Quiet Things
1605 Words
Morning sunlight filtered softly through the large windows of Vesper Group’s headquarters in Country A.
For once, there was no kidnapping.
No gunshots.
No terrifying messages from unknown enemies.
Just work.
Normal work.
Which somehow felt stranger to Maureen Green than chaos itself.
She stepped out of the elevator carrying several folders against her chest while employees hurried around the office preparing for the Monday meeting.
Since Jordan Rodriguez bought the company, the atmosphere had changed drastically.
People arrived earlier.
Nobody dared gossip loudly anymore.
And coffee consumption throughout the building had tripled because everybody feared falling asleep during meetings.
Maureen walked calmly toward her office while greeting several employees politely.
“Morning, Maureen.”
“Good morning.”
“You’re early again.”
She smiled faintly.
“Habit.”
One nervous intern rushed past carrying papers before accidentally dropping everything directly in front of her.
“Oh no—”
The poor girl looked seconds away from crying.
Maureen crouched immediately to help gather the scattered documents.
“It’s okay.”
“I’m sorry,” the intern whispered quickly. “Mr. Rodriguez already yelled at two managers this morning.”
Maureen almost sighed.
Only Jordan could terrify an entire company before nine in the morning.
The elevator doors suddenly opened again.
Silence instantly spread across the office floor.
Jordan Rodriguez walked out calmly wearing a black suit and dark gloves despite the warm weather outside.
Employees immediately straightened.
Some looked like they forgot how breathing worked.
Jordan’s sharp gaze swept across the office briefly before stopping on Maureen kneeling beside the intern.
The terrified intern nearly fainted.
Jordan walked toward them slowly.
“What happened?”
The girl panicked immediately.
“I-I accidentally dropped the reports—”
Jordan looked at the papers once before speaking calmly.
“Then pick them up.”
The intern blinked.
“…That’s all?”
Jordan frowned slightly.
“What else would you like me to say?”
The girl immediately grabbed the papers again.
“Nothing, sir.”
Jordan looked toward Maureen afterward.
“You’re late.”
Maureen stared at him in disbelief.
“It’s eight fifty-eight.”
“The meeting starts in two minutes.”
“That’s not late.”
Jordan turned calmly.
“Two minutes.”
Cold.
Direct.
Exactly like him.
Maureen stood while muttering quietly under her breath.
“Unbelievable.”
Unfortunately—
Jordan heard it.
The corner of his mouth almost moved slightly before he continued walking toward the conference room.
The nearby employees looked shocked.
Did Maureen just complain directly about Jordan Rodriguez and survive?
Impossible.
—
Ten minutes later, the executive meeting officially began.
Jordan stood near the presentation screen while discussing international expansion projects in his usual cold tone.
Nobody interrupted him.
Nobody dared.
Meanwhile, Maureen sat beside him organizing documents while occasionally correcting small mistakes in the reports.
One executive cleared his throat nervously.
“Sir, the new entertainment partnership project still requires approval from Adrian Media Studios.”
Jordan’s expression remained unreadable.
“Schedule another meeting.”
The executive hesitated slightly.
“There’s… another issue.”
Jordan looked up slowly.
The poor man immediately regretted existing.
“Adrian Knight personally rejected the proposal.”
Several executives exchanged awkward glances.
Because everybody knew Adrian Knight had become wildly successful recently.
Not only as a singer but also as the owner of a growing entertainment company.
Jordan’s voice remained calm.
“Reason?”
The executive swallowed nervously.
“He said our presentation was boring.”
Silence filled the conference room.
Then suddenly—
Maureen laughed.
Actually laughed.
The sound escaped before she could stop herself.
Every executive froze in horror.
Jordan slowly turned toward her.
The room practically stopped breathing.
Maureen covered her mouth immediately.
“Sorry.”
Jordan stared at her silently for several seconds.
Then—
“What exactly is funny?”
“The wording.”
Jordan’s brows lowered slightly.
“He insulted a billion-dollar company by calling it boring.”
One executive looked ready to collapse from stress.
Meanwhile, Jordan simply held Maureen’s gaze for a moment longer before looking back toward the presentation screen.
“Redo the proposal.”
“Yes, sir.”
The meeting continued afterward.
But several employees secretly noticed something strange.
Jordan had not yelled once.
Not even a little.
And somehow—
That terrified them more.
—
By lunchtime, the rain outside finally began falling heavily.
Maureen stood near the office coffee machine while rubbing her tired eyes softly.
The past few weeks had exhausted her emotionally.
Between Jordan, Catherine’s kidnapping, and the unknown threats surrounding them—
Peace felt temporary now.
“You look sleepy.”
Maureen turned slightly.
Emily Rodriguez stood nearby wearing an oversized hoodie while holding snacks in both hands.
