The early morning air was thick with excitement.
Karen stood outside the company building, suitcase in hand, watching as a sleek black bus with tinted windows pulled up to the curb. It was elegant, almost too elegant for a company event. She adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder and tried to suppress the growing flutter in her chest.
This wasn't just a retreat. It felt like the beginning of something else.
Employees filed out in clusters, laughing, dragging luggage, snapping selfies. Everyone was dressed comfortably, but fashionably...there was an unspoken contest of who could appear the most effortless. Carla was beside her, sunglasses on, hoodie half-zipped, exuding cool girl energy.
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Carla asked, sipping from an iced coffee.
"Three days away with these people? No cubicles to hide behind."
Karen chuckled. "I'm still waiting for someone to jump out and tell me this was all a mistake."
Carla's grin widened. "Girl, you've got a bracelet from the boss. You're not going anywhere."
Karen's fingers subconsciously touched her wrist, brushing against the chain. That bracelet had been burning into her thoughts ever since he gave it to her.
Just then, a tall figure emerged from the building...Luca.
Dressed in black jeans and a grey shirt, his eyes scanned the crowd until they landed on Karen. He gave her a nod, one that was almost imperceptible to everyone else, but she felt it deep in her bones.
He was watching, protecting, controlling?
She wasn't sure anymore.
A sharp click of polished shoes followed, and then came the silence. All chatter died down as Alex stepped outside.
Karen turned before she could stop herself, her breath catching. He was in a navy-blue button-up shirt rolled at the sleeves, his black slacks hugging him perfectly. Sunglasses covered his eyes, but his presence demanded attention without him saying a word.
He moved toward the bus without glancing at anyone in particular, but Karen could swear she felt his eyes brush past her. Her stomach twisted again.
What was this? Why did he always leave her feeling like a spinning coin, never knowing which side would land up?
Once on the bus, the seating arrangements were predictably chaotic.
"Bosses in the front!" someone joked.
"Save me a seat, Karen!" Carla shouted, darting up the steps before her.
Karen followed slowly, her eyes scanning for a spot. She spotted an empty window seat near the middle and slid into it, glad for a moment to breathe. Her suitcase had been loaded into the bus's storage already.
Just as she settled, someone slid in beside her.
Luca.
He didn't speak immediately. He simply leaned back and stared out the window across her, his arm brushing hers lightly.
"I wasn't going to let anyone else sit beside you," he finally said, his tone calm, casual.
Karen blinked. "Why?"
He tilted his head. "Because you're under my protection. Alex's orders."
She bit the inside of her cheek. "That sounds so... dramatic."
Luca smirked. "You haven't seen dramatic yet."
Before she could reply, the bus lurched forward, and they were on their way.
The city gave way to highways, and highways to green hills. Conversation ebbed and flowed throughout the ride. Carla was talking loudly behind her, someone was already asleep, and others were filming TikToks or scrolling through social media.
But Karen sat quietly, watching the landscape blur past. Her thoughts were everywhere, on the bracelet, on Alex, on the strange way Luca never really left her alone now.
Then her phone buzzed.
A message.
Unknown Number: "Don't be too friendly with him, I'm watching."
Her heart stuttered.
She stared at the screen for a long moment before locking the phone and sliding it into her hoodie pocket. She didn't have to ask who sent it. It wasn't just her who felt watched. She was being watched.
Several hours later, the bus pulled up to a gated compound so grand it looked like it belonged in a luxury travel magazine. White marble structures gleamed in the afternoon sun. Palm trees lined the walkway, and the logo of Avalon Resort shimmered in gold.
Everyone gasped.
"Okay, they weren't joking," Carla whispered.
Karen barely nodded, eyes wide. She felt tiny stepping off the bus, overwhelmed by the scale of everything.
A resort manager greeted them warmly, staff swarming in to collect bags and hand out personalized room cards.
When Karen got hers, she blinked.
Room 409. Penthouse floor.
"Umm, this must be a mistake," she murmured, turning to ask the staff but Luca was already at her side.
"No mistake," he said. "You're staying on the same floor as Alex."
Karen stared at the keycard like it would catch fire in her hand.
What had she gotten herself into?
As the employees were led inside, murmurs began again.
Whispers, glances.
Karen could feel the tension building already.
She didn't know if this retreat would bring peace, chaos, or something darker, but now that they were here, there was no turning back.