I immediately took out my phone.
The first thing I thought was to call someone.
Anyone.
But the moment I looked at the screen, my hope disappeared.
No signal.
I moved the phone around, trying to find even a single bar.
Nothing.
“Alexander, do you have signal on your phone?” I asked while still staring at my screen.
But there was no response.
At first, I thought maybe he hadn’t heard me.
I waited a few more seconds.
Still nothing.
Slowly, I looked up.
And my heart dropped.
Alexander was no longer standing in his usual composed posture.
His hand was tightly gripping the wall of the elevator.
His breathing was heavier than before.
His face…
He didn’t look well.
Not like the calm and controlled person I had always seen.
For a moment, I just stared at him.
Then concern replaced my own fear.
“Are you okay?” I asked, walking a little closer.
He didn’t answer immediately.
His eyes remained closed as he took a slow breath.
Then, after another heavy exhale, he finally spoke.
“I left my phone back at my worktable.” His voice was quieter than usual.
Almost strained.
Alexander finally looked at me.
“Don’t worry.” He paused, taking another breath.
“Someone will notice the elevator is stuck.” He barely managed to say the words.
I could only nod at his response.
It wasn’t like I wasn’t afraid.
Being trapped inside an elevator was not exactly a situation anyone would enjoy.
But I knew someone would notice soon.
Someone would realize the elevator had stopped working.
Someone would come and help us.
At least…
That was what I kept telling myself.
I tried to calm my breathing and focus on something else.
Then I heard a small sound.
A shuffle.
I looked toward Alexander.
He had loosened his tie.
His fingers moved slightly as he tried to create more room around his neck, as if the fabric had suddenly become too restricting.
But it wasn’t the tie.
I could see it.
The problem wasn’t the heat.
It wasn’t discomfort.
He was struggling.
His breathing was becoming heavier.
The usually perfectly composed Alexander Callahan looked completely different.
For a moment, I forgot that he was my boss.
I only saw someone who was trying desperately to stay in control.
And then the realization hit me.
“Are you claustrophobic?” The question left my mouth before I could stop myself.
Alexander looked at me.
For a few seconds, his eyes met mine.
I expected him to deny it.
And I was right.
“I am fine.” His answer came quickly.
Too quickly.
Even the words themselves sounded forced.
I looked at him.
Anyone else might have believed him.
But I had spent enough time around Alexander to know something.
He never showed weakness.
But right now…
There was no one here.
No employees watching him.
No department expecting him to always have control.
Only me.
“Relax.” I said softly.
His eyes shifted toward me.
“There is no one here.” I took a small step closer.
“You don’t need to pretend.” The moment those words left my mouth…
Something changed.
Alexander’s grip on the wall slowly loosened.
For a second, I thought maybe he was finally calming down.
But then…
His expression changed.
The strength that he always carried seemed to disappear all at once.
His breathing became uneven.
“Alexander?” Before I could move closer, his body swayed.
He looked like he was about to fall.
I immediately reached out.
“Careful—” But he was much heavier than I expected.
I tried to support him, but the sudden weight pulled both of us down.
We fell onto the floor of the elevator.
Alexander landed against me, his head resting near my shoulder.
My heart immediately started racing.
Not because of the situation.
Because he didn’t look like himself.
His eyes were half closed.
His face was pale.
“Alexander?” I tapped his shoulder lightly.
“Stay with me.” No response.
Only a shaky breath.
Panic started rising inside me.
He was struggling.
His breathing became heavier.
Almost desperate.
His hand moved toward his chest, gripping his shirt.
“I…
can’t breathe.” The words were barely audible.
My entire body froze.
Fear rushed through me.
I didn’t know what to do.
I had never dealt with something like this before.
I didn’t know how to help someone having a claustrophobic episode.
I didn’t know how to make it stop.
“Alexander, look at me.” I tried to keep my voice steady.
But even I could hear the panic in it.
His fingers tightened around my arm.
Not intentionally hurting me.
Just searching for something to hold onto.
Something to remind himself that he wasn’t alone.
I quickly grabbed my phone.
Maybe there was a signal now.
Maybe I could call someone.
Anyone.
But the screen showed nothing.
No signal.
I pressed the emergency button again.
“Help!” My voice echoed inside the elevator.
“Someone please help!” But there was no response.
The walls felt smaller.
the air felt heavier.
And watching Alexander struggle made my own fear grow.
My vision started becoming blurry.
Not because of the elevator.
Because tears were forming in my eyes.
I wiped them away quickly.
No.
I couldn’t panic.
Not now.
Not when he needed someone.
I carefully moved him so that his head rested on my lap.
My hands were shaking.
I opened the top few buttons of his shirt, hoping it would help him breathe more easily, and used my hand to create some air around him.
But nothing seemed to work.
His breathing was still uneven.
His eyes remained closed.
“Alexander…” My voice trembled.
I had never seen him like this.
My mind started racing.
What could I do?
What was I supposed to do?
A terrible thought crossed my mind.
What if something happened to him?
