Sophia didn't sleep well.
Johnson's words followed her into the night like a shadow.
You'll regret it.
In the morning, she kissed Ava goodbye, took the bus to work, and told herself, Don't think about him. Focus on your job.
But the moment she stepped into the office, she felt it.
Eyes.
People looked up, then looked away too fast. Whispers stopped when she walked past. A few coworkers stared openly, then pretended to check their phones.
Sophia's stomach tightened.
A young woman near the printer whispered to another, “Is it really her?"
The other woman whispered back, “It has to be."
Sophia kept walking, face calm, heart pounding.
At her desk
A man from the next row murmured, “I got that email too."
His coworker whispered, “I deleted it."
Another voice floated from the pantry.
