Thursday morning arrived quietly.
The sky over the city was still pale when Sofia Mirano stepped out of the taxi and walked toward Rivera Group. The tall glass building reflected the early sunlight, and employees were already streaming through the lobby doors with coffee cups and briefcases.
For Sofia, mornings had started to feel strangely familiar.
The elevator ride.
The sound of keyboards.
The faint scent of coffee drifting through the office.
And somewhere behind the large wooden door at the end of the hallway…
Leo Rivera.
Sofia pushed the thought aside as she stepped out of the elevator and walked to her desk.
She placed her bag down neatly before reviewing the schedule for the day.
Leo had three meetings, two calls, and a lunch appointment with the finance department.
Busy.
But manageable.
Her phone buzzed softly.
Lucy.
Sofia smiled as she opened the message.
Lucy:
Good morning.
Lucy:
So… how did your boss react yesterday when he met me?
Sofia shook her head, typing quickly.
Sofia:
He survived.
Lucy replied instantly.
Lucy:
Barely, I assume.
Sofia laughed quietly.
Sofia:
Lucy.
Lucy:
Did he look nervous?
Sofia:
No.
Lucy paused.
Then sent another message.
Lucy:
That man is too calm.
Sofia slipped her phone back into her bag just as Leo's office door opened.
He stepped out, already reviewing something on his tablet.
But the moment he looked up and saw Sofia sitting at her desk, he stopped briefly.
"Good morning, Sofia."
"Good morning, Mr. Rivera."
Sofia stood and carried his coffee into the office.
Black.
No sugar.
No cream.
Leo accepted the cup and placed the tablet aside.
"You have the financial review at ten," Sofia said as she handed him the schedule.
"And the marketing team requested a short meeting this afternoon."
Leo nodded.
"Arrange it."
Sofia turned to leave.
But before she reached the door, Leo spoke again.
"How is your friend?"
Sofia turned slightly.
"Lucy?"
"Yes."
"She's good."
Leo leaned back in his chair slightly.
"She seems very protective of you."
Sofia smiled faintly.
"She's always been like that."
Leo nodded once.
Then returned to his work.
The morning passed quickly.
Phones rang.
Meetings came and went.
Reports were delivered.
Sofia moved through the office with her usual calm efficiency.
But just before lunch, someone new appeared at her desk.
"Excuse me."
Sofia looked up.
A man stood there holding a folder.
He looked to be in his early thirties, dressed in a neat grey suit.
"I'm Daniel from the marketing department," he said politely.
"I needed to drop off these reports for Mr. Rivera."
Sofia accepted the folder.
"Thank you. I'll make sure he receives them."
Daniel didn't immediately leave.
Instead, he leaned casually against the desk.
"You're new here, right?"
Sofia nodded.
"Yes. I started recently."
Daniel smiled.
"Well, you're doing a great job. Everyone's been talking about how organized things have become."
Sofia felt slightly embarrassed.
"That's kind of you to say."
Daniel studied her for a moment.
"You know, the marketing team is grabbing coffee later today."
Sofia blinked.
"Oh?"
"You should join us."
Before Sofia could respond, Leo's office door suddenly opened.
Leo stepped out, his expression calm as always.
But his eyes immediately landed on the scene in front of him.
Daniel leaning against Sofia's desk.
Talking to her.
Smiling.
Leo stopped walking.
For a moment, he simply observed.
Daniel didn't seem to notice.
"So," Daniel continued, "what do you say?"
Sofia was about to politely decline when Leo spoke.
"Miss Mirano."
Both of them looked up.
Sofia stood quickly.
"Yes, Mr. Rivera?"
Leo's gaze briefly moved toward Daniel.
Then back to Sofia.
"I need the quarterly projections."
Sofia nodded.
"I'll bring them right away."
Daniel straightened awkwardly.
"Sorry, Mr. Rivera. I was just delivering the reports."
Leo looked at him calmly.
"Thank you."
The tone wasn't rude.
But it was very clear that the conversation was over.
Daniel quickly excused himself and walked away.
Sofia gathered the projection documents and stepped into Leo's office.
He closed the door behind her.
For a moment, he didn't speak.
Instead, he opened the folder she had brought.
But after a few seconds, he asked casually,
"What did he want?"
Sofia blinked.
"Daniel?"
"Yes."
"He was just delivering the marketing reports."
Leo flipped a page slowly.
"And?"
Sofia hesitated slightly.
"He invited me for coffee with the marketing team."
Leo's hand paused briefly on the page.
Then continued turning it.
"I see."
Sofia watched him carefully.
His voice sounded neutral.
But something about his expression had changed.
"He seemed friendly," she added.
Leo looked up at her.
"Friendly."
The word sounded thoughtful.
Not approving.
Not disapproving.
Just… considering.
Sofia shifted slightly.
"Is there anything else you need, Mr. Rivera?"
Leo studied her for a moment before closing the folder.
"No."
She nodded politely and left the office.
As soon as Sofia returned to her desk, her phone buzzed again.
Lucy.
Lucy:
Important question.
Sofia typed.
Sofia:
What now?
Lucy:
Do men flirt with you at your office?
Sofia stared at the message.
Sofia:
Why would you ask that?
Lucy replied immediately.
Lucy:
Because you're pretty.
Sofia laughed quietly.
Sofia:
Someone invited me for coffee earlier.
Lucy responded instantly.
Lucy:
WHO?
Sofia:
Someone from marketing.
Lucy sent three dramatic messages.
Lucy:
I KNEW IT.
Lucy:
What did your CEO do?
Sofia:
Nothing.
Lucy paused.
Then sent one final message.
Lucy:
I don't believe you.
Sofia smiled to herself.
Inside his office, Leo Rivera sat quietly reviewing documents.
But his focus kept drifting.
Back to the same image.
Daniel leaning against Sofia's desk.
Talking too comfortably.
Smiling too easily.
Leo leaned back in his chair slightly.
The feeling in his chest was unfamiliar.
Uncomfortable.
He didn't like it.
He didn't usually pay attention to things like that.
But something about the situation bothered him.
More than it should have.
Leo glanced toward the glass door of his office.
Through it, he could see Sofia at her desk.
Focused.
Professional.
Completely unaware of the thoughts running through his mind.
Leo exhaled slowly.
Because one realization had just settled quietly into his thoughts.
And it wasn't something he could easily ignore anymore.
He didn't like the idea of someone else getting too comfortable around Sofia Mirano.
And that feeling…
Was dangerously close to jealousy.