Chapter 4 ANDRE: The Long Day's End

As the day wore on, I found myself increasingly distracted by thoughts of Sophia. Despite my best efforts to focus on my work, her absence weighed heavily on my mind, leaving me feeling unsettled and restless.

Throughout the day, I tried to catch glimpses of her, to engage her in conversation, but each attempt was met with evasion and avoidance. It was as if she was determined to keep her distance, to shut me out completely.

I couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration at her behavior, at the way she seemed to be deliberately avoiding me. Had I done something to upset her? Had our encounter in the elevator pushed her away?

As closing hours approached, I found myself drawn to her office once again, unable to resist the urge to see her one last time before the day came to an end. But when I arrived, her office was dark and silent, her desk abandoned and her chair empty.

For a moment, I hesitated, unsure whether to disturb her solitude. But then, something compelled me to enter, to seek her out in the quiet stillness of her office.

As I made my way through the dimly lit space, my eyes fell upon her sleeping form, curled up on a sofa in the corner of the room. She looked peaceful in slumber, her features softened by the gentle light filtering through the windows.

Without conscious thought, I found myself drawn to her side, kneeling down beside her as I reached out to lightly touch her face. The soft brush of my fingers against her skin stirred her from her sleep, her eyes fluttering open to meet mine.

For a moment, we simply gazed at each other in silence, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavy in the air between us. And then, with a soft sigh, Sophia spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

"André..."

I felt a surge of emotion swell within me at the sound of my name on her lips, my heart aching with longing for the connection we shared. In that moment, as we stood on the precipice of something unknown, I knew that I would do whatever it took to bridge the divide between us, to find a way to break down the walls she had built around her heart.

As we stood in the quiet solitude of her office, I simply reached out my hand, offering her the silent reassurance she needed. And as Sophia took it, her fingers intertwining with mine, I knew that despite the obstacles that lay ahead, we would face them together, united by the undeniable bond that bound us together.

But as quickly as the tenderness washed over me, a wave of indignation rose within. She had spent the entire day avoiding me, shutting me out with cold indifference. Was this how she intended to play the game?

I stood abruptly, taking a step back as a surge of resentment coursed through me. Who was she to treat me this way, to dismiss my attempts at connection without a second thought? I refused to be the one left pining for her attention while she played the role of the aloof seductress.

With a deep breath, I composed myself, forcing a mask of indifference over my features. "I just wanted to say goodbye," I said tersely, my tone clipped as I struggled to contain the frustration that simmered beneath the surface.

Turning on my heel, I made my way towards the door, determined to give her a taste of her own medicine. If she wanted to play games, then so be it. But as I reached the threshold, a part of me couldn't help but hope that she would reach out, that she would finally acknowledge the connection between us that she had spent the day trying to deny.