The footsteps stopped.
Silence swallowed the office again beneath the dim red emergency lighting, thick and unnatural enough to make Vivian hear her own heartbeat.
Nobody moved.
Damien stood near his desk, phone already in his hand while Roman positioned himself slightly in front of Vivian instinctively.
Protective.
Interesting.
Vivian noticed Damien noticing it too.
Even now, in the middle of possible danger, the tension between them remained alive.
Another noise echoed from somewhere near the records department.
Metal scraping softly against glass.
Then silence again.
Damien’s voice dropped low.
“Security should’ve restored power by now.”
Roman’s expression sharpened.
“Unless someone disabled it intentionally.”
Vivian’s stomach tightened.
“You really think someone’s still
