It was another bustling Friday morning, the streets alive with activity. Cars zoomed past, people rushed by with their phones glued to their ears, engaged in animated conversations, while horns blared impatiently around them.

Sylvia, dressed in an elegant green suit with her bag slung over her shoulder, made her way to her firm. As she climbed the stairs to the building, she suddenly felt a hand grip her arm, pulling her around sharply. She found herself face-to-face with her client's ex-husband, his expression simmering with anger.

"I believe you are Mrs. Benson, my ex-wife's attorney."

Sylvia narrowed her eyes at him, irritation bubbling within her at being manhandled. "Yes, that's correct. You must be Mr. Afum. How can I assist you?"

"Who the hell do you think you are, getting the court to issue me a warning to stay away from my wife?"

"Ex-wife, Mr. Afum," Sylvia clarified. "And let me remind you, I wouldn't have done that if you'd kept your end of the bargain."

"When you ask for a divorce to be with your side chick, one of the settlement terms was that she leaves the marriage with the children, while you stay away from them without any financial support. You agreed to that but broke your promise by stalking her and threatening her if she didn't end it with her current boyfriend. You crossed a line, Mr. Afum, and this is the fallout. If you're unhappy about it, I suggest you stick to the terms of the divorce."

As she turned to walk away, he grabbed her arm again, this time with a firmer grip.

"Listen here, Miss. If you value your life, you'd do well to keep your nose out of things that aren't your business."

Just then, a voice cut through the tension.

"What's going on here?"

Both Sylvia and Mr. Afum glanced over to see Scott standing on the pavement, his hands in his pockets, watching the scene unfold.

When silence hung in the air, he pressed on. "I asked what's happening here?"

Mr. Afum sneered, "Beat it. This doesn't concern you. I'm just having a private chat with this lady."

Scott's frown deepened at the man's outburst and the way he had a grip on Sylvia's arm.

"Correct me if you can, but whatever's going on with Miss Benson is my business, especially since it's happening in front of my firm." He stepped closer to the man, towering over him. "Now, I suggest you take your hand off her."

The authority in Scott's voice startled Mr. Afum, causing him to release Sylvia immediately.

Sylvia gently placed a hand on Scott's chest to soothe him. "It's alright, Scott, I can handle this." She redirected her attention to Mr. Afum.

"Mr. Afum, I've been appointed as your ex-wife's legal representative by the government. I'm just doing my job. You, as a police officer, are sworn to protect citizens, including your ex-wife. Yet you choose to threaten her and now me. If you want to avoid more trouble, I strongly advise you to adhere to your divorce agreement. If you do that, I believe we won't have any issues, don't you agree, Mr. Afum?"

Sylvia held her breath, waiting for a response, but he only stepped back and walked away.

Once inside the building, Sylvia and Scott walked side by side, making their way to the third floor.

"Thank you for stepping in early to help me, but I had it under control," Sylvia said.

"Of course, you did," Scott replied, his voice laced with irritation. "If my help isn't needed, I'll just get back to my work."

Abruptly, Sylvia stopped and spun around to face him. "What on earth has gotten into you lately? How long are you going to treat me like this? All I said was that I had it under control, but you act like I've offended you."

"How long do you plan to avoid me? Tell me, how long?"

Scott stared at her, his expression simmering with anger. "I thought that's what you wanted."

"What? When did I ever say that?"

He took a step closer. "You've said it through your demeanour and actions."

Sylvia shot him a glare, then glanced around and realised this wasn't the right place for their conversation. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the storage room.

"What the hell are we doing in here?" he asked.

"We're settling this once and for all," she declared.

Scott scoffed. "Really? What exactly are we settling? Haven't you already made it clear that you don't want me around? That I'm just a distraction keeping you from becoming a respectable lawyer here?"

"That's why I'm keeping my distance from you. I can't compete at your level-whatever that level is. So excuse me for doing exactly what you want."

Sylvia stared at him, at a loss for words. He was right about everything he said. She wanted him to stay away, and yes, she saw him as a distraction-but now, for some reason she couldn't explain, she missed having him around. Those annoying smirks and jokes-she missed it all.

"You're wrong. I do want you around me," she said softly.

Scott chuckled bitterly. "For what, Miss Benson? To belittle me?" He stepped even closer, forcing her to retreat until her back hit the storage room door. She was trapped. Scott pressed his palm against the door near her head, leaning in so close that she could feel his breath.

"Then tell me, what do you need me for, Miss Benson?"

Her heart raced in her chest as she noticed his intense gaze. "I... I don't know," she stammered.

He searched her eyes, desperately wanting to tuck the stubborn hair that had fallen over her face behind her ear, but he knew that if he touched her, he might struggle to let her go. Instead, he took a step back and replied, "Just as I thought. Let me know when you figure out what you want from me." With that, he pulled away and walked out, leaving her alone in the storage room.

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A/N: What do you think about this chapter guys?