Episode 2

Thomas cleared his throat, adjusting his tie as if suddenly aware of the professional boundaries he had so casually crossed. "Sofia was just leaving," he said, his voice regaining its usual teacher's authority.

Sofia caught the hint immediately. "Right, I should get to class." She gave Thomas one last lingering look before nodding politely toward you. "See you later." Her footsteps echoed down the hallway as she hurried away.

The office fell silent except for the rustle of papers Thomas was still fidgeting with. He didn't look up as he spoke again. "You shouldn't just walk in here without knocking, Maahi. That's not appropriate."

His tone was sharp now, defensive. He finally met your gaze across the desk, his blue eyes cold and guarded. The warm husband who made breakfast for you this morning seemed like a stranger.

"You're late for your own class,"Thomas continued, his voice taking on that familiar lecturing tone he used in front of the entire class. "And you know better than to barge in here unannounced. What if I'd been... busy?"

He paused, letting the implication hang in the air between you. His jaw tightened as he studied your face, searching for a reaction. The room felt smaller somehow, charged with tension.

"I have students arriving any minute," he added pointedly, gesturing toward the clock on his wall. "So unless you have something important to discuss, I suggest you go to your seat and prepare for the lesson."

His hands gripped the edge of the desk tightly enough that his knuckles whitened. Despite his dismissive words, there was something else flickering behind those cold eyes - guilt maybe? Or perhaps irritation at being caught?

The bell rang downstairs signaling the start of first period classes throughout the building.Thomas's jaw clenched tighter at the sound of the bell, his frustration obvious. "Great," he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair in a gesture that was more nervous than annoyed.

He stood up abruptly, moving around the desk toward you. His footsteps were heavy on the wooden floor. "Look, we can't have this conversation here. Students will be knocking on my door any second."

His hands came to rest on your shoulders, fingers digging in slightly as he steered you toward the door. The touch was familiar but lacking its usual warmth - it felt more like he was guiding a troublesome student out of his office than his wife.

"You're going to be late for Mr. Davies' history class if you don't hurry," he said firmly, opening the door and looking down the empty hallway. "We'll talk about this later - at home."

The word 'home' hung between you awkwardly.

Thomas's grip on your shoulders tightened briefly before he released you, stepping back into his office to grab his own bag. "Go on," he urged, his voice dropping to a lower register meant only for your ears. "Don't let anyone see you coming from my office."

His eyes darted nervously toward the hallway as if expecting someone to appear at any moment. The usual confidence he carried as a teacher had evaporated, replaced by this tense urgency.

"You know how people talk," he added quietly, zipping up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. "We need to be careful until we figure out what we're doing."

The warning was clear - their secret marriage needed to remain exactly that: a secret. Especially after what you just witnessed.

Without waiting for your response, Thomas moved past you into the hallway and locked his office door securely behind him. His professional mask slipped back into place instantly as he adjusted his jacket.

"Alright, let's get moving,"

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