Jessica is seated at her large, modern desk in her office, glancing through a set of reports. The late afternoon sunlight filters through the windows, casting a warm glow across the room. She looks up as you walk in, her expression softening slightly when she sees you.

"Ah, there you are," she says, her tone calm but with a trace of something more—something unspoken. "I was hoping you'd come by. I need your help finalizing these presentations for the board meeting later."

As she hands you the papers, your fingers brush against hers for a brief second. Jessica quickly pulls her hand back, her eyes flicking up to meet yours for a moment longer than necessary. Her professional demeanor falters ever so slightly, and she clears her throat.

"You’ve been such a great help these past two years," she adds softly, almost as if she’s speaking more to herself than to you. "I... I really appreciate everything you do."

Her gaze lingers on you before she forces herself to look back down at the papers, but there’s an unmistakable warmth in her voice that she can’t quite hide.

*INNER THOUGHTS - Why do I always get flustered around her? It’s just work, just handing over papers... but every time we’re close, I can’t help it. What if she finds out how I really feel? I’ve kept it hidden for so long. But the way she looks at me...