The afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Leo and Sofia walked back toward Rivera Group headquarters.
The city felt warmer now, busier than it had been earlier. Cars moved steadily through the streets, and office workers hurried along sidewalks as lunch breaks ended.
But for Sofia, the walk back felt strangely calm.
Lunch had been… different.
Not a formal business meal.
Not a rushed conversation about schedules and reports.
It had been something personal.
And that realization still lingered quietly in her thoughts.
She glanced sideways at Leo.
He walked beside her with his usual composed confidence, hands relaxed in his pockets, but there was something softer about his expression today.
Less distant.
Less guarded.
"You're quiet," Leo said suddenly.
Sofia blinked.
"So are you."
Leo nodded slightly.
"True."
They reached the large glass entrance of the Rivera Group building.
Inside, the lobby buzzed with employees returning from lunch, security staff greeting visitors, and assistants moving quickly between departments.
As soon as Leo and Sofia stepped inside together, several heads turned.
The whispers began again.
Sofia sighed quietly under her breath.
Leo noticed.
He lowered his voice slightly.
"Does it bother you?"
She hesitated.
"A little."
Leo frowned.
"I'll speak to HR again."
Sofia shook her head quickly.
"No, don't."
"Why not?"
"Because it will only make it worse."
Leo studied her face.
"You're very calm about this."
Sofia smiled faintly.
"I've learned that people eventually get bored with gossip."
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"I hope you're right."
The elevator doors opened.
They stepped inside together.
This time, they were alone.
The doors slid closed with a soft sound.
And suddenly the small space felt very quiet.
Leo pressed the button for their floor.
The elevator began to rise slowly.
Sofia leaned lightly against the wall.
"That lunch was nice," she said.
Leo nodded.
"Yes."
Another pause.
Sofia looked up at the glowing elevator numbers.
"We should do it again sometime."
The moment the words left her mouth, she realized what she had said.
Leo looked at her.
"Should we?"
Sofia felt her cheeks warm slightly.
"I mean… if it's convenient."
Leo's lips curved faintly.
"I'd like that."
Her heart skipped slightly.
The elevator continued rising.
But neither of them moved.
The small space made the distance between them feel even smaller.
Leo watched her quietly for a moment before speaking again.
"Sofia."
"Yes?"
"There's something I've been thinking about."
Sofia turned toward him.
"What is it?"
Leo hesitated.
For a man who negotiated multi-million-dollar deals without hesitation, this moment felt unexpectedly difficult.
But the thought had been growing stronger for days.
Maybe weeks.
And now it refused to stay quiet.
He stepped slightly closer.
Sofia's breath caught.
"What is it?" she asked softly.
Leo's voice lowered.
"The rumors."
Sofia sighed.
"Yes."
"They're not entirely wrong."
Her heart skipped.
"What do you mean?"
Leo looked directly into her eyes.
And for the first time since they met, the usual professional distance between them seemed to disappear.
"I enjoy spending time with you," he said quietly.
Sofia's chest tightened.
"I know."
Leo shook his head slightly.
"No. I mean more than that."
The elevator continued rising.
But neither of them noticed.
Sofia felt her pulse quicken.
"What are you saying?"
Leo exhaled slowly.
"I'm saying that this situation is becoming difficult to ignore."
Sofia's voice softened.
"Leo…"
He stepped another small step closer.
Close enough now that she could see the faint tension in his expression.
"I've tried to keep things professional," he continued.
"But lately that's becoming harder."
Sofia felt the air shift between them.
The moment felt fragile.
Important.
Her voice barely rose above a whisper.
"Why?"
Leo didn't answer right away.
Instead he looked at her like he was searching for the right words.
The honest ones.
Finally he said quietly,
"Because you matter to me more than you should."
The elevator slowed.
Sofia's heart pounded.
The confession hung between them.
Unfinished.
Incomplete.
But powerful.
She opened her mouth to respond—
And the elevator doors suddenly opened.
Two employees stepped inside laughing about something from their lunch break.
Leo immediately stepped back.
The moment shattered.
Sofia straightened quickly, trying to steady her breathing.
The employees nodded politely.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Rivera."
Leo's voice returned to its usual calm tone.
"Good afternoon."
The elevator resumed its climb.
But the atmosphere had completely changed.
The unfinished conversation lingered in the air like a quiet storm.
Neither Leo nor Sofia spoke again until the elevator reached their floor.
The doors opened.
They stepped out into the office hallway.
Employees moved around them, unaware of the moment that had nearly happened inside that elevator.
Leo walked beside her toward their offices.
When they reached her desk, Sofia paused.
"Leo."
He stopped.
"Yes?"
Her voice was soft.
"You didn't finish what you were saying."
Leo looked at her for a long moment.
Then he shook his head slightly.
"Another time."
Sofia watched him walk into his office and close the door.
But the unfinished confession echoed in her mind.
Because for the first time since the rumors began…
The possibility that they might actually be true didn't feel impossible anymore.
And neither of them seemed ready to pretend otherwise.