Nicholas sat alone in his office, the dull hum of the AC blending with the distant sound of keyboards clicking beyond his door.
His eyes were glued to his laptop screen, but his mind was far from the documents in front of him.
Thoughts spun around his head about Mason, about Dimitri, about Valerie's strange behavior.
A soft knock broke the stillness.
Nicholas didn't look up. His voice was calm, as though he expected the visitor. "Come in."
Clara stepped into the office, her hands lightly folded in front of her skirt. "Good morning, Sir. You asked to see me."
"Please, have your seat," Nicholas said, finally lifting his gaze to meet hers. His expression was soft. Too soft. Almost disarming.
Clara felt something shift in the air. This wasn't the Nicholas she was used to. He was being... kind?
She sat down hesitantly, unsure of where this was going.
Then Nicholas stood up, walked over to the door, and locked it without saying a word.
