The office buzzed with activity.
Phones rang.
Keyboards clicked.
Conversations floated through the air, soft and distant.
Lillian walked in, coffee in hand, ready to start the day.
She pushed the door open and froze.
Whispers.
Glances.
Hushed laughs.
She tried to ignore it, walking toward her desk.
But snippets of conversation reached her ears.
"…all for the money, of course."
"She's only with him because he's rich."
"…did you see the flowers he sent? So over the top."
Lillian's stomach twisted.
Her smile faltered.
Her hand trembled slightly as she set the coffee down.
She forced herself to sit, focusing on her screen, fingers hovering over the keyboard.
But she couldn't concentrate.
Not really.
Every so often, she caught a coworker staring, whispering again.
It hurt more than she wanted to admit.
She pressed her lips together.
She wouldn't cry.
Not here.
Not now.
Her shoulders slumped slightly, though she tried to straighten them.
She heard laughter behind her.
"…I mean, flowers and cupcakes? Who does that?"
Lillian clenched her hands in her lap.
She focused on her screen again, trying to appear absorbed in work.
But someone cleared their throat nearby.
"Lillian?"
She looked up.
Sebastian Wolfe.
He was standing at the edge of her desk, arms crossed, a faint crease between his eyebrows.
"You okay?" he asked quietly, but his piercing blue eyes didn't miss anything.
She swallowed hard.
"I… I'm fine."
He crouched slightly, resting one hand on her desk.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No!" she said quickly, shaking her head.
"You didn't do anything wrong."
His eyes softened slightly, but the crease remained.
"Then what's wrong?"
She hesitated, biting her lip.
Finally, she whispered, "Rumors. People talking… saying things. About us."
He tilted his head.
"Rumors?"
"They're saying… that I'm with you for money," she admitted quietly.
Sebastian's jaw tightened imperceptibly.
"I see."
Her voice dropped further.
"I'll be okay. Don't worry about me. You… you should get back to work."
He studied her for a long moment.
Silent.
Concern evident in the way his gaze lingered on her.
"I'll be back," he said finally.
"But… I'm not leaving this completely."
She managed a small smile.
"Thanks."
He nodded once and straightened, leaving her with a lingering glance before returning to his office.
The door clicked shut behind him.
Lillian exhaled slowly.
She pressed her forehead against her hand.
The whispers and stares didn't matter as much when she thought of him.
A few minutes later, a knock at her desk pulled her out of her thoughts.
A small package.
She blinked, then opened it carefully.
Inside: a single cupcake, her favorite flavor. A tiny note rested atop it:
For you. Just because.
– S
Her fingers brushed the note.
A soft smile tugged at her lips.
She looked around.
No one was watching.
Her heart warmed.
The cupcake felt like a small, quiet message: I'm thinking of you. You're important to me.
Her eyes lingered on it for a moment before she unwrapped it and took a small bite.
The sweetness made her grin.
She felt cared for.
Really cared for.
It wasn't just about flowers or cupcakes.
It was about the thought.
The attention.
The sincerity.
Sebastian had noticed.
He had remembered.
Her fingers traced the note again, soft.
Chloe appeared beside her suddenly, leaning casually against the edge of Lillian's desk.
"You're smiling," Chloe said, arms crossed.
"Look at you."
"I… I'm just enjoying a cupcake," Lillian said, trying to sound casual.
Chloe raised an eyebrow.
"Hmm. Cupcake from Sebastian, huh?"
Lillian looked away, slightly embarrassed.
"Yes."
Chloe grinned knowingly.
"He's really good at this… at making you feel cared for. I saw him yesterday, you know."
Lillian blinked.
"You… saw?"
Chloe nodded.
"The way he kept looking through the windows to check up on you. Then a small smile that followed after."
Lillian's cheeks warmed.
"He… he really cares."
Chloe smirked.
"Yeah, he does. And not just a little."
Lillian nibbled the cupcake quietly.
"I… I guess I'm lucky."
"You're more than lucky," Chloe said.
"You're probably the only one who knows how soft he can be. The only one he'd show it to."
Her words made Lillian pause. She swallowed.
"It… it really feels different."
Chloe leaned closer, voice low.
"You know he's not like anyone else. He's… intense. But for you, he'd move mountains. Literally."
Lillian smiled softly.
"I know. I feel it. Every day."
Chloe stood, giving her a final grin.
"Okay, I'll leave you to it. Enjoy the cupcake… and him."
"Thanks, Chloe," Lillian whispered.
Chloe walked off, and Lillian sat back in her chair, heart still warm.
Later, Sebastian peeked into the office from his office door.
"Did the cupcake arrive safely?" he asked, faint smile on his face.
Lillian looked up, cheeks faintly pink.
"Yes. Thank you."
He stepped closer, leaning against her desk.
"Good. I wanted you to know… I notice when you're feeling down. I'm not letting you carry that alone."
She smiled softly, touched by his care.
"You… don't have to worry so much."
"I do," he said simply.
"You matter too much to me."
Her heart skipped a beat.
"I… I know."
He gave a rare, warm smile—pure, unguarded, and soft, his blue eyes shining with sincerity.
"Eat the cupcake before it melts," he said lightly, trying to ease the tension.
Lillian laughed softly.
"Yes, sir."
He stayed at her desk for a moment, just watching her, ensuring she was okay.
Then, finally, he returned to his office, leaving her with a soft glow in her chest.
The office hummed around her, but Lillian felt a quiet sense of safety.
No whispers could touch her when she knew he cared so deeply.
The cupcake was sweet.
But his thoughtfulness?
That was sweeter.
And for the first time that day, she felt completely… protected.
Completely… valued.
Completely… happy.