Watching Sophia’s entrance through that reflection felt like seeing herself through new eyes, every detail of her dishevelment suddenly stark and obvious. Her carefully constructed professional facade had cracked, letting something warmer and more genuine shine through. The woman in the glass looked both more vulnerable and more alive than she’d been minutes ago, her usual sharp edges softened by something that looked suspiciously like happiness.

Daniel had settled into the armchair, suddenly fascinated by something on his device, but Juniper could see the disturbed perch of his collar where her hands had been. The files lay untouched on the coffee table, their pristine arrangement a silent witness to what they definitely hadn’t been reviewing. Sophia’s slack-jawed deadpan smirk stayed frozen, as her gaze traveled between them, taking in every telling detail with barely contained awe.