Friday arrived with a steady rhythm of work at Rivera Group.
Employees moved through the office with the usual sense of urgency that came at the end of the week. Phones rang more frequently, people rushed to complete reports before the weekend, and quiet conversations filled the open workspace.
At her desk, Sofia Mirano reviewed the morning schedule carefully.
Everything was organized as usual.
Leo had two internal meetings and one conference call before the afternoon.
After that, the day looked surprisingly calm.
She finished arranging the documents and checked the clock.
9:02 AM.
Right on time.
Leo's office door opened.
He stepped out with his usual composed expression, adjusting the cuff of his suit jacket.
His gaze immediately landed on her.
"Good morning, Sofia."
"Good morning, Mr. Rivera."
Sofia picked up his coffee and walked into the office.
Black.
No sugar.
No cream.
She placed the cup on his desk along with the schedule.
"You have the financial team meeting at ten," she said.
"And the conference call with the European office at noon."
Leo nodded slightly.
"Good."
But as Sofia turned to leave, he spoke again.
"Sofia."
She paused and looked back.
"Yes?"
Leo hesitated for a moment before continuing.
"I'll need you to stay late today."
Sofia blinked slightly.
"Of course. Is there something specific?"
"A contract review."
His tone remained calm.
"It shouldn't take too long."
Sofia nodded politely.
"I'll make sure everything is prepared."
She left the office quietly, though a small part of her wondered why Leo had suddenly decided to review the contract late in the evening instead of earlier.
The day moved quickly.
Meetings came and went.
Reports were delivered.
Emails were answered.
But every now and then, Sofia noticed Leo glancing toward her desk through the glass walls of his office.
Not for long.
Just quick, thoughtful looks.
Almost as if he was checking something.
By the time the clock reached six in the evening, most employees had already left for the weekend.
The office floor grew quiet.
Lights dimmed slightly as desks emptied.
Only a few people remained finishing their work.
Sofia sat at her desk reviewing the contract Leo had mentioned earlier.
Everything was ready.
Just then, she heard footsteps approaching.
She looked up.
Daniel from marketing stood beside her desk again.
He smiled politely.
"Working late?"
Sofia nodded.
"Yes. Mr. Rivera asked me to help review a contract."
Daniel leaned casually against the desk again.
"You work very hard."
Sofia gave a polite smile.
"It's part of the job."
Daniel hesitated for a moment.
Then spoke more softly.
"You know… a few of us are going out tonight."
Sofia already knew where this was going.
"Just dinner and drinks," Daniel continued.
"You should come."
Sofia opened her mouth to politely decline—
But Leo's office door opened at that exact moment.
Leo stepped out, holding a folder.
His eyes immediately landed on the scene.
Daniel.
Standing close to Sofia again.
Leo walked toward them slowly.
"Miss Mirano."
Sofia straightened.
"Yes, Mr. Rivera?"
"I believe we have work to finish."
His voice remained calm.
But the message was clear.
Daniel cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Right… I was just leaving."
Leo didn't respond.
Daniel quickly stepped away and walked toward the elevators.
Sofia watched him go before looking back at Leo.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Leo gestured toward his office.
"Bring the contract."
Inside the office, Sofia placed the documents on his desk.
Leo sat down and opened the folder.
But instead of immediately reading, he spoke.
"Does he ask you out often?"
Sofia blinked.
"Daniel?"
"Yes."
She shook her head.
"Not really."
Leo studied the page in front of him, though his focus clearly wasn't on the text.
"He seems persistent."
Sofia smiled slightly.
"He's just being friendly."
Leo looked up at her.
"Friendly."
The word sounded familiar.
Almost the same way he had repeated it the day before.
Sofia tilted her head slightly.
"Is something wrong?"
Leo leaned back slightly in his chair.
"No."
But his eyes remained on her.
For a moment, the room felt unusually quiet.
The soft hum of the city outside the window was the only sound.
Finally, Sofia broke the silence.
"Should we start the review?"
Leo blinked slightly, almost as if he had forgotten why she was there.
"Yes."
They began reading through the contract together.
Sofia pointed out a few formatting errors while Leo reviewed the financial terms.
The work required focus, but the quiet between them felt different tonight.
Closer.
More personal.
After nearly an hour, Leo closed the folder.
"That should be everything."
Sofia nodded.
"I'll finalize the corrections."
She gathered the papers carefully.
But as she turned toward the door, Leo spoke again.
"Sofia."
She looked back.
"Yes?"
Leo hesitated for a moment.
Something thoughtful lingered in his expression.
"You don't have to accept every invitation."
Sofia frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Leo stood and walked slowly toward the window.
"I mean," he said calmly, "not everyone who seems friendly has good intentions."
Sofia watched him carefully.
"Are you worried about me?"
The question seemed to catch him slightly off guard.
For a moment, Leo didn't answer.
Then he spoke quietly.
"I prefer my employees to feel comfortable at work."
Sofia smiled faintly.
"I do feel comfortable."
Leo looked at her again.
Their eyes held for a moment longer than usual.
Then Sofia spoke gently.
"Good night, Mr. Rivera."
"Good night, Sofia."
She left the office quietly.
But as Leo watched the door close behind her, one thought lingered in his mind.
He had told himself he asked her to stay late because of work.
But deep down…
He knew that wasn't the only reason.