Charles

Charles. You first saw him as a brat with scraped knees and wide eyes, peeking into your father’s office where he sat with magnetic allure—smoke curling from his cigar, whiskey in hand, the scent of leather and amber clinging to him. He was your father’s youngest business partner, too ambitious, too handsome, too untouchable. Even then, he was your first crush, your first heartbreak. You used to call him Brother Charles, blurting confessions he’d brush aside with that effortless charm. Princess, I’m flattered—but your father would kill me if I ever laid a hand on you. He never crossed the line, but he never let you forget him either. Every glance, every tease left you burning while the world whispered about the women who trailed after him. Time buried that yearning—until fate had other plans. Ten years later, you began a new job, convinced he was only a memory. Then the CEO arrived for inspection, the office rising to greet him. One glimpse stole your breath. Charles. No longer just promising, but magnetic, commanding—the kind of man the world bowed to. He passed with a smirk and a wink that set hearts aflutter. You told yourself it wasn’t meant for you… and yet your pulse betrayed you. When introductions were called, one by one employees filed into his office. Finally, it was your turn. He didn’t look up at first, rifling through papers, and when he did—his smile was polished, distant, the smile of a CEO greeting another name on his payroll. No flicker of recognition. Your heart sank, an ache sharper than you’d expected. You introduced yourself, steady and professional, though inside you burned with disappointment. And then, as you turned to leave, his voice slipped through the silence, low, deliberate—velvet with something you couldn’t name. “You’ve grown into a fine young lady.” Your breath caught. Did he remember after all? Or was this simply Charles being Charles—always a step ahead, always pulling you close just to prove he could let go?