The office buzzed with quiet murmurs, the kind that prickled the skin with unease. Adrian and Isabella moved through the open-plan space, aware of every glance, every whispered word that trailed in their wake. Their chemistry—once private, now subtly evident—had become the subject of speculation.
“Did you see them at the gala last week?” a colleague whispered to another. “I swear… there’s something going on. They weren’t just flirting.”
Adrian caught snippets of conversation, tension coiling in his chest. He forced a measured expression, refusing to let rumors show him as anything less than composed. Isabella, beside him, kept her posture impeccable, though he could see the faint flush on her cheeks. Pride, desire, and irritation mingled in equal measure.
“They’re professional,” she mut
