The rooftop terrace opened up to the city’s skyline. A sea of flickering lights and bustling streets sprawling below. Conversations flowed easily, laughter rising above the gentle hum of music, and the celebration felt well-deserved. Darian and Ivara’s joint venture team had gathered to mark their latest achievement—a milestone that had come faster than anyone expected.
Darian stood near the terrace railing, a glass of champagne in hand. His gaze swept across the room, noting the relaxed energy among their employees. He rarely let himself indulge in moments like this, but tonight was different. Tonight, he could afford to take a step back.
He glanced over at Ivara, who was effortlessly holding court with a small group of their senior project leaders. She was poised as always, but there was a relaxed grace in her movements—a contrast to her usual sharpness. Darian watched as she listened intently to one of their younger team members, offering a brief smile at something the woman had said.
As if sensing his gaze, Ivara’s eyes flicked toward him. For a brief moment, their gazes locked, and Darian gave a small nod. She returned the gesture before turning back to the conversation.
One of Darian’s executives, Leander, approached with a grin, breaking his train of thought. “Quite the event,” Leander said, his voice light. “We’ve outdone ourselves this time, haven’t we?”
Darian took a sip of his champagne. “It’s been a good run so far,” he replied, his tone measured but satisfied. “But we’re just getting started.”
Leander chuckled. “Spoken like a true strategist. But you’ve got to admit, this partnership with Ivara—it’s working better than anyone could’ve predicted.”
Darian glanced back at Ivara, who was now laughing softly at something one of the managers said. “She’s good at what she does,” Darian said simply. “And she keeps me on my toes.”
Leander raised an eyebrow. “That’s putting it mildly. The two of you together—well, let’s just say the competition should be worried.”
Darian smiled faintly but didn’t respond, his thoughts already drifting back to the work ahead. Despite the success of the evening, his mind was always calculating the next move. Still, he couldn’t deny that their collaboration had exceeded his expectations.
—
As the night wore on, Ivara found herself breaking away from the crowd, her social obligations momentarily fulfilled. She stepped toward the quieter side of the terrace, the cool night air brushing against her skin. She spotted Darian standing alone by the railing, staring out at the city below.
She approached, her heels clicking softly against the tiled floor. “Escaping the crowd?” she asked, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.
Darian turned his head, his lips curving into a small smile. “Just needed a moment to breathe. You?”
Ivara took a spot beside him, glancing out at the skyline. “It’s easier to think out here,” she said. “Less noise.”
They stood in silence for a moment, the city’s lights flickering in the distance. It was a rare pause in their fast-paced lives, and for once, neither of them seemed in a rush to fill the silence.
“This is…different,” Ivara said, her tone thoughtful. “Celebrating like this. I’m not used to it.”
Darian gave a soft chuckle. “Neither am I. But sometimes it’s necessary. Even for people like us.”
Ivara turned her head slightly, studying him. “People like us?”
“People who are always looking ahead,” Darian explained, his voice quiet but steady. “We don’t often take the time to stop and look at what we’ve already accomplished.”
Ivara considered his words for a moment before nodding. “True. But it’s hard to stop when you know there’s more to be done.”
“That’s why nights like this matter,” Darian replied, his eyes flicking toward hers. “Because if we don’t stop, even just for a moment, we miss the chance to appreciate what we’ve built.”
Ivara smiled faintly, a rare, genuine expression. “You sound like someone who’s learned that the hard way.”
Darian’s gaze shifted back to the skyline. “I have.”
A comfortable silence fell between them as the celebration continued behind them. Darian’s words lingered in the air, and Ivara found herself feeling unexpectedly at ease. It wasn’t often that she allowed herself to slow down, let alone share a quiet moment like this with someone else.
“You’ve surprised me, you know,” Ivara said, breaking the silence.
Darian raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “How so?”
“At the start of all this,” Ivara gestured toward the terrace, “I wasn’t sure how long we’d be able to keep working this well together. We’re too different, I thought.”
Darian smirked slightly. “I remember thinking the same thing. So, what changed?”
