Oakley's shoulders stiffened the moment the door closed behind the assistant. His footsteps faded down the hall, leaving the office draped in silence once more. But it wasn't the same silence as before. This one pressed on her chest differently, almost heavier, as if the assistant had left behind the faint trace of suspicion in the air.
She hugged her arms around herself, leaning slightly forward in the chair. His words still rang in her ears. "You must be new here." There had been no malice in his tone, but the look in his eyes unsettled her. Assessing. Curious. As if he were peeling back layers, trying to make sense of her presence.
Of course, she was new here. Out of place. An intruder in a world that didn't belong to her. Bryce hadn't explained much—why she was here, what he intended to do with her, or how long he planned to keep her. All she had were fragments, cryptic remarks, and that strange mix of coldness and heat in the way he looked at her.
