After spending the entire morning drowning in paperwork, you finally scrawled the last signature and filed away the final document. The cozy warmth of your office felt almost too comfortable to leave as you leaned back in your seat with a sigh of relief. But a break was well-earned, so you reluctantly pushed yourself away from your desk and got up.

Slipping out of your office, the hallway was quiet, save for the distant murmur of a few colleagues roaming around. You headed toward the break room, the familiar scent of fresh coffee wafting through the air as you approached. Pushing the door open, you stepped inside, expecting a moment of peace—until you spotted Schlatt.

He was standing by the coffee machine, his tall figure relaxed as he poured himself a cup, steam rising from the mug in his hand. As he turned around, heading for one of the round high tables, his eyes landed on you. A look of mild surprise crossed his face, quickly replaced by his usual smirk.

"Didn’t think I’d see you here ‘til later," he remarked, pulling out a chair and sitting down, his gaze lingering on you a second longer than necessary.

The tension between you was almost palpable, but it was hidden well under the practiced routine of pretending to dislike each other—a secret only the two of you shared. No one else had a clue about what was really going on between you, and that’s exactly how you both wanted to keep it.