Lina didn't realize how tired she was until she reached her apartment door.
The hallway outside her place was quiet, the soft golden lights reflecting off the polished floor. She shifted her bag on her shoulder, already thinking about a hot shower and the rare luxury of doing absolutely nothing.
Her hand had just reached for the key when the door opened.
Victor stood there.
For a moment, Lina froze.
He looked like he had been waiting.
His dark shirt was rolled slightly at the sleeves, the top button undone, his posture relaxed but unmistakably commanding in that quiet way he carried himself.
His eyes settled on her immediately.
"Long day?" he asked.
His voice was calm, low, familiar.
And suddenly the entire day came rushing back—work, Daniel, laughter, pretending she wasn't thinking about the one man who still somehow owned the quiet corners of her mind.
Lina stepped inside slowly.
"I didn't know you were coming."
Victor closed the door behind her.
"I finished earlier than expected."
His gaze moved over her face like he was checking something invisible.
"You look tired."
"I'm fine."
"You say that a lot."
Lina dropped her bag on the table.
"That's because it's usually true."
Victor leaned against the wall near the door, watching her.
Not interrogating.
Not demanding.
Just watching.
And somehow that felt more intense.
"You ate?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Good."
She hesitated.
"You waited here just to ask that?"
Victor's mouth curved slightly.
"That would be excessive."
"Then why?"
He didn't answer right away.
Instead, he stepped closer.
Not too close.
But close enough that Lina could smell the faint, familiar scent of his cologne.
Her heartbeat betrayed her immediately.
Victor noticed.
He always noticed.
"You've been avoiding me," he said quietly.
"I've been working."
"That wasn't the question."
Lina folded her arms, trying to create distance that didn't really exist.
"I'm not avoiding you."
Victor studied her for a long second.
Then he took another step closer.
Now the space between them was dangerously small.
"You didn't answer my calls yesterday."
"I was busy."
"You didn't return the message."
Lina shrugged lightly.
"Still busy."
Victor's gaze darkened just slightly.
"You're a terrible liar."
Her breath caught a little.
She tried to look away, but Victor reached out before she could.
Not rough.
Just firm.
His fingers gently caught her chin, guiding her face back toward him.
"Look at me."
Her eyes lifted.
That was the problem with Victor.
He never had to raise his voice.
Control was simply… there.
"What are you doing?" she asked softly.
"Checking something."
"What?"
His thumb brushed lightly along her jaw.
"Whether you still miss me."
The words landed like a quiet spark.
Lina tried to laugh it off.
"That's a very confident assumption."
Victor leaned slightly closer.
"Is it wrong?"
Her pulse betrayed her again.
"I've been busy."
"That wasn't the question either."
His voice had lowered.
Not aggressive.
Just closer.
More intimate.
Lina's back eventually touched the wall behind her before she even realized she had stepped away.
Victor noticed that too.
Of course he did.
His hand moved to the wall beside her, not trapping her—but making the space feel smaller.
Warmer.
Charged.
"You disappear for days," he said quietly.
"Then you come home and pretend nothing changed."
Lina swallowed.
"Nothing did."
Victor tilted his head slightly.
"You're thinking too much again."
His hand slid gently to her waist.
The contact was simple.
But the effect was immediate.
Lina's breath caught.
Victor noticed that too.
A small smile appeared in his eyes.
"There it is."
"What?"
"That reaction you pretend you don't have."
"I'm not pretending anything."
"No?"
His voice dropped even lower.
"Then why are you breathing like that?"
Lina looked up at him.
Bad decision.
Victor was already watching her like he knew exactly what he was doing.
"You're impossible," she muttered.
"And yet you still miss me."
She shook her head.
"You're very sure of yourself."
Victor leaned closer, just enough that his voice brushed against her ear.
"You could prove me wrong."
Her heart jumped.
"How?"
"Push me away."
The challenge sat between them.
Lina lifted her hands.
For a moment it looked like she might.
Victor waited.
Completely calm.
Completely confident.
Her hands touched his chest.
Strong.
Warm.
Solid.
She was supposed to push.
Instead she hesitated.
Victor noticed.
Of course he did.
His hand slid gently behind her back, pulling her slightly closer.
Not enough to trap.
Just enough to remind her how easily the distance could disappear.
"You see the problem," he murmured.
"What problem?"
"You say you don't miss me."
His thumb traced lightly along her side.
"But your body disagrees."
Her breath came out uneven.
"You're very manipulative."
Victor smiled slightly.
"I'm very observant."
For a moment neither of them moved.
The air between them thick with everything unspoken.
Then Victor stepped back suddenly.
The distance returned.
Lina blinked in surprise.
Victor straightened his sleeves casually.
"Get some rest," he said.
She stared at him.
"That's it?"
He walked toward the door.
For a second she thought he was leaving.
