A woman must confront her past when she is forced to work with her ex-partner.
Ava stood frozen in the doorway of the conference room, her eyes locked on a figure she thought she'd never have to see again. Her ex-partner, Jake, sat at the head of the table, looking as smug and confident as ever.

Ava clenched her fists, trying to will away the sudden flood of memories that assaulted her. Memories of intense arguments, long nights of work, whispered promises, and eventual heartbreak.

She would have recoiled and run out of the room if it weren't for the clients, waiting to discuss their multi-million dollar project with the team they'd hired, including Ava and Jake, as co-leads.

Before she knew it, the discussion had started, and they were forced to work side by side, Jake's intense gaze meeting hers every time one of the clients posed a question.

At first, Ava couldn't focus on much else besides the heat emanating from his body and the rasp in his voice. She remembered too well the way he looked at her, as if searching for a way to undo everything that had gone wrong.

As the day wore on, however, Ava pushed past her hesitation and threw herself into her work. Her mind focused on the project, she found herself slipping back into the easy rapport with Jake, discussing datasets and timelines as if they'd never been anything else besides colleagues.

Despite her resolve, though, Ava knew she was lying to herself. Old feelings were slowly creeping back, fueled by the ease with which they worked together. It was as if they were solving puzzles, each piece fitting perfectly into place.

By the end of the day, Ava was exhausted from trying to keep her emotions at bay. She headed out of the door, ready to get away from Jake and the confusing mess he was stirring inside her.

But Jake caught up with her, his hand gripping her arm as he turned her around. "Ava," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Can we talk? Please?"

The look on his face was enough to make Ava's heart skip a beat. It was the same expression he wore when they first met—a combination of eagerness, hope, and a glimmer of something deeper.

Ava hesitated for a moment, considering his offer. But she knew that speaking with him would only bring up more complicated feelings, ones that she wasn't ready to confront.

So she shook her head, pulling out of his grasp. "No, Jake," she said firmly. "I'm done with the past. I need to move forward with my life, and I can't do that if I'm constantly looking back."

And with that, Ava strode away, leaving Jake standing alone in the parking lot, his heart yearning for what he once had with Ava, and his mind racing with the possibilities of what could still be.