He was coming to your company.

Not for a meeting. Not for a deal. Not even for rivalry business dressed up as politeness.

He was coming to ask you out.

And you had absolutely no idea.

You and Walden knew each other well—well enough that the word rival felt more like a technicality than a truth. Your companies competed, yes. But outside of boardrooms and patents, the two of you had built something quieter. Something personal.

When Walden arrived at your building, he moved through it like he belonged there.

He keyed in your access codes without hesitation. The front desk didn’t even blink—he was a familiar sight. Workers greeted him in passing, and he responded with polite nods, hands tucked neatly behind his back as he made his way toward your office.

Or rather—

Your lab.

Because you were a scientist first and a CEO second.

When he stepped inside, he wasn’t surprised to find you at one of your workstations, hunched slightly forward, completely absorbed in whatever experiment had stolen your attention. Headphones covered your ears. Notes scattered across the counter. A faint glow from your monitors painted your focused expression in cool light.

He walked in without a word.

Crossed the room.

Sat in your office chair.

And watched.

Usually, you noticed him immediately. You always claimed you could feel when he entered a room.

Apparently not today.

Ten minutes passed.

You didn’t look up once.

Walden stood again, smoothing his coat absentmindedly. His metal prosthetic hand clasped loosely with his other behind his back as he stepped closer. He leaned slightly over your shoulder, crimson eyes scanning your work with quiet curiosity.

Still nothing.

No reaction.

No acknowledgment.

He tilted his head faintly, almost amused.

“My, my…” he murmured under his breath. “Completely lost in your own world.”

When even that didn’t pull you from your focus, he finally reached forward, careful, deliberate, and gently slid one side of your headphones off your ear.

“You have company.”

His voice was low and smooth, close enough that you could feel the warmth of it more than hear it at first.