The morning sun was unusually warm for late spring, casting golden beams through Emily's bedroom curtains. The city's hum was faint in the distance, a peaceful murmur compared to its usual roar. She stirred from sleep with a sense of purpose she hadn't felt in weeks.
Today wasn't about meetings, launch schedules, or designer line-ups. Today was about something else entirely.
Tiana.
Emily had been thinking about her boss non-stop since their Saturday discussion. There was something unsettling about the way Tiana held herself together so tightly, as if her bones were made of steel. It was beyond professionalism. It was survival. And Emily couldn't shake the feeling that Tiana wasn't living—she was only enduring.
As she sipped her coffee and stared out the window, Emily made up her mind.
She needs air. Space. Something soft.
Something real.
Tiana's building towered above the streets of the city like a monument to distance. All polished glass, strict lines, and security. Emily had never been here before—not outside of work-related pickups or courier drop-offs. But today, she wasn't a personal assistant. She was a friend—if Tiana would let her be one.
Clutching her bag with both nervousness and resolve, Emily approached the concierge.
"Emily Lane. I'm here to see Ms. Kings."
The concierge gave her a long look but, after a quick call upstairs, gave her a nod. "Penthouse level. Elevator to your right."
Emily stepped into the lift, watching the floors blink past as she ascended. Her heart thudded like it was trying to leap from her chest. She'll probably slam the door in my face, she thought. Or worse—give me that thousand-yard ice queen stare until I evaporate.
The elevator opened directly into the penthouse. High ceilings. Pale marble. Minimalist decor. Everything screamed wealth, power, and above all—solitude. A home that didn't invite anyone in.
Emily stepped out carefully.
"Tiana?"
From around the corner came the sound of footsteps, sharp and measured. Tiana emerged in fitted black lounge trousers and a white tank top, her hair pulled into a no-nonsense bun. Even at home, she looked composed—untouchable.
Her expression flickered only slightly at the sight of Emily.
"This better be urgent," she said, her voice calm but clipped.
Emily offered a tentative smile. "It kind of is."
Tiana raised a perfectly arched brow.
"I want to take you to the park."
There was a pause. Long. Heavy.
Tiana blinked. "Excuse me?"
Emily cleared her throat. "To the park. Just… out. Fresh air. Trees. No phones. No meetings. Just for an hour. Maybe two."
Tiana crossed her arms. "Is this a joke?"
"No," Emily said, stepping forward. "Look, I know you don't do 'casual' or 'fun' or anything that could remotely resemble leisure. But I've been working beside you for almost forever now, and I've never seen you stop. Not even once. You work through lunches. You respond to emails at 3 a.m. You barely blink."
"And?"
Emily hesitated, then softened her tone. "You're human, Tiana. You're allowed to breathe."
A flicker of something passed through Tiana's eyes—disbelief, maybe. Or something deeper, more fragile.
"You don't know anything about what I'm allowed to do," she said quietly.
"I know you carry everything like you're made of stone," Emily said gently. "And I also know it's exhausting."
Tiana looked away, her jaw tense. "You're wasting your Sunday, Emily."
"Not if you come with me."
The silence stretched between them. Tiana looked as if she was weighing every possible way to shut the idea down. But Emily held her ground.
Finally, Tiana exhaled slowly and turned toward the hallway.
"Give me ten minutes."
Emily blinked. "Wait… really?"
Tiana didn't answer. But she didn't slam the door either.
Tiana hadn't said a word the entire ride. Emily had driven them herself, nervous fingers tapping the steering wheel the whole way. But Tiana was true to her nature—silent, still, unreadable.
Now, they walked along a narrow trail through the greener parts of the park, trees lining either side like nature's cathedral. Birds chirped. A breeze ruffled the leaves above. Children laughed somewhere in the distance.
Tiana walked slowly, her arms crossed, sunglasses hiding her eyes.
Emily kept a respectful pace beside her.
"You ever come here?" Emily asked after a while.
Tiana's voice was low, almost bored. "Not in years."
"You don't like nature?"
"I don't like wasting time."
Emily gave a small laugh. "That sounds about right."
But Tiana didn't laugh. She just kept walking.
They reached a bench near a small pond, and Emily gestured for her to sit. Tiana did, albeit stiffly, as if even this was a negotiation.
Emily sat beside her, letting the silence linger.
After a few minutes, Emily reached into her bag and pulled out two lattes and a croissant she'd picked up on the way. She handed one to Tiana.
"I know you won't eat it. But I got it anyway."
Tiana looked at the cup and croissant like they were foreign objects.
"I don't do caffeine on Sundays," she murmured, but she took it anyway.
Emily didn't press further. She just sipped hers and looked out across the water.
Minutes passed.
"I used to come here with my brother," Emily said quietly. "We'd race through the trees and pretend we were warriors. He always won, even when I cheated."
Tiana didn't respond, but Emily sensed she was listening.
"I always thought people like you had it all figured out," Emily added. "But the more I watch you, the more I realize… you're just holding everything in so tight, it's like you're afraid of what'll happen if you let go."
Tiana turned slightly toward her, her mouth parting as if to object—but then she stopped. Her shoulders slackened. Just barely.
"I don't have the luxury of letting go," she said at last.
"Why not?"
"Because when I did, once, I lost everything."
Emily's chest tightened. "What did you lose?"
Tiana was quiet for a long time.
"Myself."
The admission wasn't loud. It wasn't even sad. It was just… real.
Emily didn't push her for more. She just sat there, letting Tiana's words settle into the space between them.
For the first time since she'd met her, Tiana Kings didn't seem invincible. She seemed like a woman carrying grief, regret, and armor so heavy she'd forgotten how to breathe without it.
Emily reached into her bag and pulled out a thin paperback—a collection of poetry.
"I thought you might like this," she said, holding it out. "It's full of angry women who became soft again. Or maybe the other way around."
Tiana stared at the book for a moment. Then, surprisingly, she took it.
Emily smiled. "So… can I consider this your first day off?"
Tiana didn't smile back. But her fingers traced the book's spine slowly.
"You can consider it… a temporary ceasefire."
Emily laughed, and for a moment, she could've sworn she saw a hint of something in Tiana's eyes—relief, maybe. Or gratitude.
They sat in silence for a long while, just the sound of the breeze, distant chatter, and the rustle of the trees around them.
And as the clouds shifted overhead and the sun warmed their faces, Tiana leaned back on the bench, closed her eyes for the briefest moment, and let the world in—just a little.