loving you quietly

A case and a proposal

Elena walked into her office with a pounding headache.

She had barely slept.

All night, her father's words had replayed in her mind.

Give him a chance.

The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became.

Marriage was supposed to be her decision.

Not something arranged because her father was worried about the future.

Yet beneath the frustration was something even more annoying.

A small voice telling her that Cameron wasn't entirely wrong.

If she continued living exactly the way she had for the past few years, would anything ever change?

The thought irritated her enough that she immediately pushed it aside.

Work.

She needed to focus on work.

As soon as she stepped into her office, her assistant hurried toward her carrying a thick file.

"Good morning, Ms. Monroe."

Elena eyed the file suspiciously.

"Why are you holding that like it's a bomb?"

Her assistant gave an awkward smile.

"Because you're probably not going to like what's inside."

Elena groaned.

"Please tell me this isn't another case."

"I'm afraid it is."

She stopped walking.

"What happened to my schedule? I specifically said I wasn't taking any major cases this month."

"You weren't supposed to."

"Then why am I looking at a case file?"

Her assistant handed it over.

"The lawyer originally assigned to it had to step down."

Elena frowned.

"Why?"

"She's pregnant. Her doctor advised her to reduce stress immediately."

Elena's expression softened slightly.

"That's understandable."

"Unfortunately, the client is refusing to wait."

Elena glanced down at the file.

"What kind of case is important enough to cause this much trouble?"

Her assistant hesitated.

"The murder of Senator Jonathan Reed."

Elena froze.

The name was familiar.

Very familiar.

The entire city had been talking about it for weeks.

"You're joking."

"I wish I was."

Elena opened the file.

"And who's the client?"

Her assistant took a deep breath.

"The senator's daughter."

Silence filled the office.

Elena slowly looked up.

"The same daughter the police believe murdered him?"

"Yes."

Elena stared at her.

Then back at the file.

Then at her again.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"I'm not."

Elena dropped into her chair.

Of all the cases in Seattle.

Of all the lawyers in the city.

This one had somehow landed on her desk.

Elena flipped through the file again.

The evidence was extensive.

Fingerprints on the murder weapon.

The knife traced back to Jane's residence.

Witnesses confirmed she had been the last person seen with her father before his death.

Security footage placed her near the scene.

Even the clothing described by witnesses matched what she had been wearing that evening.

Elena leaned back in her chair.

It was almost ridiculous.

The case looked less like an investigation and more like a completed conviction.

She turned another page and stopped.

Education.

Harvard University.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

Jane wasn't some reckless teenager who acted without thinking. She was educated, disciplined, and had grown up under constant public scrutiny as the daughter of a prominent politician.

Which made the evidence even stranger.

One mistake could happen.

Two mistakes were possible.

But this many?

Elena tapped a finger against the file.

Either Jane had committed the most careless murder imaginable...

Or someone had worked very hard to make sure every road led directly to her.

For the first time since opening the file, Elena felt genuinely interested.

She closed the folder and looked up.

"I'll take the case."

Relief immediately appeared on her assistant's face.

"Thank goodness."

Elena stood and picked up the file.

"Also, can you do something for me?"

"Of course."

"Contact Mr. Daniel and ask if he can take my ten o'clock class today. I'll take his twelve-thirty class instead."

Her assistant blinked.

"You're rearranging your lectures?"

"Yes."

That alone revealed how seriously she was taking the case.

Elena rarely altered her teaching schedule for anything.

"I want to review everything before the first hearing."

"Understood. I'll speak to him immediately."

Elena nodded.

As her assistant hurried away, she glanced down at the file once more.

Something about it bothered her.

And the more she looked at the evidence, the more convinced she became that the truth was hiding somewhere between the pages.

The rest of the morning passed quickly.

Elena buried herself in work.

After reviewing the case file one final time, she headed to her lecture hall. As always, the classroom was packed long before the session began.

By the end of the lecture, several students remained behind to ask questions.

A few wanted clarification on the day's topic.

Others simply wanted advice about law school applications.

It was one of the few parts of her career she genuinely enjoyed.

Teaching felt simple.

Predictable.

Unlike the complicated mess waiting inside the murder file sitting on her desk.

Nearly an hour later, Elena finally returned to her office.

She closed the door behind her and sank into her chair.

Only then did she notice the notification on her phone.

A message from her father.

Have you thought about it?

Elena stared at the screen.

She already knew what he was talking about.

With a sigh, she locked the phone and placed it on the desk.

The murder case was difficult enough.

She wasn't about to spend her afternoon thinking about marriage too.

A few moments later, her phone vibrated again.

She glanced at it despite herself.

I know you've read my message.

Elena groaned.

Another notification appeared almost immediately.

It literally says "Seen."

Answer me.

What do you think about Adrian?

She stared at the message in disbelief.

For a respected professor and retired academic, Cameron could be surprisingly persistent.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.

She considered replying.

No.

She considered sending a long explanation.

No.

She considered reminding him that she was a busy woman handling a major case.

Still no.

In the end, she simply locked her phone again and pushed it aside.

If she answered once, he would ask ten more questions.

Silence was safer.

At least for now.

Reaching for the murder file, Elena opened it once more.

Unfortunately, even as she began reading, one irritating thought continued to linger in the back of her mind.

