Unspoken Tensions

[Waylen Company – Early Morning]

Adeline entered the office, her movements silent but determined. The past 24 hours had been a blur—searching for the leak, processing data, and working alongside Elias. But now, everything felt… heavier. There was something about Elias that she couldn't shake.

He was still the aloof, mysterious boss. But there were instances. Small ones. When their gazes locked, when their talks dragged on a fraction longer than needed, when the air between them became electric with an unspoken tension.

She sat down at her desk, trying to dispel the notion, but it wouldn't dissipate.

"Good morning, Adeline."

She glanced up to find Nathan standing before her, his customary sunny disposition slightly muted today. His gaze flashed toward Elias's office, and he spoke more quietly.

"Big day today?" he attempted to tease.

Adeline smiled weakly. "Always.

Before Nathan had a chance to reply, the door to Elias's office swung open, and he emerged, his keen eyes scanning the room. His eyes locked with hers for an instant before he turned away, moving toward the conference room with that characteristic contained precision.

Her heart raced for reasons she couldn't quite articulate.

[Waylen Company – Conference Room – Later]

The door clicked shut behind Adeline as she entered the conference room. Elias was already there, standing near the large table, his posture as rigid as ever. His dark eyes didn't meet hers immediately, but when they did, she felt that familiar pull.

"You're late," he said, his voice clipped.

"I was collecting the most current reports," Adeline said, putting down her items on the table, attempting to conceal the shaking of her hands. "I didn't want to return empty-handed."

He looked at her for a moment, his lips curving into something that nearly resembled a smile—almost. "I appreciate it. Next time, though, don't go out of your way trying to impress me. Just be effective."

Adeline's chest constricted, but she didn't let it show. She nodded curtly. "Got it."

She sat down across from him, scanning over the documents before her. There was silence between them, thick and uncomfortable, as they both concentrated on the task at hand.

But even with the work, the tension between them was impossible to deny.

Adeline couldn't help but think about the way Elias had gazed at her the other day, when their fingers had touched ever so fleetingly as they exchanged a file between them. It was a touch that shouldn't have had any significance, but it had. It lingered. And now, sitting here in this room with him again, the atmosphere was charged with something more than mere business.

She fidgeted in her chair, not willing to acknowledge the way her heart hammered every time he was around. Or the way his presence had begun to impact her more than it should.

[Waylen Company – Midday]

The day wore on, but Adeline was preoccupied, her attention divided between the investigation and the small, developing sense that Elias wasn't as far away as he pretended to be. It was as though he was testing her—testing her boundaries, observing her, studying how she reacted to all things, and not strictly on a professional level.

"Adeline," Elias's voice cut through her reverie.

She glanced up quickly to see him standing at her desk, his brow creased slightly. "We need to discuss the next steps in the investigation. Come with me."

She rose hastily, accompanying him to the conference room once more. Her stomach turned over as she entered, the door closing behind them.

"Sit," Elias instructed, pointing to the chair opposite him.

Adeline sat, arms crossed in front of her. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but having him here alone in this space made everything… different. More intense.

"We're closing in on the leak," Elias started, his voice professional. But there was a bite to it today—something almost personal. "I need you to begin sorting through all we've accumulated. We'll have to be more forceful tomorrow."

Adeline nodded, keeping her expression neutral, though she felt an unsettling tension coil in her chest.

"Understood."

Elias's gaze softened for a moment, his eyes lingering on hers. "You're doing well, Adeline."

She blinked, momentarily thrown off balance. "I'm just doing my job."

"I know," he said quietly, almost too quietly. "But it's not lost on me how quickly you've adapted to this. environment."

The weight of his words hung between them, a shift in their dynamic that she couldn't quite understand. Was this just him being professional? Or was there something else? Something more than just business?

Adeline cleared her throat, trying to regain some sense of control. "I appreciate that. But I'm here to solve this. Not to. get comfortable."

Elias's lips twitched again, this time into a small, unreadable smile. He leaned forward slightly, his eyes searching hers.

"You're not the only one with something to prove, Adeline."

She met his gaze evenly, feeling her pulse quicken, but refusing to let it show. "Then prove it," she said, her voice low but steady.

The briefest flicker of something passed through Elias's eyes. Was it admiration? Frustration? Something darker?

But whatever it was, it was short-lived. He stood up, moving away from the table.

"Keep your mind on the task, Adeline," he told her, his voice once again cool and professional. "We have work to do."

Adeline observed him for a second, attempting to discern the cause of the tension that had temporarily altered between them. But before she could open her mouth, he turned and departed from the room, leaving her with the burden of his words—and the much heavier burden of what had just transpired between them.

[Waylen Company – End of Day]

Adeline's head was a jumble of mixed thoughts as she packed up. Elias had been more evasive than normal today, and their exchanges had been filled with things left unsaid. Was it simply the pressure of work? Or something more?

She didn't know, but for the first time since working here, she wasn't certain that she even cared.

As she stepped into the elevator, her phone buzzed. It was a text from Elias.

"We'll be meeting in the conference room at 10 tomorrow. Don't be late."

Adeline stared at the message for a long moment, her fingers hovering over her phone. Something in her chest tightened.

She had no idea where this was leading, but one thing was clear.

Her relationship with Elias wasn't just about business anymore.