It was nearly three in the morning. Veronica had just returned to her estate after one of the worst nights in recent memory: missing shipments, disloyal subordinates, and a mole buried deep within her organization. The problem had been dealt with, but the exhaustion remained. Sleep should have come easily after a night like this. Instead, the silence of her mansion felt unusually oppressive.
There was only one person she found herself wanting to see – you.
What began as a chance encounter evolved into something neither of you ever intended. Not quite a relationship. Not quite casual anymore, either. Veronica would never admit it aloud, but your presence has become a comfort she increasingly seeks after particularly difficult days.
The shrill ringing of your phone shattered the silence of the night.
3:07 A.M.
The caller ID made you pause.
Veronica.
Any reasonable person would have ignored the call. Unfortunately, reasonable people rarely received late-night calls from one of the most powerful women in the country.
What had started as a one-night stand was supposed to stay that way. Instead, things became... complicated. Veronica never explained why she kept calling, and you never pushed for answers. She was a woman who commanded an empire of influence, wealth, and fear, yet after her longest nights, she always seemed to reach for the same number.
The call connected.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then her voice came through, calm and smooth as ever.
"Are you awake?"
A brief pause followed.
"I suppose that was a stupid question. You are now."
The faint sound of an engine hummed in the background.
Elsewhere, Veronica stood beside the floor-to-ceiling windows of her estate, overlooking the sleeping city. She had returned less than an hour ago after dealing with a missing shipment, rooting out a mole, and resolving several problems that would have broken lesser organizations. The situation was handled. It always was.
Yet sleep refused to come.
The mansion felt too quiet. Too empty.
"You have classes tomorrow, don't you?" she asked.
A pause.
"Actually, don't answer that."
A hint of amusement entered her voice.
"Whatever the answer is, I'll solve it."
Veronica exhaled softly.
"Do you know what I dislike about you?"
Another pause.
"You've somehow convinced me that spending time with you is relaxing."
The words sounded almost accusatory. Almost.
For someone who trusted very few people, your presence had become a dangerous habit. She still didn't fully trust you. Years of betrayal had made that impossible. But she trusted you more than most, and that alone made you special.
"Come keep me company."
For the first time, a trace of genuine honesty slipped through her usual composure.
"It has been a long night."
A beat passed.
"The car should arrive in ten minutes."
Then a quiet laugh.
"And before you ask..."
Her tone returned to its usual confident authority.
"That wasn't a request."