Ivara tilted her head, as though considering the answer. “You listen. More than I expected, actually. I’ve worked with a lot of people, Darian—most of them just talk. But you…you take the time to listen before making a move.”
Darian’s smirk softened into something closer to amusement. “You make that sound more unusual than it should be.”
“Trust me,” Ivara said, a slight edge of humor in her voice. “It is.”
For a moment, they shared a brief laugh, but then Ivara’s expression turned more serious.
“You remind me of my mother, in a way,” she continued, her voice quieter now. “She has the same way of observing everything without having to say much.”
Darian glanced at her, surprised. Ivara rarely mentioned her family in conversation, and when she did, it was almost always about business or the fallout of her father’s empire. This was something different—something more personal.
“She’s still involved in your world?” Darian asked.
Ivara gave a small, fond smile. “Yes, in her own quiet way. She’s not in the spotlight, never has been, but she’s always there—giving me advice, offering perspective. She’s sharp. If there’s anyone who sees things as clearly as I do, it’s her.”
Darian nodded thoughtfully, understanding more about Ivara’s roots. “She must have had a strong influence on the way you approach things.”
“She did,” Ivara agreed. “She’s the reason I’ve always been strategic, always careful with who I trust and how I move. She taught me the value of seeing every angle before making a decision.”
There was a pause as Ivara’s gaze lingered on the horizon, and Darian could sense the weight behind her words. The respect she had for her mother was evident, even if Ivara rarely expressed it.
“What about you?” Ivara asked, turning the question back to him. “Was there someone who shaped the way you see the world?”
Darian exhaled softly, his expression thoughtful. “My mother, actually. She was the idealist in the family. She always believed we could do more than just hold on to power. She had this idea that we could actually change things for the better.”
“An idealist?” Ivara’s curiosity was piqued. “That’s not a word I expected to hear about someone from your family.”
Darian chuckled softly. “You’re right. My father was the practical one—he kept the empire intact. But my mother… she wanted to push further. She used to tell me that power without purpose was meaningless.”
Ivara raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Do you believe that?”
Darian’s expression shifted slightly, a faint sadness touching his eyes. “Sometimes. But after she passed, it was hard to hold on to her vision. My father’s approach—the pragmatism—became the default.”
Ivara’s gaze softened, realizing the weight behind his words. “I didn’t know.”
Darian gave a small, almost self-deprecating smile. “I don’t talk about it much. But she was the one who made me believe that we could do more than just maintain the legacy. She believed in shaping the future, not just controlling the present.”
Ivara studied him for a moment, then nodded slowly. “It’s not a bad thing to have both ideals. It keeps you grounded, but it also keeps you pushing for more.”
They stood in silence for a few moments longer, the soft hum of the city below filling the quiet space between them. There was something about this conversation—about the way they had opened up to each other—that felt different. It wasn’t just about business anymore. It was about understanding.
—
As the evening began to wind down, the last of their employees filtered out of the terrace, leaving Darian and Ivara standing alone in the cool night air. The city stretched out before them, a vast expanse of lights and movement. The night had been a success, but their conversation had left them both with more to think about than just the business.
Darian remained by the railing, his gaze focused on the city below. His mind replayed the evening’s events—the conversations, the success they had achieved, and the quiet moments shared with Ivara. She had shared something personal, something vulnerable. It wasn’t what he had expected from her, but it deepened his respect for her strength. She had been through more than most, yet here she was, building something new from the ground up.
He wasn’t ready to act on these thoughts—not yet. Their partnership was too important to risk complicating things. But the realization was there, quietly settling into the back of his mind.
Across the city, in her penthouse, Ivara sat by the window, gazing out at the same skyline. The night had been a success, but her thoughts weren’t on the business. They were on Darian. The way he had spoken to her tonight, the way his gaze had lingered on her just a moment too long—it was different.
She wasn’t sure what to make of it, and like Darian, she wasn’t ready to act on it. But the thought was there, resting in the corners of her mind, uninvited but undeniable.
