The office felt quieter than usual when Lillian arrived.
Her bag swung at her side as she stepped onto the 42nd floor, scanning the space. Colleagues were typing silently, heads low, chairs creaking more than normal. Even the hum of computers seemed subdued.
Something was off.
Chloe noticed her immediately. "Hey," she said softly, motioning for Lillian to come over.
"What happened?" Lillian asked, setting her bag down on her chair. "Why does everyone look… like this?"
Chloe let out a quiet sigh. "Sebastian heard them."
Lillian frowned. "Heard what?"
"The gossip," Chloe said, lowering her voice. "All of it about Ethan… and his family… and the punch. He's… not in a good mood. Let's just say everyone's paying for talking."
Lillian's eyes widened. "Everyone?"
"Everyone," Chloe said, almost whispering. "He called a meeting, or at least made the announcement when you weren't here. He said everyone is doing overtime tonight. No exceptions."
Lillian's stomach tightened. "Overtime… for gossiping?"
Chloe nodded. "Yep. And I don't think he's going to let it go. He's… frustrated, irritable. And everyone's walking on eggshells now."
Lillian glanced around the office, seeing her coworkers hunched over their work, silent. Even the usually chatty administrative staff had their heads down.
Chloe smirked faintly. "I'm going to try talking to him. Wish me luck."
"Be careful," Lillian warned, though a part of her wanted to go too.
Chloe shrugged and disappeared toward Sebastian's office.
Lillian stayed behind for a moment, trying to process the tension in the air. Her hands felt clammy as she set down her coat and bag.
She walked over to her desk and sat, trying to focus on her laptop.
Her gaze drifted toward Sebastian's office. The door was closed, but she could hear the quiet tapping of the keyboard through the thin walls. He was already back at work, immersed in his screens, ignoring everything else.
Lillian hesitated. Should she go talk to him? Or let Chloe handle it? She decided to wait a few minutes, hoping Chloe could gauge his mood first.
Minutes later, Chloe returned, lips pressed tight, a faint frown on her face.
"He's… worse than I thought," she whispered as she passed Lillian's desk. "Sharper. Frustrated. He snapped at someone in accounting. Everyone's nervous now."
Lillian exhaled slowly. She rubbed her temples. "I can't believe he's doing this because of gossip."
Chloe gave her a small, knowing look. "You know Sebastian. He's… exacting. And personal. That's how he handles things. You just have to survive it."
Lillian nodded, but her stomach twisted. She had never seen him this openly frustrated, this harsh with the entire office.
She glanced at her coworkers again. Some were still typing, some were quietly whispering apologies to one another for minor mistakes, all because Sebastian's presence — even unseen — had left an invisible weight over the room.
After a moment, Lillian decided she couldn't just sit there. She needed to know more. She stood, brushing her skirt, and walked to Sebastian's office.
She knocked lightly on the door. "Mr. Wolfe?"
No response.
She pushed it open slowly and stepped inside.
He didn't look up immediately. His eyes stayed fixed on the multiple monitors in front of him. The tapping of keys was precise, fast, and relentless.
"I… I noticed everyone's a bit down," she began carefully. "Is it… the overtime?"
He didn't raise his head. "Yes," he said, voice clipped, irritation bleeding through.
Lillian swallowed. "I… I understand. But… it seems harsh. They were just talking about…"
He finally looked at her, jaw tight, blue eyes sharp and unyielding. "Harsh?" he snapped, a little louder than intended. "They were gossiping about me. About my family. About what I did to Ethan. And you're asking if it's harsh?"
Lillian's cheeks warmed. "I… I just thought maybe it could have been handled differently."
Sebastian's hand slammed lightly on the desk. "Handled differently?" His voice rose slightly. "Miss Parker, this is exactly how it needs to be handled! Everyone stays. Everyone works. That includes you. Now leave my office and get back to work!"
Lillian flinched slightly but met his gaze. "Y-yes, Mr. Wolfe."
She turned to leave, feeling the heat of his frustration radiate through the door.
As she stepped back to her desk, Chloe appeared silently beside her. "He's… not in a good mood. That snap? That's personal. He's taking it out on the office, but it's deeper than that. Something about Ethan and… family stuff. He doesn't hide it very well."
Lillian nodded slowly, her stomach still tied in knots. She glanced around at the office again. Everyone was subdued, typing carefully, not daring to make a sound. The usual rhythm of work had disappeared.
Chloe leaned closer, whispering, "You can't take it personally. He's… Sebastian. But just… stay alert. Don't push him. He's volatile today."
"I… I just hate seeing everyone like this," Lillian admitted quietly.
Chloe placed a hand on her shoulder. "We all do. But he's the boss. And today, the boss is angry. We survive. That's all we can do."
Lillian exhaled slowly, returning to her chair. She opened her laptop, typing slowly, carefully. Every noise from Sebastian's office — the tap of his keyboard, the rustle of paper, the quiet sigh — made her flinch slightly.
She realized Monday had started like any other day.
And yet, nothing felt normal. The weight of Sebastian's anger, the whispers of gossip, and the tension in the air made the office feel almost foreign.
By the time she glanced at the clock, it was mid-afternoon. The room remained quiet, subdued, heavy. And though she was technically at work, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was walking on fragile ice — and Sebastian's storm was waiting just behind the closed office door.