Monday arrived without warning, as Mondays always did.
Élise felt it the moment she stepped into the office that subtle shift in the air. Nothing obvious. No whispers that stopped abruptly. No dramatic stares. Just the kind of quiet that wasn't peaceful, but watchful.
She dropped her bag at her desk and exhaled slowly.
Zara sat beside her, already scrolling through her system. "You feel it too, right?"
Élise didn't look up. "I was hoping it was just me."
"It's not," Zara muttered. "People are pretending they're not curious. That's worse."
Élise's fingers hovered over her keyboard. Ever since Adriano had called her into his office days ago ever since he had asked that single, disturbing question nothing had been the same. Not the way people looked at her. Not the way silence followed her steps.
She hadn't told Zara everything. Just enough.
"I didn't do anything wrong," Élise said quietly, more to herself than anyone else.
