Julianne nearly screamed when she saw Cynthia dragging a cardboard box out of the elevator.
"Hold on—HOLD ON—" Julienne rushed over, grabbing the other side of the box. "What?"Julianne asked
Cynthia sighed. "Alex—Mr. Alexander—transferred me."
Julienne gasped so loudly people turned to look.
"Transferred? As in fired-but-fancy-word? Or transferred as in he's trying to be professional but secretly wants to cry into a pillow?"
Cynthia gave her a look. "The second one doesn't… make sense."
"Oh, it does," Julienne said, pulling her into a small empty meeting room. "Sit. Talk. Give me the tea while it's hot."
Cynthia sank into the chair and rubbed her forehead. "He said it was just a 'structural change.' But I know that's not true."
"Of course it's not true," Julienne said immediately. "Alexander doesn't do 'structural.' He barely does 'hello.'"
Cynthia tried not to smile. "Julienne, I'm serious."
"Okay, okay." Julienne crossed her arms. "What happened?"
Cynthia hesitated… then told her everything — the phone call she overheard, the locked-office moment, the fear in Alexander's voice, and finally, how he avoided eye contact this morning.
Julienne listened, her expression shifting from amused… to shocked… to downright horrified.
When Cynthia finished, Julienne slapped her hand on the table.
"HE'S SENDING YOU AWAY TO PROTECT YOU."
Cynthia blinked. "What?"
"Girl." Julienne pointed at her dramatically. "This is classic 'I have dangerous secrets and I'm pushing you away so you don't get hurt.' Like straight out of a drama!"
Cynthia shook her head. "No, no. He doesn't even like me."
Julienne's eyebrows shot up. "Cynthia. He doesn't look at anyone like he looks at you."
"He looks at me like I annoy him."
"Okay yes," Julienne nodded. "But like… cute annoyance. Emotional annoyance. The 'you're making me feel things "
Cynthia stared at her. "That is… not helpful."
Julienne leaned forward. "Do you want to leave his department?"
Cynthia swallowed. Her heart answered before her mind could.
"No."
"Then don't go."
"I have to," Cynthia whispered. "It's his decision."
Julienne rolled her eyes dramatically. "Cynthia, the man said it was 'safer.' Safe from what?? Wolves? A falling ceiling? His own attitude?"
Cynthia bit her lip. "I think… something really is wrong. He's scared of something. And I don't know what it is, but… he's not acting like someone who wants me gone."
Julienne's expression softened.
"Maybe he's protecting you," she said gently. "But you deserve to know from what."
Cynthia nodded slowly, breathing in shaky.
Julienne squeezed her hand. "So what's the plan?"
Cynthia stared at her box… then toward Alexander's office floor above them.
Her eyes hardened.
"I'm not leaving," she said quietly. "Not until I know the truth."
Julienne grinned. "Now that's the Cynthia I know. Chaos mode activated."