Chapter 38. Stolen Moments

Vanessa's POV

The evening’s charity event had reached its crescendo, and exhaustion tugged at every fiber of my being. My feet, stuffed into the torturous heels Claire had insisted I wear, ached so badly that I could feel blisters forming. Every step of mine was a reminder of how I had allowed fashion to trump comfort—a decision I would regret for hours.

I limped toward the matrons' office to grab a few documents when Mr. Garcia appeared from around the corner, his sharp eyes scanning me. His usual cold expression softened, if only slightly.

“You look like you’re in pain,” he remarked, the gentleness in his tone catching me off guard.

I forced a smile, wincing as I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. “It’s nothing serious, just these heels. They’re killing me,” I admitted, figuring it wouldn’t hurt to share.

Without a word, he took the files from my hands and gestured for me to sit down on one of the chairs lining the hallway.