What do you think about Adrian?

She frowned and turned another page.

The case was already giving her enough problems.

She didn't need her father adding another one.

Hours later, Elena was still reviewing the politician's case when a knock sounded on her office door.

Without looking up, she said, "Come in."

The receptionist stepped inside.

"Professor Monroe, someone is here to see you."

Elena frowned.

"Did they make an appointment?"

"No."

Normally she would have refused.

Today, however, curiosity got the better of her.

"Send them in."

The receptionist nodded and stepped aside.

A second later, the visitor entered.

Elena froze.

"Adrian?"

The man standing in her office looked just as surprised to see her reaction.

"Hello, Elena."

She blinked.

"What are you doing here?"

Then another question immediately followed.

"Actually, how do you even know where my office is?"

Adrian looked slightly uncomfortable.

For a moment, he seemed to be debating whether he should answer honestly.

Unfortunately for him, honesty won.

"Your father gave me the address."

Elena closed her eyes.

Of course he did.

Why was she not surprised?

"And why exactly did my father give you my office address?"

Adrian held up a small paper bag.

"He told me you were sick."

Silence.

Elena stared at the bag.

Then at Adrian.

Then back at the bag.

"You thought I was sick?"

"He sounded concerned."

The embarrassment was so overwhelming that she wanted the floor to open and swallow her whole.

That absolutely sounded like something Cameron would do.

"I'm perfectly fine."

Adrian glanced at the stack of files covering her desk.

The half-finished notes.

The untouched lunch she had forgotten to eat.

The coffee that had long gone cold.

"Are you sure?"

Elena followed his gaze.

"...Mostly fine."

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"He mentioned you have a habit of overworking yourself."

She groaned.

"Please stop listening to everything my father says."

"I don't listen to everything."

"You literally brought medicine."

"Fair point."

For a second, neither of them spoke.

The silence wasn't uncomfortable.

Just awkward enough to make both of them aware of it.

Finally Elena cleared her throat.

"My office closes soon anyway."

Adrian nodded.

"Then I'll leave you to your work."

For some reason, that wasn't what she wanted.

Maybe it was curiosity.

Maybe it was guilt after he had gone through the trouble of coming all the way here.

Or maybe she simply didn't feel like returning to the mountain of paperwork waiting on her desk.

"Actually..."

Adrian stopped.

"Yes?"

She hesitated.

Then shrugged.

"Coffee is a little dangerous at this hour."

A small smile appeared on his face.

"So I've heard."

"Why don't we just get dinner instead?"

For a moment, genuine surprise crossed his features.

Then he nodded.

"I'd like that."

---

An hour later, they found themselves in a small restaurant a few blocks from downtown.

Nothing extravagant.

Nothing fancy.

Every high-end restaurant in Seattle would have required reservations.

Neither of them had planned this.

So a quiet local restaurant suited them perfectly.

To Elena's surprise, conversation came easily.

Much more easily than it had in the hospital.

Perhaps it was because Cameron wasn't sitting between them.

Or perhaps it was because neither of them felt pressured tonight.

They talked about work.

About university life.

About impossible schedules.

About the strange people they encountered in their professions.

More than once, Elena found herself laughing.

Actually laughing.

Not the polite smile she usually gave colleagues.

A real laugh.

The kind she rarely shared with strangers.

At some point Adrian leaned back in his chair.

"You know," he said, "you're not what I expected."

Elena raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"I always imagined you as a serious bookworm."

She laughed.

"A serious bookworm?"

"Your father talks about you constantly."

That did not surprise her.

"He made me sound boring, didn't he?"

"A little."

"Wonderful."

"I thought you'd be very strict. Very intimidating. The type of professor students are terrified of."

"And now?"

A smile appeared on Adrian's face.

"Now I think you're much more interesting than that."

Elena looked away before he noticed the slight warmth creeping into her cheeks.

"Don't let my students hear you say that."

"I won't."

For a moment, silence settled between them.

Comfortable this time.

Then Adrian spoke again.

His voice was quieter.

More thoughtful.

"I've actually wanted to meet you for years."

That caught her attention immediately.

"What?"

"Your father has been talking about you since I was a student."

Elena stared.

"Years?"

"Years."

She didn't know why that surprised her so much.

Maybe because she had assumed this entire situation was her father's idea.

Maybe because she had assumed Adrian was only being polite.

Apparently she had been wrong.

He met her gaze.

Then said something that completely shattered whatever composure she had left.

"I know this is going to sound sudden."

Elena immediately became suspicious.

Whenever a sentence started like that, disaster usually followed.

Adrian smiled.

"But I'd like to take you on a proper date."

Her mind went completely blank.

"I know your father wants us to get married eventually," he continued. "Personally, I think that's a conversation for much later."

Much later.

Thank God.

"But dating?" he said. "I think that's reasonable."

Elena simply stared at him.

"You're serious?"

"Very."

"After meeting me twice?"

Adrian chuckled.

"Technically I've been hearing stories about you for years."

That was somehow worse.

"And?"

"And I think you're smart."

Elena blinked.

"And?"

"I think you're beautiful."

Her heart skipped.

"And?"

"I think I'd regret not asking."

For the first time all evening, Elena found herself completely speechless.

And that almost never happened.