Being Back

Adeline stood by the door to Elias's office, her bag beside her, the faint light from the hallway casting long shadows across the room. The quiet between them stretched longer than it should have, making the space feel uncomfortably heavy. She had every intention of asking him something, but Elias spoke first.

Elias:"How was the flight back?"

Adeline leaned slightly to one side, surprised by the lack of the cold, formal detachment she expected. It wasn't warm, but it wasn't the chill she had prepared for either.

Adeline (shrugging):"Uneventful. Just the way I like it."

She stepped inside, her gaze skimming the room before returning to him. He hadn't moved, still perched stiffly behind his desk, his expression unreadable. Yet there was something about his demeanor that felt slightly different—hard to pinpoint but noticeable.

Adeline (teasingly):"You really need to start checking in on your team more. A simple 'How was it?' would do. You know, like a normal boss."

Elias's lips quirked into the briefest smile before it vanished as quickly as it appeared. He leaned back, fingers drumming lightly on the edge of his desk.

Elias (softly):"I'm not a 'normal boss.'"

Adeline raised an eyebrow as she moved to the chair in front of him, placing her suitcase beside it. The shift in the air was subtle but palpable—something had changed, something unsaid lingering between them.

Adeline (after a beat):"Why didn't you go to Singapore? I thought that was your deal."

Elias's gaze flicked briefly to hers before drifting off to something unseen. He seemed to consider the question a moment longer than necessary before responding.

Elias:"I don't travel unless it's absolutely necessary."

Adeline studied him closely, sensing there was more beneath the surface. Something wasn't adding up, but she didn't push it—at least not yet.

Adeline (softening, a little quieter):"You didn't feel it was necessary?"

Her voice wasn't biting, just curious. It wasn't a challenge; it was an invitation, a request to see beyond the cold mask he wore.

Elias's breath was slow, measured as his gaze lingered elsewhere before returning to hers. He swallowed, eyes shifting to the desk once more, as though it was easier to focus on anything but her.

Elias (calmly):"Someone had to stay behind to ensure everything went like clockwork."

Adeline scowled lightly, not quite buying the explanation, but she didn't push. Not yet. The tension remained, thick and tangled, like a thread too delicate to pull. She leaned back in the chair, stretching as though trying to shake off the last traces of travel fatigue.

Adeline (smiling slightly):"Well, I'll give you that. You picked the right person to send."

For the briefest moment, Elias's lips curled into a small smile, a hint of something warmer behind the usual walls he built around himself.

Elias:"You did well."

Adeline smiled back, a touch of pride mixing with the teasing tone she used to deflect.

Adeline (teasing):"Is that your way of saying 'good job'?"

Elias studied her for a long moment, the tension between them growing. The air felt charged now—something heavier than the words exchanged. There was something beneath it all, something unspoken.

Elias (quietly):"It's more than most would get."

The weight of his words hung in the air, unexpected and intense. Adeline's breath caught, an odd twist in her chest at the faint vulnerability slipping through his controlled exterior. For a second, she thought she might say something, but the silence settled back between them.

After a long moment, Adeline shifted slightly in her seat, adjusting to the stillness.

Adeline (breaking the silence, half-smiling):"So, am I in the clear now? Or do you have another impossible task for me?"

Elias's face darkened just slightly as he straightened in his chair. The playful tone had dissipated, and a more businesslike mask fell into place.

Elias:"There are always more tasks, Adeline."

His tone was light but firm, and the way he said her name seemed… deliberate, as if he were testing the air between them, feeling out something unsaid.

Adeline opened her mouth, ready to speak, but the words caught in her throat. The moment was too delicate, too charged for casual conversation. She stood up instead, her fingers brushing against her suitcase as she picked it up.

She looked at him for a long moment, something unspoken lingering between them. She wasn't sure what to make of it, but she didn't want to push any further.

Adeline:"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow. Don't work too hard."

She turned to leave but paused, looking back at him once more. Her eyes met his in silence, and this time, the quiet was different. It wasn't just a lull; it was full of meaning, of something more than just business.

Elias didn't speak, didn't move. But the tension between them, the weight of his gaze, said everything.

Adeline stepped through the door, leaving the office behind, but the feeling of that unspoken moment trailed with her, an echo that wouldn't fade.

And for the first time, she wasn't sure where this would all lead them.