The moment Caro ended the call, the silence around her felt louder than the rain. By the time she stepped into Peter's office that night, her pulse had still not settled. The air inside was cool, controlled, but nothing about the tension between them felt stable.
Peter didn't look up immediately. "You're late," he said, his voice calm, but edged with something sharper. "That's not like you."
Caro placed the files on the desk, forcing steadiness into her hands. "I had something to finish," she replied quietly. "It took longer than expected."
He lifted his gaze then, slow and deliberate. "Finish what?" he asked, his eyes locking onto hers. "Because I called you, Caro. You answered… but you sounded distracted."
Her throat tightened. "It wasn't important," she said, holding his gaze longer than felt safe. "Work-related delays happen."