Before he opened it, he glanced back at her.
"You'll call me tomorrow."
"That sounds like an order."
"It's a prediction."
His eyes held hers for one last quiet moment.
"You missed me today," he said softly.
Then he walked out.
And Lina stood there in the silence of her apartment…
Trying very hard not to admit that he was right.
(CONTINUED)
The door closed behind Victor with a quiet click.
Lina stood exactly where he left her.
For a long moment she didn't move.
The apartment suddenly felt too quiet.
Too still.
Her heart was still beating faster than it should, and she pressed a hand lightly against her chest as if that might calm it.
"You missed me today."
His words replayed in her mind.
She exhaled slowly.
"He's unbelievable," she muttered to herself.
Yet the warmth of his touch still lingered at her waist.
That was the problem with Victor.
He never needed much time.
Just a few minutes in the same room and suddenly her thoughts were a mess again.
Lina walked toward the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of water.
She tried to focus on normal things.
Work tomorrow.
The manuscript edits.
The campaign meeting.
Daniel's ridiculous story about the author who insisted his main character should never apologize.
She smiled slightly at the memory.
But the smile faded quickly.
Because Victor's voice slid right back into her mind.
Push me away.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the glass.
She didn't push him.
She could have.
She should have.
Instead she stood there letting him hold her like she had missed it.
Like she had missed him.
Lina sighed and leaned against the counter.
"This is ridiculous."
She was a rational person.
She analyzed things for a living.
But Victor had a way of turning logic into something far less reliable.
Just then her phone buzzed on the counter.
Lina glanced at the screen.
Victor.
Her heartbeat immediately picked up again.
She stared at the phone for a few seconds before answering.
"Yes?"
His voice came through calm and steady.
"You're still awake."
"That's a strange observation considering you just left."
A small pause.
Then she could almost hear the faint smile in his voice.
"You sound annoyed."
"I am."
"Why?"
"You show up unannounced," she said, pacing slightly now. "You corner me in my own apartment, say mysterious things, then leave like you just proved a point."
"I did prove a point."
"That's exactly the problem."
Victor was quiet for a moment.
Then he asked softly, "Did you eat well today?"
The question caught her off guard again.
"Yes."
"What did you have?"
"A sandwich."
"Where?"
"At a deli near the office."
Another small pause.
"Alone?"
Lina raised an eyebrow.
Now she understood.
"Are you interrogating me?"
"No."
"Yes you are."
Victor's voice stayed calm.
"I asked a question."
"And I answered it."
"You didn't answer the second one."
Lina leaned back against the counter, realizing exactly where this conversation was going.
"You're jealous."
Victor chuckled quietly.
"I don't get jealous."
"Sure you don't."
"Who was with you?"
She rolled her eyes even though he couldn't see it.
"A coworker."
"Male."
"Victor"
"Male," he repeated calmly.
Lina exhaled slowly.
"Yes."
The silence on the other end lasted a second longer than usual.
Then Victor spoke again.
"Did he make you laugh?"
She frowned slightly.
"That's a strange question."
"Answer it."
"Yes," she admitted.
Another pause.
This one heavier.
Then Victor said something that made her stomach flip.
"I don't like that."
Lina blinked.
"You don't like… laughter?"
"I don't like someone else being the reason for it."
Her breath caught slightly.
"That's not a reasonable reaction."
"I didn't say it was."
Victor's honesty always came like that quiet but sharp.
Lina tried to lighten the tone.
"It was just lunch."
"I know."
"You're being dramatic."
"I'm being honest."
The calmness in his voice somehow made it worse.
Lina rubbed her temple.
"You're impossible."
Victor's reply came immediately.
"And yet you answered my call."
She opened her mouth to respond but stopped.
He wasn't wrong.
Victor lowered his voice slightly.
"Did he look at you the way you looked at me tonight?"
Lina's heart skipped.
"That's not a fair question."
"It's a very fair question."
"No, it's not."
"Because you don't want to answer it."
She pushed away from the counter, pacing again.
"You're overthinking."
"I don't overthink," Victor replied.
"I observe."
There it was again.
That same confidence.
That same calm control.
"You should get some sleep," she said quickly.
Victor didn't argue.
But before she could hang up, his voice stopped her.
"Lina."
She hesitated.
"What?"
"Tomorrow," he said quietly.
"Yes?"
"You'll still think about tonight."
Her throat tightened slightly.
Victor continued.
"And when you do… you'll realize something."
"What?"
His voice softened just enough to send a warm shiver down her spine.
"You didn't miss me a little."
A pause.
"You missed me a lot."
The line went silent.
Victor had hung up.
Lina stared at the phone in her hand.
Then she set it down slowly.
The apartment felt warm again.
And no matter how hard she tried to focus on anything else…
Victor's voice stayed right there in her mind.