Dangerous Comfort
1181 Words
The rain did not stop for three straight days.
Gray clouds covered the skies above Country A while cold wind swept through the city streets endlessly.
Inside Vesper Group, however, employees cared less about the weather and more about surviving another week under Jordan Rodriguez.
Nobody understood how one man could terrify an entire building simply by walking through it silently.
Even the elevators became quieter whenever he entered.
Especially after the incident three days ago.
Apparently one manager submitted incomplete financial reports during a meeting.
Jordan stared at him for exactly seven seconds before saying—
“Do you enjoy embarrassing yourself publicly?”
The poor man almost resigned immediately afterward.
Meanwhile, Maureen Green had somehow become the only person capable of speaking normally around him.
Which confused everybody.
Especially today.
Because Jordan had called for an emergency executive meeting at seven in the morning.
On a Saturday.
People suffered emotionally just receiving the notification.
—
The conference room remained completely silent while executives reviewed documents nervously.
Jordan stood near the massive screen with one hand inside his pocket while discussing overseas expansion plans.
Cold.
Sharp.
Focused.
Meanwhile, Maureen organized schedules quietly beside him while trying not to yawn.
She barely slept the previous night because of the storm.
Jordan noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
“You’re tired.”
The statement interrupted the meeting instantly.
Several executives slowly lifted their heads in confusion.
Maureen blinked.
“…What?”
Jordan’s gaze remained on the presentation screen.
“You’re yawning every three minutes.”
One executive nearly dropped his pen.
Jordan Rodriguez was counting her yawns?
Maureen straightened slightly.
“I’m listening.”
“You’re exhausted.”
“I’m functioning.”
Jordan finally looked toward her calmly.
“Barely.”
The surrounding executives exchanged terrified looks.
Why did this conversation sound oddly domestic?
Before Maureen could answer, another executive quickly interrupted to save everyone from awkwardness.
“Sir, there’s also the issue regarding the charity gala next week.”
Jordan looked away from Maureen immediately.
“What issue?”
“The organizers requested your attendance personally.”
“I’m not interested.”
The executive hesitated.
“They specifically requested Miss Green attend too.”
Silence.
Then Jordan spoke calmly.
“We’ll go.”
Maureen turned toward him instantly.
“We?”
Jordan ignored her reaction completely.
“Yes. Next topic.”
The meeting continued afterward.
But half the executives secretly stopped listening because they were too busy processing the fact that Jordan Rodriguez voluntarily agreed to attend a social event because Maureen was invited too.
Terrifying information.
Absolutely terrifying.
—
By noon, the storm outside worsened badly.
Employees gradually left the office early due to flood warnings across parts of the city.
Maureen remained inside her office organizing contracts while rubbing her neck tiredly.
Then suddenly—
The lights flickered once.
Twice.
And shut off completely.
The entire floor went dark.
Several employees screamed somewhere outside.
Maureen sighed softly.
Perfect.
Just perfect.
She reached for her phone flashlight immediately.
Unfortunately, before she could stand, thunder exploded loudly outside the building.
The sound startled her enough to accidentally hit her knee painfully against the desk.
“Ow—”
The office door suddenly opened.
Jordan entered holding a flashlight calmly.
“You’re still here.”
Maureen rubbed her knee while glaring slightly.
“So are you.”
Jordan noticed immediately.
“What happened?”
“I attacked the desk.”
Jordan stared at her silently.
“The desk won.”
“I noticed.”
Despite the darkness, Maureen could tell the corner of his mouth almost moved slightly again.
Lately, she had started noticing these tiny expressions more often.
Small nearly-smiles.
Brief softening around his eyes.
Little cracks appearing in the ice surrounding him.
Dangerous cracks.
Jordan stepped farther inside the office before setting another flashlight onto her desk.
“The roads are flooded.”
Maureen frowned slightly.
“So?”
“You’re not driving home tonight.”
Her eyes widened immediately.
“What?”
Jordan removed his gloves calmly.
“You’ll stay at my penthouse.”
Absolutely not.
“No.”
Jordan looked unimpressed already.
“No?”
“I can go home myself.”
“The highways are blocked.”
“I’ll manage.”
Jordan stepped closer slowly.
“You almost drove into a construction barrier last month because you were distracted by music.”
Maureen stared at him in disbelief.
“…You remember that?”
“You’re a terrible driver.”
“That’s not the point.”
Jordan ignored her completely.
“Pack your things.”
His calm tone somehow made the situation even more irritating.
Maureen crossed her arms stubbornly.
“I’m not staying with you.”
Jordan looked toward her quietly.
Then—
“Why?”
The question caught her off guard.
Maureen looked away slightly.
Because staying around Jordan had become dangerous lately.
Every small gesture affected her too much now.
The coffee he remembered.
The way he noticed tiny details.
The strange quiet comfort she felt around him despite everything.
And worst of all—
The way her heart reacted whenever he looked at her too long.
Jordan stepped closer again.
Thunder echoed loudly outside once more.
Then unexpectedly—
The office lights shut down entirely again, leaving the room almost completely dark except for the flashlight glow.
Maureen instinctively grabbed Jordan’s sleeve slightly.
The movement surprised both of them.
Silence filled the room immediately afterward.
Her fingers still lightly held onto his shirt.
Jordan slowly looked down at her hand.
Then back at her face.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Maureen released him quickly.
“Sorry.”
Jordan’s voice came out lower this time.
“You’re scared of thunder.”
It was not a question.
Maureen looked embarrassed immediately.
“No.”
Another thunderclap echoed loudly.
She flinched again.
Jordan stared at her silently.
Then calmly removed his coat before placing it around her shoulders.
Warm.
Heavy.
Comforting.
“You don’t have to pretend around me.”
The quiet statement made her chest tighten painfully.
Because nobody had ever said something like that to her before.
Not sincerely.
Maureen looked down briefly.
“I hate storms.”
Jordan remained silent for several seconds.
Then finally spoke quietly.
“My mother hated them too.”
Maureen slowly looked up.
Jordan rarely talked about his mother voluntarily.
The darkness around them suddenly felt softer somehow.
Less suffocating.
Then his phone buzzed sharply, breaking the moment immediately.
Jordan answered coldly.
“What?”
His expression darkened almost instantly afterward.
Maureen noticed immediately.
“What happened?”
Jordan lowered the phone slowly.
“The man who kidnapped Catherine contacted us again.”
The peaceful atmosphere disappeared instantly.
“What did he say?”
Jordan’s eyes became colder.
“He sent another message.”
Fear slowly crept into her chest.
“What message?”
Jordan stared directly at her before answering quietly.
“Second warning.”
Silence swallowed the room completely.
Outside, thunder exploded violently again while rain battered endlessly against the glass windows.
And suddenly—
Maureen realized something terrifying.
Whoever was targeting the Rodriguez family…
Was getting closer.
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