The steady rhythm of keyboards filled the air, blending with the hum of fluorescent lights above the sales floor. Conversations drifted like static—short, sharp bursts of laughter, the muted sighs of stress, and the occasional ring of phones. Amid the usual office noise, Ethan Hein sat calmly at his desk, eyes flicking across his screen with practiced precision.
To the casual observer, Ethan seemed effortless in everything he did. His work was consistent, his demeanor steady, his results dependable. People called him the "jack of all trades," the kind who could take on any task without complaint. He was admired by some, quietly resented by others—but few really knew who he was beyond that quiet confidence.
He didn't talk much outside work-related matters, except to Marielle, one of his older teammates. She was married, had a young son, and carried the soft authority of someone who'd seen enough of life to stop pretending. She treated Ethan like a younger brother, occasionally checking on him, reminding him to eat, or asking if he had any plans for the weekend.
To Ethan, she was simply someone easy to converse with—a small pocket of calm amid the noise.
That simple, harmless connection, however, had become a favorite subject of gossip.
"They're always together," someone whispered once near the pantry.
"Maybe he likes older women."
"Or maybe she's helping him with something."
"I don't know… he's too quiet. What if he's not even into women?"
The speculation amused him at first. Then, eventually, it just became background noise—like the endless ringing of phones. No matter what he did, people seemed determined to fill in the blanks of his private life.
But lately, there was something else stirring beneath his still surface. Something—or rather, someone—he couldn't quite ignore.
It started the day Team Delta was introduced to the sales floor.
They were a newly transferred group from a smaller branch, led by Erin Santos, a composed and capable woman with a reputation for calm leadership. When Erin and her members were introduced one by one, Ethan barely looked up at first. New teams came and went. There was nothing particularly special about that.
Until his eyes found her.
Jeanna.
She stood quietly among her teammates—hands clasped, posture polite, her expression caught somewhere between curiosity and anxiety. Her eyes were soft but attentive, the kind that lingered for a second longer than expected before darting away. She seemed… gentle. Out of place, maybe. Innocent in a way the corporate world rarely spared.
Ethan's gaze lingered—not for long, but long enough to notice more than he should. The slight tension in her shoulders. The careful way she smiled, as though trying not to take up too much space. His instincts—always analytical, always alert—formed a quiet judgment before he could stop himself.
A girl like her could easily be misunderstood here.
He didn't know why he thought that. Maybe because he'd seen it before—bright, polite newcomers drawn into office games they didn't understand until it was too late. He wasn't sure what it was about her that made him notice, but he did.
Before he could look away, movement caught his eye.
His teammate Ryan was staring too.
Ryan, usually loud and joking, had gone unusually quiet. His eyes had been fixed on Jeanna since the introductions began. When Erin finished her speech, Ethan noticed the faintest tint of red creep up Ryan's neck.
A smirk curved at the corner of Ethan's lips.
"Careful," he murmured low enough for only Ryan to hear.
Ryan blinked, startled. "What?"
"You're staring too hard," Ethan said, leaning back in his chair. "Someone might think you've fallen already."
Ryan's face flushed deeper. "Fallen? For what? I was just listening."
"Sure," Ethan said with a faint chuckle. "You looked deeply invested in her introduction."
Ryan frowned, torn between denial and embarrassment. "Man, you're seeing things."
"Am I?" Ethan teased, his tone light but unreadable. "Maybe I should let the others know. They'd love to hear about this."
Ryan groaned. "You wouldn't."
Ethan just smiled, the kind that revealed nothing. "Guess we'll find out."
The conversation ended there, replaced by Ryan's muttered protests and Ethan's quiet amusement. He wasn't teasing out of cruelty—it was simply his way of diverting attention. It was easier to turn curiosity outward before anyone noticed his own momentary lapse.
Because the truth was, he had noticed Jeanna first.
That evening, long after most had clocked out, Ethan remained at his desk. The glow of his monitor cast a soft light across his face. Marielle appeared by his side, holding her mug of coffee as she watched him type.
"You're still here?" she asked. "It's late."
"Just finishing something," he replied without looking up.
Marielle leaned against the divider. "You've been quieter than usual today."
He hesitated before answering. "You met the new team, right? The one Erin's handling."
She nodded slowly. "Team Delta, yeah. Why?"
"There's someone there," he said after a pause. "Jeanna."
Marielle's brow lifted, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "Ah. So that's the reason for the silence."
"It's not like that," he said quickly. "I'm just… curious. She seems new to this kind of environment. Maybe too polite for her own good."
Marielle smiled knowingly. "Curious, huh? That's what people say before they fall."
He rolled his eyes. "It's not about that. I just want to know what kind of person she is. Maybe you could ask around a bit."
"Ask around?" she teased. "Sounds like you're recruiting me as your investigator."
"Not exactly," Ethan replied, smirking faintly. "Just… keep an ear open. Nothing more."
Marielle laughed softly. "You're impossible. Fine, I'll see what I can find out. But you do realize how this looks, right? You asking about a girl the same week everyone's gossiping about your 'mystery relationship.'"
Ethan gave a quiet, resigned sigh. "Let them talk. They always do."
Marielle nodded. "Still… I haven't seen you interested in anyone before. It's nice, actually. Makes you look a little more human."
He met her gaze, the corner of his mouth twitching. "And here I thought I was doing fine pretending to be one."
She chuckled. "You're too composed for your own good, Ethan. People get curious when someone's too quiet."
He didn't answer. His attention drifted back to the screen, though his mind was elsewhere.
Later that night, as he left the building, the city outside was bathed in silver light. The streets shimmered faintly from the earlier rain, reflecting the distant neon glow. He walked in silence, his thoughts circling back to the same soft image—the way Jeanna stood during the introductions, her eyes bright but uncertain.
He wasn't sure why he remembered that so clearly.
Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe something else.
Either way, he knew one thing—he wasn't the type to act on impulse. He would observe first, as he always did. Quietly, from a distance.
Because if there was one thing Ethan Hein had learned about people, it was that appearances often lied.
And Jeanna, he suspected, might not be as simple as she seemed.