Chapter 4 THE QUIET BETWEEN LINES

HENRY'S POV

The moment Eva stepped out of the office, a strange stillness settled in the room. I didn't look at Lucas right away. I busied myself with adjusting the tablet on his desk, pretending I hadn't just walked into something I couldn't fully explain. There hadn't been anything obvious-no touching, no heated glances. Just a strange, lingering silence and the way her voice trembled slightly when she spoke. Maybe I was overthinking it. Or maybe I wasn't. "I spoke with GreenTech's legal department this morning," I said finally, my voice calm and composed. "They're requesting to rework the contract terms. Their board is pushing for an exclusive clause." Lucas didn't flinch. He leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled beneath his chin, expression unreadable as always. "That's bold of them," he said, his voice smooth. "They're still on probation after the last quarter's performance." "I told them we'd consider it. But I didn't make any promises." "Good. Let them sweat a little." I nodded, scrolling through the contract updates, though my mind wasn't really on the documents anymore. I kept thinking back to how Eva looked in this office. A little nervous. A little too familiar with the space. And the way Lucas had leaned back against the desk so casually, like she'd been there before. But they weren't standing close. Nothing happened. At least, nothing I could call out. Still... something about the air between them hadn't felt right. Lucas's voice pulled me back to the moment. "Henry." I blinked. "Yeah?" "You alright?" He was watching me carefully now. That sharp gaze of his that cut through most people. But I wasn't most people. I'd worked too hard to be rattled by anyone-boss or not. "I'm fine," I said. "Just thinking." Lucas leaned forward slightly, a hint of a smile curling his lips. "You seem distracted." "It's nothing." He didn't press, and I didn't offer more. Instead, I tapped the screen again and switched to another page. "There's a firm in Seoul. Altora Holdings," I said. "They reached out this morning. Apparently, they're looking for international partners to invest in their energy transition tech. If we act fast, we could be the first American firm to sign with them." Lucas's eyebrows rose slightly. "Now that's more interesting." "I already drafted a preliminary proposal. You'll want to look it over before I loop in the strategy team." "Send it to my email," he said. "Let's see how hungry they really are." I nodded again, and silence fell between us for a moment. But beneath that silence, my thoughts kept circling the morning. Eva never brought food directly to my office unless I asked. But today, she'd made the trip on her own. She'd even arrived early. Why? I glanced at Lucas again. He looked as calm as ever, sipping water from his crystal glass like it was just another day. But something gnawed at me.

The way his tone had changed when he mentioned her. Too smooth. Too careful. And Eva... her eyes didn't lie. She was hiding something. I ran a hand through my hair, the dull ache behind my eyes growing stronger. "I'll send the files shortly," I said, standing up. "Let me know if you want to follow up with Seoul personally." "I will," Lucas replied, but his gaze didn't move from me. "And Henry..." I turned halfway to the door. "She's a good cook." My hand froze on the doorknob. I didn't reply. I just opened the door and stepped out, my chest tightening. I didn't want to doubt her. Eva had been with me through my roughest moments. She'd stuck around when I had nothing to offer. But lately... something had shifted. The warmth in her eyes, the comfort in her presence-it was starting to fade. And now my boss-the man known for never getting personal-was making comments about her food? My thoughts spiraled as I walked back to my own office, barely registering the greetings of passing interns and executives. I sat down at my desk, opened my laptop, and stared at the screen, but my mind wasn't on the contract anymore. I trusted Eva. Didn't I? I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to shut the thoughts out. But it was too late. The seed of doubt had already taken root. And then my phone buzzed. One message. From an unknown number. "You should know what your girlfriend does when you're not looking." I stared at the screen, blood running cold. Attached below was a picture. I tapped it-and froze. It was a blurry photo. But unmistakable. Lucas's hand brushing against Eva's lower back as they stood in the hallway. Not close enough to prove anything. But just close enough to hurt.