A touch of shadow

Aleksei Solovyov's office was located on the top floor of a glass skyscraper in the city center. It was cool, minimalist, dominated by raw metal and dark wood. Everything had its place — as if reflecting its owner. Only one thing seemed out of place: Sofie.

She sat across from him, going through documents she had received from the secretary. A contract translation, its details as intricate as the emotions she felt being in the same room with Aleksei. She could feel his gaze on her. Intense, almost heavy. She pretended not to notice. But she couldn't stand it any longer.She looked up.Their eyes met."Why are you afraid to look me in the eye?" he repeated softly. His voice was low, rough, as if unaccustomed to gentleness.Sofie swallowed hard. She frowned, trying to keep calm."I'm not afraid," she said, though they both knew it was a lie.The corner of his mouth twitched in something that might have been a smile — or just the faintest trace of one. He stood up. His steps were quiet, almost soundless, but Sofie felt them through her whole body. He moved behind her and stopped just beside her chair. She caught the scent of his cologne — woody, dark, intense. It didn't fit the coldness of the office, but it fit him perfectly."If you're scared, say so. I won't hurt you." His voice was gentler now. Surprisingly gentle.She turned slowly. Lifted her gaze. And then she saw something she hadn't expected to see: not strength, not dominance, but... care. Care hidden deep behind a wall of cold and restraint."I'm not afraid of you," she whispered. "I'm afraid of what I might feel around you."The silence between them trembled. Tension hung in the air like a sheet of glass, ready to shatter with the slightest touch.But Aleksei said nothing more.He stepped back.Disappeared behind the door of his office, leaving Sofie with trembling hands and a question she didn't dare say aloud.Was this the beginning of the end... or the beginning of something more?