The elevator dinged and Karen stepped out, clutching the coffee cup tighter than she needed to, it had been a quiet morning.
Too quiet, no terse calls from Alex, no sudden assignments. Just silence and yet, that silence echoed louder than any outburst.
She still felt the heat of yesterday on her skin. The way he'd looked at her. The way he'd almost kissed her. The way he'd snapped and told her to leave like she was the problem.
She hated that she couldn't stop thinking about it.
It was just the stress, she told herself. He's your boss.
Cold, arrogant, damaged. He's not supposed to affect you like this.
But he did.
And the worst part was some sick part of her liked it.
Her heels clicked against the floor as she walked past the executive lounge toward her new office. A small, minimalist space across from Alex's, where she could "work closely under his supervision."
Translation: so he could watch her.
She reached for the door, but paused when she noticed someone standing a few feet away.
Luca.
He leaned casually against the glass, arms folded, watching her like he'd been waiting.
"Oh. Hey," she greeted, trying to sound normal.
He gave a small smile. "Rough day?"
Karen chuckled nervously. "You could say that."
He nodded toward her door. "He's calmer today. No phones thrown, no raging, just silence."
"So... I guess that's an improvement?"
Luca's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Depends on how you define calm."
She studied him quietly. Luca had always felt different.
Warmer, safer, he didn't make her heart race like Alex did but maybe that was a good thing.
Still..something about his expression today made her pause.
"Can I ask you something?" she said before she could stop herself.
"Sure."
"What's his deal? Alex. Why is he always like that?"
Luca tilted his head thoughtfully.
"Alex feels everything too deeply, so he hides it behind distance. But when someone slips past that he doesn't know how to handle it."
Karen blinked. "You think I've slipped past it?"
Luca shrugged. "Do you?"
She didn't answer.
Because maybe just maybe she already knew.
As she walked into her office, closing the door gently behind her, she leaned against it for a second and let out a shaky breath.
Something was changing.
She could feel it between her and Alex, between her and Luca, even within herself.
And it wasn't just tension anymore.
It was the beginning of something she couldn't name yet.
But it was coming and she knew it.