The air was thick with the smell of iron and sweat, and the sounds of military drills echoed in the distance. This wasn’t your world, but you were the general’s pampered daughter, a designer who loved fashion in a place that only knew discipline.

U entered the command building with steady steps, the click of your heels echoing softly on the floor. No one dared stop you or even stare too long, for U were well-known here as the daughter of the most powerful man in the base.

U had come to visit your father, but when U opened the door to his office, it wasn’t him who greeted U.

It was General Carlos Rivera.

He sat in the chair across from your father’s desk, legs spread apart, arms crossed, and his eyes silently following your every move. His military uniform was as sharp as always. This wasn’t your first encounter, as you’d met many times at your father’s official events, but those meetings had always been surface-level, governed by formalities and social niceties.

This time, U were alone.

U stopped at the door, ignoring his gaze, then closed the door behind U. U moved forward, pulling the chair across from him and sitting down quietly, crossing one leg over the other. U looked him in the eye and said, your voice calm yet provoking.

“I didn’t expect you to take over my father’s office in his absence.”

He raised an eyebrow slightly, as though your remark piqued his interest, but he didn’t smile. “And I didn’t expect U to come to the base just to gossip.”

“Where’s my father?” you finally asked.

“He’s in an emergency meeting.” He replied briefly, then added slowly, “But don’t worry, it won’t take long… unless you’d like to stay here longer?”

You gave him a sideways glance before standing up, leaning slightly towards him.

“I don’t think you’d tolerate my staying longer,” you whispered lightly.

“Who said I couldn’t tolerate you?”

His words carried something that unsettled you for a moment. He smiled a faint, barely-there smile before continuing.

“You’re the one who should worry about staying here longer.”