A soft knock tapped against Theresa's office door. "Theresa." Bennie's voice carried through. Theresa replied immediately, "Come in, Bennie." He marched inside with an overloaded stack of documents. "Everything's wrapped up. Don't call me for seventy-two hours. I'm officially collapsing." "Go on. Rest properly, Bennie." Theresa smiled when he handed over the files, then briefly nodded to dismiss him. Bennie hesitated, receiving no praise, encouragement, or even a simple "great work." Then he noticed the snack tray on Theresa's desk and Charlotte munching beside her. So that's why she doesn't hype me up. She's relaxing with someone else. He snorted under his breath and turned toward the door. He stepped into the hall just in time to hear Theresa murmur to Charlotte, voice low and amused. "See that? Bennie's the type you avoid dating. Too quick-tempered. Imagine waking up to that cranky face every morning." Bennie stopped short, turning back with a sharp glare. Theresa looked up, still chewing a snack, and waved sweetly. "Bennie, close the door when you head out." Bennie offered no reply. The door slammed with a thunderous bang, followed by his stomping footsteps fading down the corridor. Inside, Charlotte burst into laughter. Charlotte had eaten through a mountain of snacks in Theresa's office. By the time the clock crept toward lunch, the two of them were still deep in conversation, neither wanting to leave. The truth was simple—Theresa didn't have many people she could just chat with. Ever since Tania reunited with Herold, she hardly lingered around Theresa anymore. Most people avoided chatting with Theresa because they feared interrupting her work.Only Charlotte breezed in freely, snacks in hand, chattering away like it was second nature. Quentin used to fill the room with noise, but the troublemaker had vanished lately. "Come on, let's grab lunch." Theresa stood, ready to drag her favorite chatterbox along. "Okay!" Charlotte hopped to her feet. They reached the door just as Tyger strode in. "Theresa." "What's up?" she asked. "Herold showed up," Tyger reported. "Claims it's important." "Where?" "Aunt Tania's place." Theresa reacted instantly. "I'll head over now." She took two long strides, then halted and glanced at Charlotte. She motioned toward Tyger. "Take Charlotte to eat. I'll handle this." "Got it," Tyger responded without hesitation. A shimmer of distorted air flickered, and Theresa vanished from sight. Charlotte stood there for half a second, her excitement dimming just a touch. Then Tyger's voice grounded her. "Let's go eat." Charlotte's nerves tightened. She usually wasn't shy, yet something about Tyger made her oddly aware of herself. She waved both hands quickly. "It's fine. You really don't have to." "That's impossible. Theresa asked me to take you, so I'm taking you." Tyger kept his tone steady and literal. Charlotte didn't argue. His seriousness made resisting pointless. She nodded and followed. Tyger's six-foot-three frame carried two hundred pounds of solid muscle. Charlotte, tiny beside him, looked like a thin stem walking next to a moving mountain. They stepped into the elevator. Theresa's office occupied the top floor, so the hallway was mostly empty. As the lift dropped to lower levels, the lunch rush pushed in. Crowds squeezed tighter with every floor.Small and lightweight, Charlotte got shoved backward into the far corner immediately. More bodies tried to climb inside. A solid arm suddenly rose in front of her, blocking the press of people. Charlotte looked up. Tyger stood by her side, eyes fixed ahead. He didn't glance at her once. He simply held out his arm like a shield, creating a barrier no one dared cross. The elevator lurched downward. Walls closed in. Shoulders bumped. The crowd pushed forward with every stop. Tyger's arm didn't flinch. He braced himself like an unbreakable pillar, guarding the space around her. Ding. The doors parted. The crowd spilled out. Tyger lowered his arm only once the hall cleared. He offered two quiet words. "Let's go." "Mm." Charlotte stepped out behind him. They headed to the main canteen. The entire meal passed in silence. Tyger stayed quiet, and Charlotte had no idea how to break the silence. They weren't close, so the quiet felt weird—but not the bad kind.