𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 | 18+

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟑

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆

𝙾𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟾, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟹 - 𝟼:𝟸𝟶 𝙿.𝙼.

My stomach twisted into knots as his voice slithered into my ear, sending a jolt of icy fear straight down my spine. I could feel him looming closer, his presence like a shadow, dark and oppressive, suffocating the little space between us. My heart raced as I quickly turned my phone screen away from him, the tension in the air thick enough to choke on.

"It's nothing," I stammered, desperately trying to steady my voice. My fingers shook as I quickly swiped to another tab, pretending to focus on an unrelated article. "Just... checking some articles."

I forced a laugh, but it came out thin, trembling under the weight of the lie. I could feel his eyes boring into me, his breath hovering dangerously near my neck. The heat of his body was unnerving, almost too intense in the confined space of the elevator. I didn't dare look back at him. My pulse pounded in my throat, my instincts screaming at me to get away, but I held still, forcing my expression to remain calm.

There was a moment of suffocating silence before I felt him pull back slightly. "Is that so?" he mused softly, his tone unreadable. His voice was smooth but sharp, as if he didn't entirely believe me but was willing to play along—for now.

I nodded, keeping my eyes on the phone, pretending to be engrossed in the words that no longer made sense to me. "Yeah, nothing important."

His breath remained just close enough that I could feel it ghosting over my skin, and for a moment, I thought he might press further. But then, the silence stretched again, and slowly, the weight of his gaze seemed to lift. Relief surged through me, but I didn't dare move. Not yet.

The elevator creaked slightly as it descended, the minutes dragging on in agonizing slowness. And though he had stepped back, I could still feel him, the heat of his body a constant reminder of how dangerously close we were. I couldn't bring myself to relax, not fully. I didn't trust the quiet—didn't trust *him*.

Then, with a ding, the elevator doors slid open. I moved swiftly, stepping out into the corridor, my breath coming out in a shaky exhale. But just before I could fully escape, his voice followed me, soft but strangely kind.

"Good work today, Eloise," he murmured. "I look forward to seeing more of what you're capable of."

I froze, the tension lingering in his words wrapping around me like a noose. I swallowed hard, my throat dry, before I forced myself to nod and give him a polite smile. "Thank you, Professor," I managed to say, though my voice was hoarse with nerves.

As the elevator doors slid closed, I couldn't help but glance back at him. He was standing still, watching me with an unreadable expression, his eyes dark and intent. And then the doors shut with a final thud, sealing him inside. The air outside felt lighter, but my skin still prickled with unease.

I hurried down the hallway, my mind racing. The image of Jake's missing person report burned into my brain, and the realization was like a punch to the gut—I was right. But now, I was more terrified than ever.

As I walked in the empty hallway, still shaken by the close encounter with Professor Mikkelsen, I forced myself to steady my breathing. My pulse was still racing, but I straightened my posture and made my way back to the conference room, clutching my notes.

When I entered, Alex was the first to notice me. He looked up from his tablet, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "How was the meeting?" he asked, his tone casual, but there was a subtle edge to his question.