His Cold Heart, My Fiery Soul

thority to silence the movement around them. She turned immediately, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag as her eyes landed on him. "I'm not," she replied, her voice steady de

ean you're ready," he said. "

int shift passed through his expression, subtle but noticeable. "You're already arguing," he said. "Not arguing," she corrected. "Clarifying." The receptionist b

tter than a vague a

hout understanding where you are." Delphine tilted her head slightly. "I walked in to report for work," she replied. "Not to perform." His eyes narrowed just slightly, no

e lingered on her longer this time, measuring, testing. "Confidence on your first day usually doesn't last," he said. Delphine adjusted her grip on he

ways start conversations like that?" she asked. "Only when I don't have time for polite ones," he replied. She quickened her pace slightly. "Or when you want to unsettle peop

he said. "I know I am," she replied. His eyes held hers for a moment longer than necessary. "Then prove it," he said, dropping a file onto the desk in front of her. The sound wa

ed, her eyes scanning rapidly as the pressure settled in. "You're not even going to challenge that?" a voice said from beside her. She glanced up briefly to see a man leaning casually nearby. "Would it cha

diately from behind her. "Where?" he asked. Delphine lifted her eyes to meet his. "The timeline," she said. "It doesn't match the contract sequence." He stepped closer now, his attention f

five minutes?" he asked. "Yes," she replied. The man beside her let out a quiet breath. "Okay," he murmured, "that's not normal." Wilson didn't react to him.

tly, quieter but more dangerous. "Then you prove I was right about you," he said. Delphine exhaled slowly, then nodded on

something inside. Not part of t

ulled it out, her eyes scanning th

uietly. Delphine didn't answer. Instead, she lifted her eyes slowly, and locked ont

ry as they locked directly onto Delphine's. "You weren't supposed to hear that," he said quietly, his voice low but firm, carrying more weight than the words themselves. Delphine didn't look away, ev

d yet," he said, stepping closer, his voice lowering just enough to make the moment feel private despite the open hallway. Delphine tilted her head slightly, her eyes unwavering. "Then help me u

lphine felt the shift immediately. Her fingers tightened slightly around the file as she studied him more carefully. "Involved in what?" she asked, her voice quieter but more focu

to do with you?" Wilson didn't answer immediately, but the pause was telling. His expression didn't change, yet something in his eyes

he spoke again, her voice firmer now. "That stoppe

reful how far you push this," Wilson said, his voice lower, carrying a warning that was no longer subtle. Delphine took a small step closer, closing the di

seen it, then the situation has changed." Delphine's eyes flickered briefly toward the voice, then back to him. "She," she repeated quietly. "That's me, isn't it?" Wilso

e lifted the note slightly, her voice steady but carrying an edge that hadn't been there before. "Don't trust him," she read quietly, watching his reaction clo

t's meant to control what you believe." Delphine searched his face, her pulse picking up as the tension between them tightened further. "Then tell me which one t

ing the question she could no longer hold back. "Why," she said quietly, her voice sharper now despite its softness, "would someo

if his answer carried consequences he wasn't ready to release. Delphine felt it immediately, that shift, that hesitation, and it told

t a misund

t a coin

she had just

ready at the