GLIMPSE BEHI

was quiet

beside her, fingers flying over the keys as if

in his chair, doodling something-something ridiculous

frow

s someth

wing them-it wasn't the messages, the no

aviness in his shoulders. A subtle tightness in his jaw.

er seen him

aid softly, a

ately. The pencil in his

that casual, teasing tone

different," sh

-a short, almost too qui

ou. Dif

just need more coffee. Or maybe I'm haunted by

ms, unconvinced. "Dea

joke dropped from his lips bef

u're hiding something. Behind the joke

ed. He didn't look

tched, heavy, al

ne," he said quietly, "and then... they surp

ia w

th?" he whispered

she sai

y jokes? They're shields. Armour. Everything I don't want to admit-pain, fear, mi

heart t

I can handle the deadlines, the chaos, the sarcasm... but sometimes, the wor

his. The Dean she knew-the infuriating, chaoti

ling me this?" s

've been seeing more than you let on. I see it in your eyes when y

d hard, unsure

," he whispered. "I just.

at least, not in the sense of the shadow that stalked them-bu

ing, something clever, something th

at down across from h

ust breathed. Quietly. Steadily. And for the first time, Sophia real

she said finally,

sed. "I'm... not s

ou don't have to hide it from m

on hers, searching.

ual chaotic laugh, but a softer, q

rously percep

e didn't know if it was fear, emp

deepen, her phone buzz

at it-another

tomac

er. "What now?

ned the

ng. They're

read the words. Dean's han

n," she w

aid, voice low and tense. "We have

bout drafts, deadlines, or emotional tension. Some

f panic, but Dean's gri

s," she admitted,

softly. "But we'll

ecause of their growing connection, not because of anything romantic,

saw it-a shadow moving o

ed up. "They're h

e. Her ches

y to move. "Stay close. Don

red for a moment

ery instinct screamed danger

bolder. This isn't random anymore. They

ed hard. "Do w

d to understand what we're dealing wi

ue, wanted to insist on safety, but Dean's stead

bloomed-something that had nothing to do with the threat

lling to break the fragile peac

st care about the draft, or the deadlines, or even

g, and a small, knowin

ng too much,"

what I'm thinki

t's better not to think at all

n't want to admit how eas

another sound shattered the fragile

eaped into

g, eyes scanning, hand st

?" Sophia

Just a so

ere," he murmured. And he mov

, tense, every

le turne

wed figure st

nnection is shattered when the mysterious figure enters the office. The danger they've been a

the figure stepped f

hood up, obscuring identity-but the presence radiated danger. Calm,

sked, voice steady bu

pulled a folded note from their pocket, tossing it o

ned closer, trying to read the scrawled

much. Time i

est ti

nched. "They'r

hard. "Dean... wh

is eyes flicked to her, briefly

ally. "But they're not here for

ces, the moments of unexpected closeness-they all suddenly felt dangerousl

rushing against him. He didn't flinch. His han

to protect me,

imply. "And I wil

st about the immediate threat. She k

shadow she hadn't seen before. Pain. Regret. Some

your jokes," she said s

e laughed quietly, low and shaky, alm

"The armor. The shield. Th

sagging slightly. "It's... exhausting. But it's safer than being open. Safer th

ut, to tell him it was okay to let go,

simply sque

the corner of the office. Not approa

rper, commanding. "Yo

Silence filled the roo

ll if the danger was in the words uns

body coiled and alert. "This is your last

"You don't understand what's at stake. You've cr

He gritted his teeth.

readable, almost mechanical. Then, as silently as

feeling the weight of

didn't loosen. "This i

aid quietly

desk, breathing heavily. His laughter, the shield

r chest tight with emo

ore than I realize

ou always notice the things

ou shouldn't have to hide everything

use I want to. I hide it because letting anyone in... is dang

ch tighte

ou make me feel things I've worked too hard to ignore

nger outside and the danger inside collided-the external threat, the uns

eminded them they weren't alone

e door, alert. "We can't let

ll in his. "But... I'm n

shadow behind it-a wariness born fro

. "Not just with them... but wit

what he meant. And the admission, quiet as

fice phone rang.

anged a glance. Neit

g again. Loud

iously. "Hello?" he said

replied. Low. Thre

ly just begun. We're closer than

ne wen

old shiver run

inside our world now. Not just outside it

ear. And yet... she couldn't pull away. Not from him. Not from the growing co

new the next move wo

how dangerously close their trust-and their hearts-have become. The messages, the notes, the unknown figure... it's