his office. Even then, it wasn't relief. It

just seen something yo

slightl

calm, unreadable expression he had earlier, like nothing a

ine,"

t held my gaze for a second longer

Not warm either.

s echoing softly against the polishe

him long?" I asked,

es

it. No el

d at him

d w

"Is he alwa

at me this time.

asn't

he's difficult," he adde

wh

yo

tly. "That does

wi

y, like there was more to it-like I was already

a glass office space. "

felt bigger t

imal. Organized. A desk. A chair. A screen already set u

projects," Adrian continued. "Your role re

derst

assignments di

That was

ked before I co

at me. "You'll deal wi

answer didn't sit rig

es

ounds..

intent

tional. Controlled. Structured in a way that

ions?" Adr

ut I chose o

change. "You were se

he offici

nly one tha

o read something-anything. But there was noth

," he said,

ike that,

ta. Things that made sense. Things that didn't loo

eserved to be here, that whatever t

didn'

t. That awareness. That pressure. Like at any moment

va

n stood by the doo

urse

down my outfit sl

'll

lpful.

elt shorter this time, or maybe I

door but didn't open

e not

N

't help m

knocked

me

again. Calm

oor open and s

at his desk, reviewing something, completely foc

hered-felt different. Less overwhelming. More...

," he said with

Then

ted his gaze. And when he did, it landed o

ttled in?"

es

y comfo

pt qui

noti

it made me pause, like he wasn

d. "That will m

?" I re

r m

nd right. "What

studying me. "It means

"I'm not

e," he said

erything was a lesson I

re for a reason

sumed

t pause

be working more

ened slightly. "

rectly on a proje

Doesn't Adrian

do

n wh

nce.

se I s

e. Too simple. And t

t a reason

only one

ol, that quiet expectation th

"I'd prefe

slightly. "And I

act, neither of

you follow direction," he sa

I was here because I

t in his expression-almost

e do my job

u a

eat me l

ime. Because something had shifted-not

h

aid. One wor

ant cl

es

slightly, and the look in his eyes c

how long you

"That's not a pr

reed calmly

htened. "The

e it's

ouldn't have felt as

here," he continued. "And th

at both

terest

worse. Mu

y. "I'm here to work.

g here is

t every

l paus

d quietly. "

, measured, different-made my pulse sh

asked, needing to regain c

at.

es

rse th

staying l

ked. "

es

n't in

are

slowly. "U

door, ready to leave

va

gain. Of co

this with coinc

back slow

ly between us, "you being

st tig

not ra

use.

intent

cause I believed him. I didn't know

office again, one thought

t just a j

tepped into, it was