The third day felt heavier than the others.
Nothing had been confirmed.
No one had said anything directly.
But Lucy could feel it.
The looks.
The pauses when she walked by.
The way conversations stopped a second too late.
She kept her head down and worked.
Like always.
"Lucy."
She turned.
It was her supervisor.
"Come with me."
Lucy's grip tightened slightly on the cloth in her hand. "Now?"
"Yes. Now."
There was no explanation.
Lucy nodded. "Alright."
The walk to the office felt longer than usual.
People noticed.
Of course they did.
Clara looked up from her desk, her eyes following Lucy.
"Lucy…" she called softly.
Lucy didn't stop.
She just gave a small, uncertain look before continuing.
Inside the supervisor's office, the door closed behind her.
"Sit," the supervisor said.
Lucy sat.
Her hands rested on her lap, calm on the outside.
Inside—tight.
The supervisor didn't speak immediately.
She opened a file, flipped through a few pages, then looked up.
"Lucy," she began, her tone controlled, "how long have you been working here?"
"Two years," Lucy answered.
"And in those two years," the supervisor continued, "have you ever had any complaints?"
Lucy shook her head. "No."
The woman nodded slowly. "That's what I have here as well."
A pause.
Then—
"Which is why this is… surprising."
Lucy frowned slightly. "Ma?"
The supervisor leaned back. "Some important documents are missing from the accounts office."
Lucy's heart skipped once.
"I see," she said quietly.
"And your name came up."
Silence.
Lucy blinked. "…My name?"
"Yes."
Lucy shook her head immediately. "I don't understand."
"You were one of the last people in that office that evening," the supervisor said.
"I clean there every day," Lucy replied calmly.
"After working hours?"
Lucy hesitated. "I… finished a bit late that day."
The supervisor's eyes didn't leave her. "How late?"
"Maybe… thirty minutes."
"Alone?"
"Yes."
Another pause.
"Lucy," the supervisor said, her voice lower now, "did you take anything from that office?"
Lucy stared at her.
"No," she said firmly.
"Are you sure?"
Lucy's brows pulled together. "Yes, I'm sure."
"Because this is serious," the woman added. "Very serious."
Lucy sat straighter. "I understand. But I didn't take anything."
The supervisor watched her closely.
Long enough to make the silence uncomfortable.
"Alright," she said finally. "You can go for now."
Lucy blinked. "That's all?"
"For now," the supervisor repeated.
Lucy stood slowly. "Okay."
As she reached the door—
"Lucy."
She stopped.
"If there's anything you want to say," the supervisor added, "this is the time to say it."
Lucy turned back slightly. "…I didn't do anything."
The supervisor nodded once. "You may go."
The moment Lucy stepped out—
It hit her.
People were looking.
Not hiding it anymore.
Clara stood up immediately. "Lucy—what happened?"
Lucy shook her head. "Nothing."
"That didn't look like nothing," Clara said.
Lucy tried to stay calm. "They just asked questions."
Clara lowered her voice. "It's spreading."
Lucy's stomach tightened. "What is?"
Clara hesitated. "…People are saying you took something."
Lucy froze.
"What?" she said quietly.
Clara looked uncomfortable. "I didn't believe it, okay? But that's what people are saying."
Lucy let out a small breath. "That doesn't even make sense."
"I know," Clara said quickly. "But you know how this place is. Once something starts…"
Lucy looked around.
Two people were whispering near the printer.
Another glanced at her, then quickly looked away.
"…They think it's me," Lucy said under her breath.
Clara nodded slowly. "It's getting around fast."
Lucy swallowed.
"I didn't do anything," she said again.
"I know," Clara replied. "But you need to be careful."
Lucy looked at her. "Careful of what?"
Clara didn't answer immediately.
Then quietly—"This kind of thing… it doesn't end small."
Lucy picked up her cleaning supplies again.
Her hands were steady.
But everything else—
Wasn't.
As she walked past a group of staff, one of them muttered just loud enough—
"Some people are too quiet for their own good."
Another replied, "You never really know people."
Lucy kept walking.
Like she didn't hear.
But she did.
Every word.
By the time her shift ended, the whole building felt different.
Not like a workplace.
Like a place watching her.
Waiting.
At the entrance, the security guard looked at her again.
This time longer.
"Lucy," he said.
She stopped. "Yes?"
He hesitated. "Did you… go into the accounts office that night?"
Lucy looked at him, tired now. "I clean there every day."
"That's not what I asked," he said.
Lucy held his gaze. "I didn't take anything."
He nodded slowly. "Alright."
But his expression didn't change.
Outside, the air felt colder than usual.
Lucy walked home.
Her steps slower this time.
Her mind louder.
For the first time—
Her simple life didn't feel simple anymore.