Maureen blinked.
“What are you doing here?”
Emily grinned proudly.
“I skipped school.”
Maureen sighed instantly.
“You shouldn’t sound proud of that.”
“I came to visit my favorite person.”
“You mean Jordan?”
Emily looked offended.
“Obviously not.”
Maureen laughed softly.
Emily immediately narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“There it is again.”
“What?”
“That tiny smile you only do when you’re relaxed.”
Maureen looked away slightly.
“I smile normally.”
“No you don’t.”
Before Maureen could answer, another voice interrupted calmly behind them.
“She’s right.”
Jordan.
Maureen turned immediately.
Jordan stood nearby holding coffee while staring at her with his usual unreadable expression.
Emily pointed dramatically.
“See?! Even the ice king agrees with me.”
Jordan ignored the nickname completely.
Instead, he handed Maureen another coffee cup.
She blinked.
“…What’s this?”
“You looked tired.”
Maureen stared at the coffee quietly.
Small things like this still surprised her.
Jordan noticed details nobody expected him to notice.
Emily suddenly gasped dramatically.
“Oh my God.”
Jordan frowned slightly.
“What now?”
“You brought her coffee.”
Silence.
Jordan looked unimpressed.
“And?”
“You hate people.”
“I tolerate people.”
Emily looked toward Maureen triumphantly.
“He’s in love with you.”
Jordan’s expression immediately turned colder.
“Emily.”
“What? I’m just observ—”
“Go back to school.”
Emily groaned loudly.
“You’re impossible.”
Jordan ignored her completely before looking toward Maureen again.
“Come with me.”
Maureen frowned slightly.
“Where?”
“Lunch.”
“…Was that an invitation?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“A schedule.”
Emily burst into laughter while Jordan calmly walked away.
Maureen stared after him before sighing softly.
Why was he like this?
—
Jordan brought her to a quiet restaurant overlooking the river outside the business district.
The atmosphere felt peaceful compared to the constant tension surrounding them lately.
Rain tapped softly against the glass windows while piano music played quietly nearby.
Several people immediately recognized Jordan when he entered.
Whispers spread instantly.
But Jordan ignored everybody completely while choosing a private table near the corner.
Maureen sat across from him quietly.
“You didn’t have to bring me here.”
Jordan removed his gloves calmly.
“You skipped breakfast.”
She blinked slightly.
“How do you know that?”
“You get headaches when you skip meals.”
Maureen stared at him quietly.
Again.
Another small thing he somehow noticed.
The waiter approached nervously.
Jordan ordered without even opening the menu.
Maureen frowned.
“You didn’t ask what I wanted.”
“You order the same thing every time.”
“…That’s slightly terrifying.”
Jordan looked calm.
“Efficient.”
The waiter quickly escaped afterward.
Silence settled briefly between them.
But unlike before—
The silence no longer felt uncomfortable.
Then Maureen suddenly spoke quietly.
“You cried.”
Jordan’s eyes lifted immediately toward her.
The atmosphere shifted slightly.
At the cemetery.
She had noticed.
Jordan looked away briefly toward the rain outside.
“Yes.”
The quiet admission surprised her.
No denial.
No cold avoidance.
Just honesty.
Maureen softened slightly.
“I’m sorry.”
Jordan’s expression remained unreadable.
“For what?”
“For everything you carried alone.”
Silence followed again.
Then Jordan suddenly asked—
“Do you still plan on leaving again?”
The question caught her off guard.
Maureen lowered her eyes slightly.
“I don’t know.”
Jordan stared at her calmly.
“You always run when things become difficult.”
“That’s unfair.”
“Is it?”
Maureen looked outside quietly.
Maybe he was right.
Maybe running had become easier than staying.
The food arrived shortly afterward, interrupting the conversation.
But even during lunch, Jordan kept doing strange little things.
Pushing water closer whenever she forgot drinking.
Removing cilantro from her plate because he remembered she hated it.
Noticing immediately whenever she looked cold because of the restaurant air conditioning.
Small things.
Quiet things.
The kind that slowly became dangerous.
Because they made her heart soften against her will.
—
Later that evening, Maureen finally returned home exhausted.
The countryside looked peaceful beneath the sunset while soft wind moved through the trees surrounding her mother’s house.
For the first time in weeks—
Things felt almost normal again.
Then her phone buzzed quietly.
Jordan.
Maureen answered slowly.
“…Hello?”
His voice remained low and calm.
“Lock your doors tonight.”
Her chest tightened slightly.
“Why?”
Silence.
Then—
“Because I said so.”
Before she could argue, the line disconnected.
Maureen stared at the phone quietly afterward.
Then sighed softly.
Even during peaceful moments—
Jordan Rodriguez still somehow managed to sound like a threat.
- Writer
