The evening stars

What do you want to know?

Sophie arrived at work feeling an inner tension. She headed to the cafeteria, where the first minutes of the day determined her immediate goal — to make coffee for herself and Mr. Rossi. Breathing in the aroma of freshly ground beans, she tried to focus on her routine tasks. But thoughts of the recent conversation with Alex continued to haunt her.

With the onset of winter, the first snowflakes gently settled on the ground, like a reminder of the changes that burst into life, regardless of whether we are ready for them. The air felt fresh, but chaos still reigned in Sophie's soul. No, she didn't leave Alex. She simply gave him time to sort out the situation, but this decision, despite its apparent correctness, left her with a bitter taste of doubt.

Watching the water slowly drip through the coffee maker's filter, she recalled their conversation. How hard it was to talk about this, how he fell silent when she mentioned the pause. "Is this fair?" Sophie kept asking herself. She loved Alex, but his past, his struggle for his daughter, his unresolved issues with Rachel — all of this pulled them both into a whirlpool of drama that she had tried to escape her whole life.

Having taken the coffee mugs, Sophie headed to Mr. Rossi's office. Her fingers trembled, not from the cold, but from emotional tension. As soon as she knocked and entered, Mr. Rossi looked up from his papers.

— Good morning, Sophie, — he smiled gently. — You look gloomy. Did something happen?

Sophie, placing his coffee on the table, sighed:

— Everything is fine, just... yesterday was a tough day.

— If you need to discuss anything, you know I'm here, — he replied, leaning back in his chair and taking the cup in his hands.

— Thank you, — Sophie replied briefly, trying to smile, although feelings were still raging inside her.

She understood that life doesn't stand still, but for some reason today it seemed to her that everything had frozen.

— Will you have coffee with me? — Stephen unexpectedly offered.

Sophie looked at him uncertainly, her thoughts still occupied with the events of the past few days. She felt lost. The situation with Alex and the pause in their relationship occupied her mind.

— Come on, sit down, I don't bite, — Stephen added, smiling that same hypnotic smile that always elicited a response. He was that rare type of person who attracted others with his charm. And it was impossible to refuse him.

Without saying a word, Sophie slowly sat down on the small sofa opposite his desk and took a sip of coffee, trying to hide her embarrassment. The room was filled with silence, broken only by the soft hissing of the coffee machine.

— Are you in that mood because of the same person who wrote to you back in the car? — Stephen suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

Sophie raised her eyebrows and looked at him in surprise. She did not expect such insight from her boss.

— Um... How did you guess? — she asked, trying to maintain her composure.

— I just think that few people can hurt you. So, most likely, it's the same person, — his tone was soft but confident.

Sophie pondered, recalling all those moments when her heart was torn apart. She slowly averted her gaze, directing it towards the mug of coffee.

— You don't know me. In my life, many people have disappointed me, — she replied softly, as if thinking aloud.

Stephen didn't take his eyes off her. Her words, though calm, echoed in his mind.

— Then will you allow me to get to know you better? — he continued, this time moving a little closer, his tone becoming slightly more personal.

Sophie looked at him in surprise. What did he mean? This question made her wary, but at the same time, a strange feeling of curiosity began to grow within her.

— What do you want to know? — Sophie felt a slight chill down her spine, but she couldn't take her eyes off his face.

Stephen raised an eyebrow, his eyes sparkled with mischief:

— Well, for example, what do you eat for breakfast? What is your favorite color? How many boyfriends have you had? Or... — he paused, his voice dropping slightly, — when did you lose your virginity?

— Wow, — Sophie laughed, surprised by such a turn in the conversation. — Do you ask everyone such questions to get to know them better?

— Only to those who interest me, — Stephen replied seriously, not taking his eyes off her face.

— And what about me? — Sophie froze, her voice was slightly quieter.

— You are very interesting to me, — his response sounded like a final verdict, with no hint of a joke in his voice.

Her heart raced, and she felt a shiver run down her body. This person had an amazing ability to control the atmosphere, capturing it with their presence. Sophie slowly parted her lips and began to breathe heavier, feeling her mind sink into a fog.

— For breakfast, I eat toast with cheese, — she said, not taking her eyes off his face, feeling everything inside her tremble from his intense gaze. She understood that she had entered his game, accepting its rules.

Steven got up from the chair and slowly walked towards her, his movements confident and purposeful. Sophie clenched her fingers on the leather upholstery of the sofa, trying to maintain control over herself.

— My favorite color is black, — she continued, her voice soft and slightly hoarse, as if it were penetrating deep into her soul.

Steven took another step towards her, closing the distance between them. His gaze was fixed directly on her, as if he were reading her thoughts.

— I had a boyfriend I broke up with a long time ago, and now... my personal life is complicated, — she paused, looking him in the eyes. Her voice trembled with excitement.

Now they were separated by just one step. Stephen stopped right in front of her.

— And the final question, Sophie? — his voice was low, almost a whisper, his breath felt on her skin.

Sophie suddenly got up from the couch, trying to regain control.

— I think I need to work, Mr. Rossi, — she replied, hoping that it would help her get out of this tense moment.

But Steven did not back down. He quickly stepped in her way, blocking the exit.

— You didn't answer, — he whispered, his gaze fixed on her, and she didn't want to leave either.

He came too close, their bodies almost touching. Sophie felt her breath quicken, and she slightly parted her lips, accidentally meeting his gaze. It was a mistake. Now her mind was captivated, all her attention was focused solely on him.

Stephen slowly ran his fingers along her arm, starting from her wrist and moving upward. Shivers instantly ran across her skin, her body responded immediately to his touch.

— Does your body react like this to everyone or just to me, Sophie? — he asked, his voice almost imperceptible, yet every note seemed to capture her entirely.

— It's only on you, — she finally exhaled, struggling to say the words.

Stephen's hand rose higher, reaching her neck, and he abruptly pulled her towards himself without asking for her permission. His lips pressed insistently and demandingly against hers, enveloping her in a hot, commanding kiss. He was full of passion, as if Steven didn't want to give her a moment's doubt. Sophie clutched his shirt, trying to find support, feeling her head spin. One more second, and she could have lost consciousness, but Steven pulled away, looking her in the eyes.

— I hope your day goes well, Sophie. Please prepare a plan for the week, — he said in a calm voice, as if nothing had just happened.

Sophie, still shaken, barely found the strength to respond:

— Alright... — she whispered and left the office, feeling her heart continue to race wildly.