Evaline:
The moment the door clicked shut behind Celeste, the office fell into a deep, quiet silence.
For a second, neither of us moved.
I was still standing near the door, staring at it as if expecting Celeste to suddenly storm back in.
But she didn't.
Her hurried footsteps faded down the hallway until they disappeared completely.
Only then did I finally breathe out.
Slowly, I reached for the lock and turned it, causing a soft click to echo in the silence.
Just in case.
When I turned around, my gaze immediately landed on River.
He was still sitting behind his desk, but the rigid tension that had held his body earlier hadn't disappeared completely.
His shoulders were tight.
His jaw still looked slightly clenched.
And through the mate bond, I could feel the lingering agitation inside him.
Celeste's presence had clearly affected him far more than he had shown outwardly.
Without saying anything, I walked toward the desk.
