Freya leaned against the door once it closed behind her, pressing a palm to her chest as if to stop the erratic beat of her heart. Daniel’s voice, low and unexpectedly gentle, replayed in her mind—Thanks. A single word, yet it unsettled her more than his usual sharp commands ever could.
She shook her head quickly, forcing herself to move away. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she muttered under her breath. He was her boss. Her cold, impossible boss. Whatever she felt in that moment, it had to stay buried.
The evening drifted by quietly after that. She returned to her room, finishing some reports for work, but her thoughts kept slipping back to Daniel’s expression—the faint smirk, the way his eyes had softened at the edges. She hadn’t imagined it.
The next morning, Freya rose early, preparing brea
