Chapter 5

Sofia's POV

"Hi, Mrs. Romano!" I was startled when he caught me staring at him. I froze, unsure of what excuse to make.

"S-sorry, I was just amazed watching you eat while reading your book," I stammered, offering an awkward smile.

"It's okay," he said, chuckling lightly. "Would you mind if I join you?"

I simply nodded, feeling a little flustered. He grabbed his tray of food and book, then walked over to my table and sat down across from me. As he settled in, I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. We had only met earlier that morning during the contract signing, and now here he was, sitting across from me in the cafeteria. He was a law school professor, and I was the Vice President of Administration—two very different roles, yet here we were, sharing a lunch.

After a brief silence, he took a bite of his food and glanced up at me. "I didn’t expect to see you here," he said, his tone casual and easygoing. "How’s your day been so far?"

I felt relieved that he was starting the conversation. "It's been alright," I said, trying to sound more confident. "A bit hectic, but I’m managing."

"Yeah, I get that," he nodded, taking another bite. "I’m sure you’ve got a lot on your plate."

I smiled, appreciating his understanding. "You’re not wrong," I replied. "How about you? How’s your class going?"

He paused, giving me an amused look. "Ah, the usual," he said with a small grin. "Lots of questions, lots of discussions. It's never dull, that's for sure."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Sounds like you enjoy it though. Must be nice to have that kind of interaction with your students."

"Definitely," he said, leaning back in his chair a bit. "It keeps things interesting. But I won’t lie, there are days when I just want to escape into my own world of legal texts and not deal with the noise."

I laughed, imagining him surrounded by stacks of legal books. "I get that. I’m sure being a professor has its challenges."

He nodded. "It does, but it's worth it. Just like I'm sure your role as VP keeps you busy but rewarding."

I smiled, though it didn’t quite reach my eyes. It was nice that he acknowledged my role, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t something I truly enjoyed. "I suppose," I said, keeping my tone neutral. "It’s not exactly what I envisioned for myself, but it comes with its responsibilities."

He raised an eyebrow, sensing there was more behind my words, but I quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, enough about that. How do you manage balancing your work as a professor with everything else?"

He smiled, clearly relieved by the change of topic. "Well, it's a constant juggling act, but I enjoy it for the most part." And just like that, the conversation flowed more easily, and we moved on to talking about work without diving deeper into personal matters.

"I really enjoyed talking to you, Mr. Montague," I said, my voice softening slightly. "I don't know why, but I feel like I’ve seen you before. It’s strange—like there’s some kind of familiarity, but I just can't quite remember where from."

He froze for a moment, his expression blank, as though he were processing my words. I could see a flicker of recognition in his eyes, though he quickly masked it. "It was nice talking to you too, Mrs. Romano," he replied, his smile a little more reserved than before.

I couldn’t help but feel a subtle tension hanging in the air, but I pushed it aside, forcing myself to smile. "Just call me Sofia," I said gently. Standing up, I felt a small knot form in my stomach, as though part of me didn’t quite want to leave yet. "Thank you so much, Mr. Montague. I really enjoyed our conversation. But I have to go now."

With one last smile, I turned and walked away, a quiet feeling of curiosity lingering in my chest, wondering if the feeling of déjà vu would ever be explained.

I returned to my office, the weight of the day sinking in as soon as I closed the door behind me. The stack of documents on my desk seemed to multiply by the minute, and the list of presentations I had to prepare was never-ending. The previous VP I replaced had left behind a mountain of unfinished business, and now, all of it was mine to deal with.

It felt like I was constantly putting out fires, trying to fix problems I had no part in creating. Every time I thought I was making progress, another issue would surface, reminding me just how much I still had to handle. The stress was starting to eat at me, and the pressure of it all felt overwhelming. There was no time to relax, no time to breathe—it was all just a constant cycle of responsibility and deadlines.

Yet, despite all the chaos around me, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was lingering in my mind. The conversation with Mr. Montague kept replaying in my head. His calm demeanor, the way he made it so easy to talk to him—it was almost as if he’d slipped into my world, bringing a sense of ease with him. I found myself wondering about him more than I should have, especially considering the whirlwind of tasks I had in front of me. That brief moment of connection had been a surprising distraction, but now I was back in reality, where nothing seemed as simple. Still, his face lingered in my thoughts, and I couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to that strange sense of familiarity I’d felt when we spoke.

When the day finally came to an end, I quickly gathered everything on my desk, stuffed it into my bag, and made my way to my car. The weight of the day was heavy on my shoulders, but I was eager to get home. As I pulled into the driveway, the guard opened the gate for me, and I drove through.

When I entered the house, I immediately saw Gabriel sitting on the sofa, a glass of alcohol in his hand. He looked up when I walked in, and I forced a smile as I made my way over to him. There was a heaviness in my chest, a weight I carried every time I had to smile at him. It felt so much like a routine—one that didn’t come naturally anymore.

I noticed a large box resting on the coffee table in front of him.

"My birthday’s coming up, and I bought you something to wear for the party," he said, his eyes shifting toward the box as if it was the only thing that mattered at that moment.

I nodded, forcing a smile, but inside, there was a sense of emptiness. Gabriel’s gestures, like this one, no longer meant anything to me. What used to be thoughtful acts of affection now felt like obligations, and I couldn’t bring myself to appreciate them anymore. The gap between us had only grown over time, and while it was a difficult truth to accept, it had become something I’d learned to endure.