All Chapters of You Shouldn’t Have Found Me : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

She didn’t cry in the office.She didn’t let it show.Not in the way she walked out, her steps measured, her expression neutral, her posture still holding onto the last threads of control she had left.But the moment she stepped outside, It broke.Her vision blurred slightly as she kept walking, her breath uneven, her chest tight with something she refused to name.Anger.Frustration.Humiliation.All of it sat heavy under her skin, pressing against the composure she had fought so hard to maintain all day.She exhaled sharply, brushing at her eyes before the tears could fully fall.“No,” she muttered under her breath.Not here.Not for this.Not for him.But the truth settled anyway.This wasn’t just about work.And it wasn’t just about the mistake.Because beneath all of it all... Under the pressure, under the expectations, under the sharp, controlled way he looked at her like she was something to be measured and corrected. There was something else unraveling.Something she hadn’t

The movie had been Chloe’s idea. “Something distracting,” she had said, already curled up on the couch like the world had not just ended for someone sitting right beside her. Zara didn’t argue, she didn’t have the energy to. Now she sat there, half-curled into the cushions, a blanket draped over her legs, her attention drifting in and out of the screen as voices and laughter filled the room in a way that felt distant, almost unreal. Chloe nudged her lightly. “You’re not watching.” “I am,” Zara replied, though her eyes hadn’t moved from the same spot in minutes. “You’re thinking, right?.” Zara didn’t deny it. Chloe studied her for a second, then sighed softly, reaching for the remote to lower the volume just slightly. “Do you want to talk about it?” Zara shook her head immediately. “No, if I start, I won’t stop.”Chloe didn’t push, she just shifted closer instead, her shoulder brushing against Zara’s as she leaned into the couch. “You can always tell me when you're ready,

Zara moved toward the kitchen without waiting for a response, already reaching for the kettle as she spoke over her shoulder. “Coffee?” Nathan glanced briefly at Chloe before nodding. “If it’s not too much trouble.” “It’s not,” Zara replied, her tone light, almost automatic. “I need one anyway.” Chloe leaned back against the couch like she owned the space, watching Zara move around the kitchen with quiet amusement. “Make mine strong. I need to stay awake long enough to work tonight. " “You do need it,” Zara called back. “Exactly.” Nathan’s lips twitched faintly, but he said nothing. A few minutes later, Zara returned, handing them both their cups before settling into the armchair across from them. For a moment, she simply watched the ease between them, the unspoken rhythm, the familiarity that didn’t need effort. “You two argue like you’ve been married for ten years,” she said, raising a brow. Chloe scoffed. “Please, marriage requires patience. I barely tolerate him.” Nath

“Is he the reason you lose focus?” The question came low and deliberate, as Sebastian stepped closer, closing the distance until Zara found herself backed lightly against the edge of the table. Her breath caught for a second. “No,” she replied, steadying herself. “We were just having a conversation.” Sebastian’s gaze didn’t shift. “A conversation,” he repeated. “During a meeting?” Zara held his stare, refusing to shrink under it. “It didn’t interfere with my work.” “You’re on probation,” he said, his tone flattening. “Don’t make me reconsider that.” The words landed exactly as intended, firm enough to settle into her chest. Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked toward the door, already done with the exchange. Then he stopped by the doorstep, looking back he called out... “Zara.” She straightened instinctively. “Yes, sir?” “I don’t encourage personal attachments between my employees,” he said. “I trust you’ve read your contract.” “I have, I—” He didn’t wait

The moment the lock clicked open, Zara moved too quickly. Embarrassment burned through her, clouding her thoughts as she reached for the door, desperate to escape the suffocating closeness of what had just happened. She pushed and was pulled back immediately. The seatbelt tightened across her chest, stopping her abruptly. For a second, she froze. Then Sebastian laughed. He was clearly amused.Zara shut her eyes briefly, mortified as she fumbled with the buckle, finally freeing herself before pushing the door open and stepping out. “Goodnight,” she muttered, not trusting herself to look at him. She didn’t wait for a response instead she increased her speed. She just walked... no, ran... towards her building, her heartbeat uneven, her thoughts louder than they had any right to be. By the time she reached her door, her hands were unsteady, her keys slipping once before she finally got it right. The door opened, she entered without glancing back. And Zara leaned back against th