Elena's POV
He watched me carefully. "And Sophia said...?"
"She was professional," I said, glancing at him over my shoulder. "Polite. Efficient. Everything you said she was."
He offered a weak smile. "She keeps things running. I know her tone can come off cold sometimes, but she's harmless."
"Didn't say she wasn't."
He stepped closer, hesitant now. "Why do I feel like you're not actually here to visit?"
I turned to face him fully. "Because maybe you know there's something to explain."
Julian exhaled and sat on the edge of his desk. "Elena… she's just my assistant. There's nothing between us."
"Maybe not," I said. "But she doesn't act like someone who knows her place. And you don't act like someone who's bothered by it."
His jaw flexed. "I'm not entertaining anything. I've only ever been honest with you."
"I know," I said. "And I want to believe that's still true."
His brows drew together. "It is."
"Then prove it," I said quietly.
