Episode 8: : Late Arrival

SOFIA

I got to the office at eight fifty-nine.

I was supposed to be there at eight.

The moment the elevator doors opened, I knew I was already in trouble.

The office was busier than usual. People were moving between desks, phones were ringing, and the sound of conversations filled the floor.

I lowered my head slightly and walked toward my desk, hoping I could make it there without attracting attention.

It was a stupid hope.

Ethan Cole was already in the office.

I knew because his office door was open.

And because I could see him through the glass wall, standing beside his desk with a file in his hand while Daniel spoke quietly to him.

My stomach tightened.

He had probably been there for a while.

Of course he had.

Ethan was never the kind of person who arrived late.

I reached my desk and placed my bag down as quietly as possible.

I sat.

Opened my laptop.

Pretended everything was normal.

My hands didn't agree with the act.

They were still slightly shaky.

I stared at the screen and tried to focus on the numbers in front of me, but the words blurred together.

All I could think about was last night.

My mother's message.

My father's lie.

The stranger sitting in their living room.

The slap.

The knife in my hand.

The look on that man's face when the blade touched his throat.

I swallowed hard.

I couldn't think about it now.

Not here.

I had survived the night.

I had slept.

I had woken up.

That was enough.

For now.

I forced myself to start working.

Eight fifty-nine became nine.

Nine became nine-oh-five.

I kept my eyes on my screen.

Maybe Ethan hadn't noticed.

Maybe—

"Sofia."

My fingers stopped moving.

I looked up.

Daniel was standing beside my desk.

He held a tablet against his chest.

"Mr. Cole wants to see you."

My stomach dropped.

"Now?"

He gave me a brief look.

"Yes."

I looked toward Ethan's office.

Through the glass, I could see him sitting behind his desk.

He wasn't looking at me.

That somehow made it worse.

I closed the document on my screen.

"Did he say why?"

Daniel shook his head.

"No."

He walked away.

I remained seated for another few seconds.

I could feel my heartbeat in my throat.

I hadn't even had enough time to prepare myself for the day.

And now Ethan wanted me in his office.

I picked up my notepad.

Then I stood.

Every step toward his office felt heavier than the last.

When I reached the door, I knocked once.

"Come in."

His voice was calm.

I opened the door.

Ethan was sitting behind his desk, going through a file.

He didn't look up immediately.

Close the door."

I did.

Then I stood there.

He continued reading for several seconds.

Long enough for the silence to become uncomfortable.

Finally, he placed the file down and looked at me.

"What time were you supposed to start work today?"

"Eight."

"And what time did you arrive?"

I hesitated.

"Eight fifty-nine."

His eyes remained on mine.

"That's almost an hour late."

"I know."

"Do you?"

I swallowed.

"Yes."

He leaned back slightly in his chair.

"You're usually punctual."

I didn't answer.

There was no safe answer.

If I explained that I had spent the night at my friend's apartment because my parents had tried to force me into marrying a stranger, he would probably think I was making excuses.

And I wasn't ready to tell anyone at work.

Not yet.

"I'm sorry," I said.

He watched me carefully.

"Is there a reason?"

I looked down at my hands.

"There was a personal issue."

"What kind of personal issue?"

I looked back at him.

"Family."

Something changed in his expression.

Not much.

Just enough for me to notice.

"Is everything all right?"

The question caught me off guard.

It didn't sound like concern.

Not exactly.

It sounded more like he was trying to determine whether my situation would interfere with my work.

"Yes," I lied.

He held my gaze.

For some reason, I had the strange feeling he knew I wasn't telling him everything.

But he didn't push.

Instead, he picked up the file again.

"Don't let it happen again."

"Yes, Mr. Cole."

I turned toward the door.

"Sofia."

I stopped.

I looked back.

He was watching me.

"You're distracted."

My chest tightened.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize."

His voice was quieter now.

"Fix it."

I nodded.

"Yes, Mr. Cole."

I opened the door.

"One more thing."

I turned again.

"Yes?"

He looked at me for a moment before speaking.

"If there's something affecting your ability to work, you tell me before it becomes a problem."

I stared at him.

For a second, I didn't know what to say.

"Understood."

I walked out.

I closed the door behind me and stood there for a moment.

My heart was still beating too fast.

But at least I was still standing.

I returned to my desk and sat down.

The woman who had walked into the office that morning wasn't the same woman who had left her parents' house the night before.

Something had changed.

Maybe it was the slap.

Maybe it was the knife.

Maybe it because of the pregnancy and I have no idea who his the father

Whatever it was, I knew one thing.

I couldn't keep living the way I had been living.

I couldn't keep letting people decide what happened to me.

I couldn't keep allowing fear to make my decisions for me.

I opened the file on my screen.

My eyes moved across the numbers.

For the first time that morning, they actually made sense.

I took a breath.

Then I started working.