Unspoken Tensions

The next morning, Ava stepped into the office, greeted by the usual hum of activity. After the weekend’s dramatic flower incident and the late-night chat with Ethan, something felt different. She wasn’t sure what had changed, but the air between them seemed lighter, even though they hadn’t spoken yet.

Ava settled at her desk, tapping at her keyboard when Sarah strolled by, grinning as always. “So, what happened with you and Ethan last night?”

Ava gave her a flat look. “We worked late. Like normal people.”

Sarah snorted. “Sure, if ‘working late’ means bonding over terrible blind dates and talking about life. C’mon, the whole office knows something is going on. You guys are like… an old married couple.”

“Not this again,” Ava groaned, but she couldn’t hide the smile tugging at her lips. She and Ethan? Married couple? She stole a glance toward his desk, where Ethan was focused intently on his screen. As if he felt her eyes on him, he looked up, raising an eyebrow. Ava quickly turned away, feeling heat rush to her cheeks.

---

Later that morning, the managing director, Mr. Lawson, called them into his office. Ava and Ethan stood side by side as Lawson leaned back in his chair, grinning in that annoyingly smug way of his.

“Well, it’s that time of year again,” he announced. “Time to plan the annual company retreat.”

Ava blinked. “Oh. Is that… us?”

“Of course, it’s you two!” Lawson beamed. “Who else would I trust to handle it? You’re a great team.”

Ava stifled a laugh, while Ethan crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed by the enthusiasm.

Lawson went on, oblivious. “We’ve got the whole company counting on you to make this year’s retreat unforgettable. You’ll need to work closely—very closely—to make sure everything is perfect.”

“Of course,” Ethan muttered, clearly trying to keep the sarcasm in check.

Ava shot him a glance, biting back a smile. Oh, this was going to be an experience.

---

The office was abuzz all day with the news that Ava and Ethan would be planning the company retreat. Colleagues dropped hints, offered suggestions, and—more than anything—teased them mercilessly.

By the time lunch rolled around, the teasing had hit its peak. A few coworkers even began making fake wedding invitations, much to Ava’s dismay.

But the retreat planning itself wasn’t a laughing matter. As soon as Ava and Ethan sat down to go over the details, it became clear that their vastly different styles were going to clash—hard.

“So,” Ethan started, flipping through an itinerary he had printed out. “We should start by locking down the schedule. Activities need to be timed precisely, and we need to make sure we stay on budget.”

Ava skimmed the sheet, frowning. “This looks… a little stiff. It’s a retreat, not a corporate meeting. People should be able to relax, have fun.”

Ethan gave her a look. “Relaxing is fine, but it still needs structure. If we let things get too casual, nothing will get done.”

“It’s not about getting things done,” Ava countered, rolling her eyes. “It’s about giving people a break. How about a beach day? Maybe a team-building game that isn’t boring?”

“A beach day? Really?” Ethan looked at her like she’d suggested skydiving without a parachute. “We need something that reflects the company’s goals, not a vacation.”

Ava sighed. “Ethan, it’s called a retreat for a reason.”

Their bickering continued for most of the afternoon, much to the amusement of their coworkers. From afar, Sarah could be seen smirking, nudging other employees as Ava and Ethan went back and forth, locked in what seemed to be a never-ending debate.

---

By late afternoon, they took a breather. Sitting at their desks, the tension from their argument began to ease as they returned to more casual conversation.

“You’ve been here for what, ten years?” Ava asked, leaning back in her chair, trying to change the subject.

Ethan glanced at her, surprised by the sudden shift. “Yeah, about ten.”

“And you’ve never thought about leaving?”

Ethan hesitated, his usual guarded expression faltering for a moment. “My dad worked here,” he said, looking down at his hands. “He was one of the first employees, back when the company was small. He loved this place—said it made him feel like he was part of something important.”

Ava blinked, taken aback. She hadn’t expected that. “Your dad worked here?”

Ethan nodded. “Yeah. I grew up hearing about it all the time. He used to come home and tell stories about the company, how much he believed in it. I think that’s why I joined, too. Wanted to make him proud.”

Ava softened, feeling a pang of sympathy. “What happened to him?”

“He passed away, not long after I started working here,” Ethan said quietly. “He never got to see the company grow into what it is today. I guess I’ve stayed because… I feel like I owe it to him. To make the company better, like he always wanted.”

Ava was silent for a moment, absorbing his words. She had never seen this side of Ethan before. The usually composed, sometimes infuriating man she worked with every day now seemed vulnerable, his reasons for staying so much more personal than she had imagined.

“That’s… really admirable, Ethan,” she said softly. “I didn’t know.”

He shrugged, as if trying to dismiss the emotional weight of what he’d just shared. “I don’t talk about it much.”

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments, the bickering forgotten. Ava found herself seeing Ethan in a new light, not just as the irritating perfectionist she worked with, but as someone who cared deeply about his work and the legacy his father had left behind.

---

Their peaceful moment was soon interrupted by Mark, one of the more flirtatious guys in the office. He sauntered over to Ava’s desk, flashing her a grin. “Hey, Ava. You look fantastic today.”

Ava laughed lightly. “Thanks, Mark.”

Ethan’s posture stiffened immediately. He looked up from his laptop, his jaw tightening as he glared at Mark.

Mark, oblivious to the tension, continued. “We should grab drinks after work sometime. You know, unwind a bit.”

Ava glanced at Ethan, catching the storm brewing in his eyes, but she just smiled politely at Mark. “Maybe another time, Mark.”

As Mark walked away, Ethan muttered under his breath, “Why does he always do that?”

Ava raised an eyebrow. “Jealous much?”

Ethan’s face remained neutral, though his hands tightened around his coffee mug. “Just wondering how he gets any work done with all the flirting he does.”

Ava stifled a laugh, noting how tense Ethan had gotten. “Relax, Ethan. He’s just being nice.”

“Nice,” Ethan repeated, shaking his head, but he didn’t say anything more.

Ava smirked, enjoying how easy it was to rile him up. Maybe the whole “office married couple” thing wasn’t so far off after all.

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