. Delphine kept her eyes on the glowing screen in front of her, fingers moving quickly over the keyboard, but her focus was slipping with every passing minute. Th

e stil

She didn't look up immediately, forcing herself to steady her breathing before responding. "I didn't realize it was

sk. "You always say that," he replied quietly, his eyes moving over the scattered documents i

alm. "And you always act like I should stop," she replied. "Bu

readable but sharper than usual. "That's not respo

n't know what I have to handle outside this office,"

her. "I'm not reducing it," h

though she refused to show it. "Then stop observing

mmediately, and that alone made the space between them feel more intense. When he finally

sitated. "A

nce between them suddenly felt too small for

y in her chair, trying to regain control of her emotions. "Then why are y

"Because you don't kno

nswer," she repl

calmly. "You ju

f to refocus, but his presence behind her made it

red slightly. "That

nd unexpected. Delphine slowly looked

his gaze stayed fixed on her as if he

" he said quietly, "are usually the

n the desk, cutting through the silence like a warning

s short, anony

posed to be with

time. Her grip on the phone tightened, and when she finally

hat?" she a

hanged slightly, not fear, not confusion, but somethin

econd before turning

heavier than anything before. His jaw tightened slightly, barely notice

t," he sa

y. "Why would I delete it?

d sharper. "Because whoever sent that message isn't g

ened. "Then why are you

t, and when he spoke again, his voice

dy knew this was

d around them. Delphine stared at him, trying to understand what he meant, but before sh

sion changed slightly as his eyes moved pas

around," he

ine f

s already

the glass, some

lson's voice had dropped so low it barely carried through the room, yet the weight in it was enough to fre

desk, his expression sharpening in a way she had never seen before. "Stay exactly where you are,"

though her hands had already begun to tremble slightly. "Wilson,"

anything would make it worse. "I said don't turn around," he repeated, this time slowe

ming that she was not alone. "I need to know what's happening," she said, her voice

is voice lowering even further. "Someone is outside the glass," he

gripping the edge of her desk without realizing it. "Security

her stomach tighten. "Not security," he said finally, and his tone carr

she slowly forced herself

ost only for her. "Someone who already knows you

of me?" she asked, barely able to believe it. "That d

ble but tense. "That's what makes it dangerous," he replied

was saying. Her mind raced through every possible explanation, but none of them made

himself closer behind her as if instinctively shielding her without touchi

difficult when she could still feel the tension rad

iefly, before replying. "To confirm you are

p. "That means they are watchi

didn't

omething that made

watching longe

wanted to turn, to look, to confirm what was outside the glass, but something in Wilson's pres

it ha

d her desk, soft but deliberate, like someon

reath stoppe

y, not fear, not shock, but somethin

ther side of the glass, calm, fa

d softly. "I kno

er entire body

ilson did

't s

, his composure cracked in the smallest poss

gnit

was worse