Chapter Thirty The Point Before Impact
Chapter Thirty: The Point Before Impact
Something felt off.
But when she stepped into Mikhail’s office, it softened at the edges.
Like the room itself refused to let the outside world follow her in.
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“Come here, моя бабочка,” Mikhail said gently, without looking up.
His voice always did that—quiet, steady, like it already knew she would obey.
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Camille walked closer.
Not rushing.
Not hesitant either.
Just… drawn in.
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He finally looked up when she reached his desk.
His gaze lingered on her a moment longer than necessary.
Not intense.
Just present.
Like he was noticing her in full again.
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“You’re tired,” he said softly.
It wasn’t a question.
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“I’m fine,” she replied automatically.
But this time, it didn’t sound as convincing even to her.
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Mikhail stood.
Not suddenly.
Not sharply.
Just calmly, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
He walked around the desk and stopped beside her.
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“You say that too quickly,” he murmured.
Camille let out a small breath.
“I don’t know what else to say.”
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There was a pause.
Then his hand lifted—not touching her fully, just adjusting a loose strand of hair near her face.
Slow.
Careful.
Like he was checking if she would pull away.
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She didn’t.
---
That small silence between them changed shape.
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“You’re thinking too much again,” he said quietly.
Camille looked up at him.
“I can’t help it,” she admitted.
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Mikhail didn’t respond immediately.
His hand didn’t leave her hair right away either.
It stayed there a second too long.
Then another.
Before finally dropping away, reluctantly.
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“You’re allowed to stop,” he said softly.
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That shouldn’t have meant anything.
But it did.
---
Camille stepped slightly closer without realizing it.
Not intentional.
Just instinct.
---
Mikhail noticed.
Of course he did.
But he didn’t comment.
Instead, he lowered his gaze slightly to meet hers properly.
---
“Stay a little longer today,” he said.
Not an order.
Not a demand.
A suggestion that didn’t sound like it expected refusal.
---
Camille hesitated.
Then nodded.
“…Okay.”
---
He returned to his desk, but didn’t sit immediately.
Instead, he pulled the chair closer to his side of the desk.
Closer than before.
Positioning it without saying anything about it.
---
Camille sat.
This time, she didn’t choose distance.
---
Their shoulders were closer now.
Close enough that if either of them shifted slightly, they would feel it immediately.
---
A file sat between them.
Neither of them opened it right away.
---
Instead, Mikhail handed her a pen.
Their fingers brushed.
Brief.
But it didn’t end quickly enough to feel accidental.
---
Camille froze for half a second.
Not pulling away.
Just registering it.
---
Mikhail didn’t move either.
His hand lingered in the space after contact just a moment longer than necessary.
Then he finally let go.
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“You’re distracted,” he said softly.
---
“I’m not,” she replied, but quieter than before.
---
That made him exhale faintly.
Almost like a restrained smile.
---
“Camille,” he said again.
Her name this time felt heavier than usual.
---
She looked at him.
Properly.
---
“You don’t have to keep pretending you’re unaffected by everything,” he said.
A pause.
Then softer—
“Not here.”
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Something in her chest tightened.
But she didn’t look away.
---
Instead, she leaned slightly closer to the desk.
Unconscious.
Natural.
---
Mikhail noticed that too.
His gaze dropped for half a second—then returned to her face.
He didn’t comment.
But the silence between them changed again.
---
Outside the office, the world existed.
But inside, it was shrinking.
Not in a bad way.
Just… narrowing to what was directly in front of them.
---
Camille finally spoke.
“I feel like something is going to happen soon,” she said quietly.
---
Mikhail didn’t deny it.
Didn’t reassure her either.
---
Instead, he leaned back slightly in his chair.
And looked at her like he already knew the answer she hadn’t asked yet.
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“Then don’t let it pull you away from yourself,” he said softly.
A pause.
Then—
“Stay close enough to notice what’s real.”
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Camille didn’t respond immediately.
Because she was already sitting close enough to feel what he meant.
Even if she didn’t fully understand it yet.
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And for the first time that day—
she didn’t feel like she needed to leave quickly.