Gabriel's POV
My office door burst open, and Clairessa walked in with confidence. For a moment, I felt annoyed at her boldness, barging into my office like she owned the place. But the anger quickly disappeared when I noticed something was wrong. She was pacing back and forth restlessly, her hands tightly clenched at her waist.
“Clairessa, what’s the matter?” I asked, watching her closely. She looked as if she might explode but still refused to speak. “Is there an issue with the project? Are you unwell?”
Still, she said nothing.
“Speak up!” My voice came out harsher than I intended. I stood and moved toward her, trying to understand what was going on. The way she was acting was unsettling. I didn’t like how it made me feel—on edge, almost worried. I rarely felt that way.
The sound of
