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She sat down at her desk.
Immediately:
brRRRRRRRRT. brRRRRRRT. brRRRRRT.
Her phone practically vibrated off the table.
Team Chaos ???? — 92 new messages
"Oh, Lord..." Amanda whispered.
She opened the chat.
Leah:
OKAY WHAT JUST HAPPENED ??????????
Carter:
Bro.
brO.
brOOOOOOO.
You should have SEEN ERICKA'S FACE when she opened her door ??????????
Jamie:
I swear the air dropped 20 degrees.
I SAW MY brEATH.
Maria:
Amanda... that woman came in here like she OWNED THE BUILDING.
Who is she???
Why did she say your name like that ??????
Carter:
Her voice was all "I'm here for Amanda"
Like she was auditioning for a villain role.
Leah:
I clutched my pearls and I don't even OWN any pearls.
Amanda typed with shaking fingers.
Amanda:
Guys... PLEASE calm down ?? she's just someone from my past.
Jamie:
"Past" like a classmate???
"Past" like a coworker???
Or "past" like...
"please don't ruin my job because my ex is dramatic" past?
Carter:
Because the way she LOOKED at you???
That was someone who memorized your birth chart.
Maria:
And the lunch bag???
No one brings a surprise lunch unless they trying to RECONNECT ??
Leah:
She had...
The audacity.
The confidence.
The heels.
She came prepared.
Amanda:
Please stop ??????
Carter:
Okay but FR:
When Boss Lady opened her office door?
AMANDA.
AMANDA.
AMANDAAAAAA.
Her face??
HER. FACE.
She looked like she was about to say:
"Take one more step toward my woman and witness your last sunrise."
Maria:
She didn't BLINK.
I counted.
ZERO blinks.
Jamie:
Her jaw locked
her arms stiffened
her eyes narrowed
I thought we were about to get evacuated.
Amanda winced.
Amanda:
She's just overwhelmed... she's been holding in a lot today.
Leah:
Girl... no.
That was FEAR.
That was possessive love fear.
Carter:
She looked at Sierra like
"God I already fought one villain this week please not another."
Jamie:
Is Ericka okay, tho??
Like... seriously.
She seemed shaken.
Maria:
Protective.
But also like she wanted to cry??
Did she cry??
Jamie says she cried.
Jamie is lying.
Jamie says SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE SAW.
Amanda bit her lip.
Amanda:
She's... emotional and stressed.
But she's okay.
I promise.
Just give her space and stay sharp today.
Carter:
Also...
We're all being FOR REAL FOR REAL when we say...
If she needs ANYTHING
like ANYTHING ANYTHING
we got her.
Leah:
Like — if Sierra tries to step her foot in this building again??
We'll form a WALL.
Jamie:
Security wall.
Friendship wall.
Emotional support wall.
Maria:
HR wall if necessary.
Amanda laughed despite herself.
Amanda:
Okay Avengers, thank you.
Just keep everything smooth today.
A pause.
Then Carter came back with the dramatics.
Carter:
Amanda.
I just need to reiterate:
When she opened that door
and saw Sierra standing there...
I SAW THE DEVIL.
A HOT CEO DEVIL.
But still the DEVIL.
Amanda wheezed.
Amanda:
PLEASE stop ??????
Leah:
We are NOT letting anything stress her today.
She's our CEO.
Our captain.
Our queen.
Jamie:
Our pregnant queen—
OH WAIT—
SORRY ??????
Amanda:
JAMIE PLEASE ??????
Maria:
Abort mission abort mission
Carter:
NOT abort
She's pregnant—
Amanda:
CARTER.
ENOUGH. ??????????
Leah:
Okay but for real —
We love you both.
And we're here.
Team in formation.
Carter:
AYEEEEEEEEEE TEAM LOVE SECRECY ??????????
Jamie:
We are NOT calling ourselves that.
Maria:
We are definitely calling ourselves that.
Amanda stared at her screen, heart full, head spinning.
She typed:
Amanda:
Thank you.
All of you.
I'm gonna go check on her again.
Leah:
Go.
We'll cover the floor.
Maria:
We got you.
Go be her peace.
Carter:
And LOCK THAT DOOR ??
Amanda:
CARTER—
I—
BYE ??????
She knocked softly, even though she never needed to.
"Ericka?" she called gently.
There was a beat of silence.
"Come in," came Ericka's voice. Calm... but not calm.
Amanda eased the door open and stepped inside.
Ericka was standing near the window, back turned, arms folded tightly across her chest like she was holding herself together. The blinds were half-lowered, shadows striping across the room like lines of quiet tension.
Amanda closed the door behind her — and before she could even say a word, Ericka reached past her, pressed the button on the wall panel, and locked it.
A soft click filled the room.
Amanda blinked. "Ericka...?"
Ericka didn't answer immediately. She just crossed the space between them slowly, her eyes locked onto Amanda's like she needed to anchor herself to something — someone — solid.
When she reached her, she didn't speak.
Instead, she slid her arms around Amanda's waist and pulled her close, burying her face in Amanda's neck.
Amanda's breath caught. "Hey... talk to me. What's going on?"
Ericka shook her head once, her forehead still pressed to Amanda's collarbone.
"I don't want anyone else," she whispered, voice tight. "I don't want anyone thinking they can come back into your life or walk into this building and... and just insert themselves."
Amanda softened immediately. One hand settled on Ericka's lower back, the other cradled the back of her head.
"You're safe," Amanda murmured. "We're safe. Sierra has no place here."
Ericka exhaled shakily against her skin. She wasn't crying — not yet — but she was teetering on the edge of something she didn't quite know how to name.
Amanda brushed her thumb along her spine. "Look at me, sweetheart."
Ericka lifted her head, her eyes sharp but wounded underneath the CEO armor.
"I know it's irrational," she whispered. "I know you love me. I know you chose me. But when she said she missed you..." She paused, swallowing hard. "I felt something I didn't like. I felt—"
"Jealous?" Amanda finished softly.
Ericka huffed a breath. "Possessive."
Amanda's lips curved. "I'm okay with that."
Ericka blinked. "You are?"
Amanda cupped her jaw gently. "You think I don't get jealous too? You think I don't notice people staring at you everywhere we go? You're the most stunning woman I've ever seen, Ericka. I'd fight the world for you."
Something in Ericka's expression loosened. Not fully, but enough.
Amanda leaned her forehead against hers. "We're married, remember? Married. There's no one who can come between that."
Ericka's hands fisted gently in the back of Amanda's shirt, her breathing finally steadying. "I needed to hear that."
"I know," Amanda whispered.
Ericka pulled back just enough to look at her — really look at her — then reached one hand behind Amanda to confirm the door was locked.
"Good," she murmured. "I need a minute alone with you."
Amanda's voice dropped, warm and low. "You've got me. No interruptions."
Ericka guided Amanda backward until she hit the edge of the desk. The moment Amanda's hips met the polished wood, Ericka stepped fully into her space, her hands gripping the sides of Amanda's blazer as if grounding herself.