At the café the day , Elara bent down to her little girl's eye level. "At the café the day before, Elara bent down to her little girl's eye level. "Emily, where did you go? You can't just disappear like that. Mommy was worried."
Emily pouted, her small hands twisting together. "I'm sorry, Mommy. I'll never run away again."
Elara sighed, her heart melting despite her frustration. She kissed Emily's forehead softly. "Good. Remember—stay with me always."
The little girl nodded seriously. "I promise."
They went home together, Elara already thinking about the big day ahead.
---
The next morning dawned bright, and with it came Elara's nerves. She rose earlier than usual, carefully pressed her white blouse, and paired it with a fitted navy skirt. Her long hair was pulled into a neat knot at the nape of her neck. Staring at herself in the mirror, she whispered, You can do this. Just breathe.
By the time she arrived at the company lobby, her heart was racing. The glass walls gleamed, polished floors clicked beneath her heels, and employees streamed in and out with practiced ease.
At the reception desk, a smiling woman greeted her. "Ms. Vance? Welcome. Congratulations on your transfer. HR will be up shortly to take you to your new department. You'll be assisting the CEO directly from now on."
Elara's heart stumbled in her chest. The CEO? Kane Willison himself? She swallowed hard, her palms suddenly clammy.
Moments later, a man from HR appeared and led her upstairs. "This way, Ms. Vance. Let me introduce you around."
They walked past rows of desks. Heads lifted, curious eyes following her, and she managed polite smiles in return. Her nerves threatened to shrink her voice, but she introduced herself softly to each new colleague.
Finally, they reached a sleek desk just outside a large, imposing office. "This will be your station," the HR man explained. "Mr. Willison values punctuality and precision. Settle in, and your first task—bring him a coffee and introduce yourself."
Elara unpacked her bag, setting down her notepad and pen with care. Her stomach fluttered, and she inhaled slowly to steady herself. "Coffee," she whispered. "Easy enough."
A few minutes later, she returned from the break room, clutching a steaming cup with both hands. Her knuckles whitened as she tightened her grip. Don't spill it. Just smile, speak clearly, and don't make a fool of yourself.
She reached for the tall door and pushed it open carefully. But as she stepped inside—
Bang!
The impact jolted her backward. Her eyes flew wide as the hot liquid sloshed over the rim, splattering across a crisp white shirt. where did you go? You can't just disappear like that. Mommy was worried."
Emily pouted, her small hands twisting together. "I'm sorry, Mommy. I'll never run away again."
Elara sighed, her heart melting despite her frustration. She kissed Emily's forehead softly. "Good. Remember—stay with me always."
The little girl nodded seriously. "I promise."
They went home together, Elara already thinking about the big day ahead.
---
The next morning dawned bright, and with it came Elara's nerves. She rose earlier than usual, carefully pressed her white blouse, and paired it with a fitted navy skirt. Her long hair was pulled into a neat knot at the nape of her neck. Staring at herself in the mirror, she whispered, You can do this. Just breathe.
By the time she arrived at the company lobby, her heart was racing. The glass walls gleamed, polished floors clicked beneath her heels, and employees streamed in and out with practiced ease.
At the reception desk, a smiling woman greeted her. "Ms. Vance? Welcome. Congratulations on your transfer. HR will be up shortly to take you to your new department. You'll be assisting the CEO directly from now on."
Elara's heart stumbled in her chest. The CEO? Kane Willison himself? She swallowed hard, her palms suddenly clammy.
Moments later, a man from HR appeared and led her upstairs. "This way, Ms. Vance. Let me introduce you around."
They walked past rows of desks. Heads lifted, curious eyes following her, and she managed polite smiles in return. Her nerves threatened to shrink her voice, but she introduced herself softly to each new colleague.
Finally, they reached a sleek desk just outside a large, imposing office. "This will be your station," the HR man explained. "Mr. Willison values punctuality and precision. Settle in, and your first task—bring him a coffee and introduce yourself."
Elara unpacked her bag, setting down her notepad and pen with care. Her stomach fluttered, and she inhaled slowly to steady herself. "Coffee," she whispered. "Easy enough."
A few minutes later, she returned from the break room, clutching a cold cup with both hands. Her knuckles whitened as she tightened her grip. Don't spill it. Just smile, speak clearly, and don't make a fool of yourself.
She reached for the tall door and pushed it open carefully. But as she stepped inside—
Bang!
The impact jolted her backward. Her eyes flew wide as the cold liquid sloshed over the rim, splattering across a crisp white shirt.
Elara dabbed frantically at his shirt, trying to wipe away the dark stain, when disaster struck again. In her nervous haste, she accidentally spills some more on his crotch this time.
Her breath caught. "No, no, no…"
Before she could think, she dropped the tissues to her knees and instinctively reached for the fresh stain at his crotch, blotting as if her life depended on it.
A large hand shot out and gripped her wrist, halting her movements. His voice dropped, dangerous and low. "What do you think you're doing, Ms. Vance?"
The reality of where her hand had gone hit her like ice water. Elara's face burned crimson, her heart slamming against her ribs. She stammered, pulling back quickly, "I—I'm so sorry! I wasn't thinking—I was just—oh God, I'm sorry!"
But even as she retreated, her wide eyes caught on something she wished she hadn't. The fabric of his trousers pulled tight, betraying a hardness that made her throat go dry. She snapped her gaze away, mortified.
Kane's jaw flexed as silence thickened between them. His employees could walk past the glass-paneled office any second, and the thought only tightened the coil of frustration in his chest. The last thing he needed was to be caught in this compromising position.
Elara bowed her head, mumbling apologies over and over. "It was an accident—I swear—I didn't mean to…"
Kane studied her through narrowed eyes, irritation warring with something else. Something unsettling. Where have I seen her before?
For the briefest moment, her flushed face and trembling lips stirred a memory he couldn't quite place—familiar, like a shadow from the past.
But he shut it down quickly, his grip loosening from her wrist. His voice was clipped, sharp. "Get out. Now.
Elara fled the office, her cheeks blazing, clutching the empty cup in her shaking hands. But as the door shut behind her, Kane stood still, his thoughts lingering on the odd sense of recognition—and the dangerous awareness she had accidentally awakened.