What if I couldn’t help him?
The fear of losing him in this tiny elevator consumed me.
For a second, I thought about doing something drastic.
Anything that could make him breathe normally again.
But then I stopped.
This wasn’t about panic.
This wasn’t about doing something without thinking.
I needed to help him, not make things worse.
I took a shaky breath and held his face gently between my hands.
“Alexander.” His eyes moved slightly.
“Look at me.” Slowly, his gaze found mine.
“I know you are scared.” His eyebrows moved slightly, almost like he wanted to deny it.
But he couldn’t.
Not now.
“And that’s okay.” I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“You don’t have to fight it alone.” His breathing was still heavy.
So I focused on my own.
“Listen to my breathing.” I whispered.
“Just follow me.” I took a deep breath.
“In.” Then slowly released it.
“Out.” Again.
“In.” “Out.” I repeated it over and over.
I didn’t know if it would work.
I didn’t know if I was doing anything right.
But I couldn’t stop.
After a few moments, I felt his grip on my arm loosen slightly.
His breathing was still uneven…
But not as desperate as before.
I looked down at him.
“See?” I whispered.
“You’re okay.” For the first time since the elevator stopped…
Alexander didn’t argue.
Didn’t tell me he was fine.
Didn’t pretend.
He just stayed there.
Quietly trusting me.
The elevator suddenly moved.
For a second, I froze.
Then I heard the sound of the mechanism working again.
The lights returned.
A heavy sigh of relief escaped my lips.
Finally.
We were getting out.
I looked down at Alexander.
His breathing had become calmer compared to before, but he still looked exhausted.
Before I could say anything, the elevator continued moving upward.
A few moments later, the doors opened.
And the first thing I saw was them.
Damian.
Julian.
Adrian.
They were standing right outside the elevator.
For a second, they looked confused.
Then their expressions changed the moment they saw us.
Alert.
Concerned.
Julian was the first one to move.
“Alexander?” He immediately stepped inside the elevator.
Damian followed behind him.
“What happened?” Julian asked, reaching toward Alexander.
Neither of them waited for an explanation.
They already understood something was wrong.
Damian carefully supported Alexander from one side while Julian helped from the other.
Together, they helped him out of the elevator.
I stepped out behind them, explaining how we got stuck inside the elevator and still trying to process everything that had happened.
Adrian immediately came toward me.
“Are you okay?” His eyes scanned my face, probably noticing how shaken I was.
“You must have been scared.” I looked at him.
For a moment, I wanted to say no.
I wanted to pretend I was completely fine.
But the truth was…
I was scared.
Terrified, actually.
Not just because we were trapped.
Because I had never seen Alexander like that.
“I am fine.” I finally said.
My voice was quieter than I intended.
Adrian didn’t look completely convinced, but he didn’t push further.
He simply handed me a water bottle.
“Drink some water.” I accepted it.
“Thank you.” Meanwhile, Damian and Julian had taken Alexander toward the nearby seating area.
Damian handed him a bottle of water.
“Drink.” His voice was calm but firm.
Julian, for once, wasn’t making jokes.
He looked genuinely worried.
“Are you okay?” Alexander didn’t answer immediately.
He only took a sip of water and closed his eyes briefly.
“I am fine.” Alexander’s voice was calm, almost as if nothing had happened.
But I knew better.
I had seen him inside that elevator.
I had seen the fear he tried so hard to hide.
“Thank God Meave was there with you.” Damian’s voice came from beside him.
“If it was only you inside, things could have gotten worse.” Julian leaned against the nearby table and sighed.
“It was already lunchtime.
We tried calling you, but your phone was still on your worktable.” He glanced toward Alexander.
“Honestly, we thought you had disappeared somewhere to work again.” Despite everything that happened, a small smile almost appeared on my face.
That sounded exactly like something Alexander would do.
Forget his phone.
Ignore his break.
Continue working.
“Let them rest.” Adrian interrupted gently.
His eyes moved between Alexander and me.
Both of us had clearly gone through enough.
After some more time passed, the situation finally calmed down.
Alexander looked better.
And the four of them slowly returned to their usual selves.
Almost like the elevator incident had never happened.
Later, we all went to the cafeteria for lunch.
I noticed something strange.
Everyone treated Alexander normally.
They didn’t act awkward.
They didn’t bring up his panic attack.
They didn’t make him feel embarrassed.
It made me realize something.
Maybe they had protected this side of him for years.
Maybe they knew that Alexander hated being seen as weak.
And they respected that.
After lunch, I returned to my desk and continued sorting through the documents.
The rest of the day passed quietly.
By evening, most of my work was finally finished.
I gathered my things and prepared to leave.
But before stepping out of the department, my eyes automatically moved toward Alexander’s table.
And there he was.
Still working.
The same posture.
The same serious expression.
The same unreadable face.
As if a few hours ago, he hadn’t been trapped inside an elevator struggling to breathe.
As if he hadn’t lost control.
As if nothing had happened.
I stood there for a moment, just watching him and then I left the department feeling lighter than before.