Chapter 20 #2
“No, it’s just… Everything’s happening so unexpectedly. I wasn’t prepared.”
“You can’t really prepare for everything.
” His gaze turned toward the windows. It was dark outside, so where he was looking was unclear.
“Though maybe I’m talking from my own experience.
” He sighed. “Since I’m leaving on Friday, I didn’t want to waste time.
And I took it upon myself to conclude you’d be more comfortable working with a woman assistant rather than a man.
” He turned toward me again, watching my reaction.
A faint curve touched my lips. “You were absolutely correct.” Finishing my glass, I put it on the coffee table. “Is she the only female assistant on your team?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” he said. “She’s the only one. I wish there were more.”
“Why?”
“They don’t turn work into a… contest.” A faint smile touched his lips.
“And when things get messy, they don’t lose sight of what matters.
Men push harder. Always trying to prove something.
It works, until it doesn’t.” He leaned back slightly, the glass of wine turning slowly in his hand. “The best teams need both, I suppose.”
I picked up my empty glass and turned it slowly between my fingers. I didn’t know what to say. Admiration swelled in my chest, alongside… pride? Maybe.
I’d never heard a man speak that way before, and listening to Viktor… He was so different from all the men I knew. Even from Papa and Rafa, who would do anything to protect me.
“It’s late.” Viktor hid his yawn behind his fist, then put his glass on the table. “I need to leave early tomorrow,” he said, standing up.
“By early, you mean skip breakfast?” I followed his actions.
Viktor waited for me before heading toward the stairs. “Ms. Hale will come at six tomorrow to prepare one for me. But I’ll make your coffee and ask her to keep it warm.”
“No need. I’ll set my alarm for six.” I stepped onto the stairs.
“You should sleep properly.”
“Of course, after Friday.” I smiled.
Viktor chuckled. “I’ll be gone a week at most. Besides, it’s not like this is my first time.”
“It actually is,” I corrected. “You know, after we—” I stopped mid-stairs. My heart skipped a beat as I caught Viktor’s gaze on me. He’d also stopped, only one stair up from me. “Whatever.” I turned my head slightly.
When I looked back, Viktor’s hand was frozen an inch beside my head, as if he’d wanted to reach for me. Yet he pulled it back.
“You’re adorable.” His eyes warmed again, melting me, leaving me starving for more.
I barely managed to resist the urge to step into his arms. To get as close to him as possible, to sink into his chest, into his neck.
And for a second, I almost did. Almost moved closer. But then I stepped back, crossing my arms. My throat felt dry.
“Sophie?”
Had he noticed?
“I think…” I said, nearly turning back. “I’ll go back to get water.”
But he stopped me. “You go up, I’ll bring it to you.”
The next second he was at the bottom of the stairs, and all I could do was follow his back toward the kitchen.
I sighed, feeling my breath quicken. The evening had been going so well.
Trying to get my breath back to normal, I went upstairs, listening to him moving around in the kitchen. Only when I sat in the armchair in the foyer did I hide my face in my palms.
I’d almost hugged him. And I wasn’t sure what I was more ashamed of—that I’d wanted it or that I’d pulled back at the last second.
And more importantly, had he noticed?
When Viktor came back, he put a tray with a jug and a glass in front of me before pouring water into it. All in complete silence. But he didn’t seem angry or disappointed. In fact, the same expression of tiredness from earlier was still on his face.
I pressed my lips together, unable to ignore the guilt curling through me. It had been a packed day for me, with all the questions I had about my future. But couldn’t I have found time to ask him about his day?
Clenching the fabric of my dress, I said, “I didn’t thank you properly.”
When Viktor’s face went confused, I clarified. “It’s obvious you had a hard day, yet you managed to organize everything for me.”
“That part wasn’t hard at all.” He sat across from me, giving me a soft smile.
God, how I loved the way he looked at me—calm, warm.
Without any sign of pity.
That pity that was in almost everyone’s eyes, hidden beneath care or love. I hated it so much. But with Viktor, there was never a hint of pity in his gaze. And I was so grateful for that.
He yawned again, putting his hand behind his neck, but didn’t get up.
“You must have had a hard day, didn’t you?” I pressed when he didn’t move.
“More like exhausting. But nothing interesting,” he clarified. “Meeting after meeting.”
“Hm.” I finally took the glass with the water, drinking slowly. When I put the half-empty glass back on the tray and leaned back, Viktor took it into his hand, fully emptying it.
A shiver went down my spine. Did he just drink from my glass?
But Viktor seemed unbothered.
Was I the only one who gave meaning to that? My pulse quickened as I held my palms together, trying not to react. But my eyes kept landing on the glass in his hand.
“Just making sure you know I’m not disgusted by you,” he said softly, a flicker of mischief in his eyes.
“Will you remind me of that conversation until the end of my days?” I hid my face in my palms, remembering my accusations about him keeping his distance. That was more than a month ago.
“I’m not that petty!” he said with mock offense. “I mean, I was—when I was younger. But I’m working on keeping it under control.” He shrugged. “Everyone has their flaws.”
The corners of my mouth softened, and when our eyes met, I didn’t dare to move. Nor did Viktor.
Suddenly sitting in silence seemed so comfortable. So comfortable that even though there were many things on my mind that I wanted to say, I feared breaking the magic.
When he yawned for the third time, I gestured toward his wing. “You said you need to wake up early.”
“Is that a hint I’ve overstayed your hospitality?”
“What? No! I only—”
He laughed tiredly. And I couldn’t hold back the semi-angry, “Viktor!”
Viktor smiled at me again, then closed his eyes for a moment before finally getting up.
“Good night, Sophie.”