MARRY MY HUSBAND

CHAPTER SIX( someone who sees)

The office air felt thicker that morning like everyone had agreed to breathe too loudly at once . I sat in my seat smoothing the skirt of my suit and opened the file I left unfinished yesterday.

Claire was already standing at the edge of my table, blocking my view of the computer screen . Her perfume sweet, sat heavy on my throat.

“ you're late “ she said lightly though I wasn't. She moved her head so her hair swung forward, glossy and intentional “ but don't worry I covered for you”.

I raised an eyebrow “ I didn't ask you to “. Her smile flashed , just briefly. She leaned close enough that I could smell her shampoo

Her voice lowering so only I could hear “gratitude looks good on you , Sophie don't forget it.

I kept my face still , but my nails pinched into my palm under the desk .

Across the room , Henry was laughing again louder than the rest of the office , he had his chair tipped back dangerously, one arm across the backrest like a man in his own living room . His voice carried over everyone else as he told some old stories to make a splash .

Once I'd been part of that audience. Now I kept my eyes on the spreadsheet. My silence stung him harder than an insult . I could feel his gaze towards me , sharp and restless like a child trying to catch air .

The silence stretched too long and Claire filled it , she clapped her hands together too loud to draw attention “ oh Sophie, why don't you explain this section? You're good at it . She turned raising her voice across the office everyone could hear . “She's always been the delight one . Our little machine.

A few chuckles . The weight of eyes pressed in , heat climbed the back of my neck but I held my breath steady, I turned and looked at her with the calmest face I could manage

“ of course , I said voice even “ that's what happens when you actually focus on work instead of performance.

The laugh that escaped from someone at back wasn't meant for me but for her . Her face tightened.

And then I saw him .Noah .

head bent over a stack of reports near the corner office. He wasn't laughing, he wasn't pretending not to listen, his eyes lifted, met mine for a second too long , then lowered again . Unbothered. Neutral, except there was nothing Neutral about that feeling in my gut .

The day blurred past ,Numbers, signatures, phone calls , when the others rushed out for dinner I stayed behind to finish a report.

That's when his shadow fell over my desk

“ still here ? His voice was even , neither warm or cold just steady.

I nodded without looking up “ deadlines tomorrow “ he leaned against the edge of the desk , arms crossed. Not close enough to crowd me , but close enough to notice the lines under my eyes .

“I'll help. Two pairs of hands will be faster.

I almost told him no. But the word caught in my throat Instead . I pushed the second stack towards him “ If you want” .

For a while the only sound wad paper shifting , pens scratching . My shoulder loosened bit by bit .

Then he spoke “ people treat you like you're small than you're. The pen froze in my hand “ excuse me ?”

You sit there, take their comments, let them think they're clever , but you don't look like someone who's afraid “ he set his pen down, Eyes looking up to mine , calm , direct . You look like someone who's waiting.

The air punched out of me , I covered it with a laugh, too sharp “ that's an odd thing to say “ He didn't smile .

“It's an observation “

The silence increased, heavier than before , my pulse beats out of rhythm. No one was supposed to notice not yet ,Not him .

“I think you're reading too much “ I said finally pushing the file aside “ you should finish the report .

He didn't say anything but his gaze lingered one second too long before he bent back over the papers .

By the time we were done , the office was empty, dark except for the light from our monitors . I packed my things quickly, avoiding his eyes “ Good night, I said stepping past him

“ Good night he replied tone even , unreadable but the weight of his words followed me all the way home.

At my apartment I dropped my bag on the floor and pulled out my notebook the pen hovered above the page , but my hand shook too much to write . His voice replayed in my head “ You look like someone who's waiting “ .

The truth of it was the problem, he saw through the mask I had carefully stitched over my skin .

I pressed the notebook closed , pressing it flat with both palms .

For the first time since I'd woken up ten years in the past , I felt something like unease. Someone else was watching me.

And worse …….he was right .