The silence in Damien's office was almost overwhelming.
Brittany could feel her heart racing against her ribs like a ticking time bomb. She turned slowly, caught in the intensity of his gaze — unreadable, sharp, and far too composed.
"I— I thought I heard something," she blurted out, the lie slipping from her lips before she could catch it. "I came to see if you were still here."
Damien didn't respond. He simply walked past her, his presence filling the room like a heavy weight. He reached his desk, closed the laptop with a purposeful click, and turned to face her.
"You heard something," he echoed, his voice low and skeptical.
"Yes. I wanted to make sure—"
"Don't." He moved in closer. "Don't lie."
"I made it clear that you're not to enter my office without permission."
Brittany lowered her gaze, her heart racing.
He stared at her for what felt like an eternity before finally breaking the silence, his voice low yet still carrying an air of menace. "Those who dig into things they don't fully grasp often find themselves buried alongside them."
She took a deep breath, her throat tight. "Got it."
"Good." He brushed past her, turning off the monitor. "You're clever, Ms. Taylor. Keep it that way."
As she stepped out of the room, she could sense his intense gaze on her back. What she didn't notice was the subtle smirk playing on his lips — and the faint glow of her forged name on the monitor screen.
Employee Profile: Brittany Taylor — Records Incomplete.
As the elevator doors closed behind her, she let out a shaky breath. He didn't believe her.
And yet… he had let her go.
From his office window, Damien observed her as she walked away. His reflection stared back at him in the rain-soaked glass — cold, composed, and filled with curiosity.
He tapped the edge of his desk, murmuring, "Verdan."
That name carried weight. It brought back pain and questions he thought he had buried a decade ago.
A faint smile crept onto his face — the first genuine smile he'd had in years.
"Let's find out what you're after, Ms. Taylor."