Chapter Three: Workplace Hazards

Isla’s least favorite sound in the world?

The smug, drawn-out “morning” from Liam Park, who strolled into the office like he owned the building—or at least paid rent in everyone’s last nerve.

“Morning,” he said now, tone dipped in espresso and arrogance.

“Ugh,” Isla replied, sipping actual espresso.

They passed each other by the elevator, her stilettos clicking like gunfire, his shoes somehow making silence sound smug. He carried a half-eaten banana and a laptop under one arm. She carried an aura of rage, caffeine, and seven open Slack conversations.

“Love the blazer,” he said as they stepped in. “Very ‘hostile takeover.’”

Isla gave him a slow side-eye. “Love the banana. Very ‘lazy potassium deficiency.’”

Liam grinned. She hated that it was a nice smile.

The elevator door opened directly onto the 10th floor of Vibe & Vine Media, a chic digital marketing firm filled with plants, kombucha taps, and people pretending their lives were together.

Today, unfortunately, was campaign meeting day—which meant Isla and Liam were, yet again, paired as creative leads.

Mr. Callahan, their overly peppy boss who believed every team conflict could be solved with hummus, clapped his hands. “Isla! Liam! Power pair! You two ready to co-lead the FreshFizz rebrand?”

Isla’s jaw twitched. “Of course,” she said with the enthusiasm of someone about to eat glass.

“Always a pleasure,” Liam said, nudging her shoulder. “We work so well together.”

“Like oil and fire,” she muttered under her breath.

---

Later in the glass meeting pod (ironically called “The Collaboration Den”), Isla was scribbling furiously on a whiteboard while Liam reclined in a beanbag chair, sipping iced coffee and offering zero useful input.

“We need a clean tagline,” she snapped. “Something punchy. Something that doesn’t sound like it was written by a frat boy in a group project.”

“‘Fizz Happens,’” Liam offered, grinning.

Isla stopped writing, turning to look at him.

“I will stab you with this dry-erase marker.”

“You’re welcome to try,” he said, still lounging. “You know, tension like this usually ends with making out in movies.”

Isla whirled around. “We are not in a movie and even if we were I'd rather cut my lips off before kissing you"

“Tell that to the sexual tension. It’s practically its own character.”

She rolls her eyes"I hate you" he said returning to her work.

Liam smirks.

---

Meanwhile… That Night

📱 HotMess92:

> What’s your biggest red flag?

📱 DizzyDragon:

> I act chill but I remember everything and hold grudges like I’m paid for it.

📱 HotMess92:

> Hot. Okay, mine: I assume people will leave, so I try to win the breakup before it starts.

📱 DizzyDragon:

> Wow. Who hurt you?

📱 HotMess92:

> Let me introduce you to a man named Nathan who broke up with me over eggs Benedict at brunch.

📱 DizzyDragon:

> I would never do that. If I dumped someone over brunch, it’d at least be a French toast situation.

📱 HotMess92:

> You’re a monster. Let’s get married.

📱 DizzyDragon:

> Deal. But only if we serve waffles at the wedding.

She smiled to herself before sending him a smiley face emoji. Just then her phone rang, she answers, it was her friend Harper.

📱

"What's up?" Isla asked.

📱

"Don't you what's up me? Spill it how did it go?!" She asked eagerly.

📱

"How did what go?"

📱

"The dating app! Did you find anyone?! Please tell me you did!"

📱

"Well, I'm texting this guy and i-" before she could finish Harper cut her off.

📱

"You are?! Did you see his pic yet?! Is he cute? Handsome?! Sexy?! Good-looking?! Is he tall?! Short?! Average size?! What's his name?!"

📱

"Whoa there, calm down....to answer your question we haven't been talking for that long, so I can't answer any of those questions and besides we haven't even revealed our pics to each other yet. Taking things slow.

📱

"That's no fun! Anyway how is he so far? Does he look promising, unlike that ass you called your boyfriend before?"

📱

"So far he's a nice guy. He's actually fun to talk with. Why are you laughing?"

📱

"Haha! No reason, I'm just happy for you! Anyway as much as how I'd like to talk some more with you about your mystery guy I have to get to bed I have a meeting in the morning"

📱

"Okay, Good luck tomorrow"

📱

"Thanks! Bye! And remember to keep me posted."

📱

"I will, Bye!" She hung up the phone placing it on the nightstand before going to bed.

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