surprise in her eyes. "This is good. Really good."

"I knew I hadn't misjudged you."

As she reached the last page, she looked up at Arianna. The comment she was about to make died on her lips. Instead, she pivoted, "Why do you look so pale? Are you feeling alright?"

Arianna lifted her porcelain-white face. "I'm fine."

"You’re deathly pale," Miranda mused, concerned. "Have you been overworking yourself? Not getting enough sleep?"

Arianna nodded. "Maybe."

Miranda checked her watch and made a split-second decision. "It’s getting late anyway. Pack up and go back to the hotel. You’ve finished your tasks for today. Get some rest."

"Tomorrow is the last day. We’ll have one final meeting at the office, and then we’re heading home."

Arianna blinked, surprised. "I thought we were going to be delayed."

"This company is in much better shape than our initial assessment," Miranda said with a smile. "We can discuss the follow-up collaborations back in London. Our work here is done."

—

As Arianna walked out of Miranda’s office, she nearly collided with Ivy Mitchell, a young woman from the R&D department. She had a gentle, lovely name. The two of them had interacted frequently over the past few days.

Ivy gasped when she saw her. "Are you okay? You look terrible." She glanced back toward the office, lowering her voice. "Did you get chewed out?"

Arianna managed a faint smile. "No, nothing like that."

"Then what is it?"

Arianna frowned. She couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong, only that her whole body felt heavy and ached in places she didn't know could ache. "I think I’m just exhausted."

"Really?" Ivy watched her expression carefully, then whispered, "Is it... that time of the month?"

Arianna froze.

How had she forgotten? So much had happened this month that her cycle had completely slipped her mind. Now that she thought about it, she was right on schedule.

Coincidentally, Ivy was currently on her period as well. Seeing Arianna’s ghostly pallor, she said, "I think that’s it. Go to the restroom and check. It’s fine, I have pads in my bag."

"Come on, I’ll walk with you."

When they reached the restroom, Ivy stopped at the door, handing the sanitary pad to Arianna. She took Arianna’s purse from her hands. "I’ll hold your bag. Go ahead, I’ll wait for you."

She caught a glimpse of Arianna’s phone, hesitated for a second, but swallowed the impulse to say anything. She didn't want to overstep.

Arianna, sensing her hesitation, offered, "Could you hold my phone too? Thank you."

Ivy smiled. "Sure, go ahead."

In the silence of the waiting area, the phone buzzed once. It was a text. Ivy, respecting Arianna’s privacy, looked away.

A few seconds later, the phone began to ring. Ivy walked into the restroom, where the stalls were open, and called out, "Arianna, your phone is ringing."

"Should I bring it to you, or do you want to call back when you’re done?"

Arianna replied, "I'll be out in a second, I’ll return the call then."

After a beat, she asked, "Who is it?"

Ivy hesitated. "Is it okay if I look? I don't want to intrude."

Arianna laughed weakly. "It's fine, go ahead. Tell me who it is."

"Maxwell King. That's who it’s saved as."

The restroom seemed to go quiet for a heartbeat.

"I'm coming out now."

"Okay."

Ivy stood there patiently, waiting. The phone finished its first ring cycle. It began to ring a second time, but after a few seconds, it stopped.

The door opened, and Arianna stepped out, her face deathly pale, one hand pressed firmly against her abdomen.

Ivy nodded, understanding. "Did it start?"

Arianna nodded. "Yeah."

"Is the cramping bad?"

Arianna bit her bloodless lips. "A little."

"You call that a little?" Ivy said, a mix of concern and admiration. "You look like a ghost. Let me take you back to the hotel."

Arianna felt bad about the trouble. "It’s alright, I can just catch a cab. It’s only a few minutes away."

Ivy didn't push. "Fine, but let me at least walk you down to the lobby."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. We're friends, right?"

Over the last few days, Ivy had grown to love Arianna’s character—never arrogant, always meticulous, composed, and unfailingly polite. She was nothing like the entitled men from the local companies who used their position to bully them.

As Ivy helped her toward the elevator, she asked, "Does it hurt this much every time? Do you have any painkillers?"

"No," Arianna said. "There’s a drugstore by the hotel. I’ll pick some up."

"Oh, good."

Ivy felt like she had forgotten something. As the elevator descended, it suddenly hit her. She pulled the phone from her pocket and handed it over. "Here’s your phone. I put it in my pocket so I wouldn't lose it."

As she handed the device over, Ivy froze.

The screen was still lit up, displaying an active call. Beneath the contact name *Maxwell King*, the timer read—three minutes and twenty seconds.

Ivy: "..."

Arianna: "..."