When they arrived at the office, Andrew was busy giving instructions to his manager, who nodded and adjusted his glasses from time to time. Astrid stood by Andrew's side, waiting patiently until he finished. She observed the way Andrew commanded respect from his employees, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of the unease that seemed to surround her.

"Let's go," Andrew said, his voice firm and commanding. Astrid surprised him by slipping her small fingers into his hand. Andrew was pleased, despite the unexpected gesture. He held her hand because it wasn't something that happened often. Most of the time, Astrid was moody being with trust issues.

As...