The morning sun spilled through the curtains, brushing Clara's cheeks with its gentle warmth. Her alarm had already gone off twice, but today she didn't need it.
She was wide awake, heart racing before her feet even hit the floor.
"First day… my first real job," she whispered, a smile tugging at her lips as she sat up, hugging her pillow for a second before jumping out of bed.
Downstairs, the faint clatter of dishes told her Aunt May was already up. Clara rushed through her morning routine, humming as she brushed her hair. She tied it into a neat ponytail, applied a light layer of lip tint, and checked herself in the mirror.
The white blouse she'd ironed last night gleamed against her navy pencil skirt, simple yet graceful. Her silver pendant rested right over her heart — a lucky charm from her mother.
As she slipped on her low heels, she caught her reflection again and smiled nervously. "You've got this," she told herself, even though her hands were trembling slightly.
She bounded down the stairs, her bag slung over one shoulder. Aunt May turned from the stove, a wooden spoon in hand.
"Look at you," Aunt May said, eyes soft with pride. "You look every bit the young professional."
Clara grinned. "Let's just hope I don't trip in front of my boss."
"Here," Aunt May handed her a toast. "Eat something before you run out of nerves."
Clara bit into it eagerly. "I'll text you when I reach," she said through a mouthful of toast.
"Do that," Aunt May called after her. "And remember, smile, but don't let anyone take advantage of that kindness of yours!"
"I'll try!" Clara shouted back, already halfway out the door.
---
The cab ride was a blur of excitement and jitters.
When the sleek glass facade of Marlowe Industries came into view, Clara couldn't help but stare again. The morning light reflected off the silver panels like rippling water, and employees in formal attire streamed in through the revolving doors.
She paid the driver, straightened her blouse, and stepped into a world that seemed far too polished for someone like her.
The scent of coffee and faint cologne filled the air.
"Good morning," she greeted the receptionist, a tall brunette with flawless makeup.
The woman's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Name?"
"Clara Jean. Sales Department, new intern."
"Ah." The receptionist typed quickly, then handed Clara a badge. "Welcome to Marlowe."
Her tone was polite, but Clara couldn't miss the subtle glance that flickered across her face: that half-second scan people gave when sizing someone up.
Clara smiled anyway. "Thank you."
As she turned to leave, she heard the woman whisper to the other receptionist, "Intern batch this year's prettier than the last one."
The other woman scoffed.
Clara pretended not to hear, her cheeks warming.
---
The elevator whisked her up to the 15th floor, where the Sales Department buzzed with life. Phones rang, keyboards clicked, and voices flowed like a steady current.
A young man greeted her near the entrance. "You must be one of the new interns?"
Clara nodded. "Clara Jean."
"I'm Aaron. One of your teammates." He grinned easily, his dark brown hair tousled, shirt sleeves rolled up. "Welcome to the chaos."
Another girl joined them — tall, sharp-featured, with perfectly painted nails. "And I'm Mia," she said coolly, offering a handshake. "Also an intern."
Her handshake was firm but her smile… less so.
"Nice to meet you both," Clara said warmly.
As they chatted, Clara noticed how Mia's eyes kept flicking around the office, calculating, assessing. There was a hunger there, not the kind that came from ambition alone.
"So," Mia said lightly, "They're only selecting one intern for permanent hire this year, right?"
Aaron chuckled. "That's what I heard."
Mia's lips curved. "Then may the best one win."
Clara laughed softly, missing the sharpness behind those words.
---
A few minutes later, the team leader arrived: a young man with neatly combed hair, sharp jawline, and warm brown eyes.
"Good morning, everyone," he greeted, setting a file down. "I'm Daniel, your project head for the quarter."
He offered them each a friendly handshake. Mia raked her eyes up and down, and their handshake, was for him, more than needed.
He awkwardly removed his hand from Miacs and moved to Clara.
But when his gaze landed on Clara, it lingered for a heartbeat longer. "Clara Jean, right? Heard you did well in the interview."
Clara blinked, surprised. "Oh, you did?"
"Max from HR mentioned it," Daniel said with an easy smile. "Welcome to the team."
His tone was genuine — calm and kind, nothing intimidating. Clara immediately felt at ease.
The rest of the morning was a whirlwind of introductions and briefings. Daniel walked them through the workflow, explaining how each intern would assist with upcoming product campaigns. Clara took notes furiously, afraid to miss anything.
She was so absorbed that she didn't notice someone observing her from afar.
---
From his seat a few desks away, Max discreetly watched the new intern group.
At first many thought what Max, the legendary assistant of the CEO was doing in this small sales department.
His sharp assessing gaze made everyone nervous throughout the day.
Max himself felt 'misplaced'. But Ronan's order echoed in his mind: Keep an eye on her.
Max sighed as he watched how Clara moved from one corner to another with a notepad and a pen.
Clara was polite, quick to learn, and clearly trying to blend in. But Max could already tell — she stood out without trying.
Her laugh carried warmth. Even Daniel, who rarely smiled during onboarding, seemed to linger around her desk more than necessary.
When lunch came around, Aaron offered to show her the cafeteria. Mia tagged along, not wanting to miss a chance to stay in the spotlight.
From his seat, Max sighed. "This is going to be a problem," he muttered, pulling out his phone to text Ronan.
Max: She's fitting in fast. Maybe too fast.
Ronan: Explain.
Max: Everyone's noticing her. Daniel's included.
He stared at the typing dots on his screen for a moment before Ronan's curt reply appeared: 'Hmm'.
'Hmm.' That's it? Max wondered.
Max glanced up again, watching Clara laugh at something Aaron said. Even from this distance, he could feel the shift in air, the faint spark that made her stand out in a crowd.
He didn't know if it was fate or trouble. Maybe both.
---
After lunch, Clara returned to her desk feeling more confident. She was starting to get the hang of things, the targets, the schedules, the workflow.
When Daniel stopped by again to check on her progress, she looked up and smiled. "I hope I'm not too slow."
"You're doing fine," he said, leaning slightly on her desk. "Better than most on their first day."
Mia's eyes flicked from across the room, her pen snapping audibly in her hand.
Clara didn't notice. She was too focused on understanding the system layout Daniel was explaining.
A few minutes later, Daniel straightened up. "If you ever need help, just ask. My office is two doors down."
"Thank you, sir," Clara said with a grateful nod.
As he walked away, she caught Aaron raising his brows playfully. "Oh-ho, teacher's favorite already?"
Clara rolled her eyes, laughing. "Stop it."
---
By late afternoon, the day's exhaustion began to set in. Clara decided to grab some coffee before finishing her report.
At the vending machine near the lounge, a deep voice spoke beside her.
"Long day?"
She turned, and blinked.
The man was tall, striking, dressed in a tailored navy suit. His dark hair was swept back neatly, and his smile held a charm that instantly disarmed her.
"Uh...yes," she stammered, grabbing her coffee. "First day. So… trying to keep up."
"Ah, a newcomer," he said smoothly. "I'm Blake, Financial Department."
"Clara. Sales Intern."
He offered his hand, and his touch was firm, confident. "Welcome to Marlowe, Clara."
She smiled shyly. "Thanks. Everyone's been really kind."
"That's good to hear," Blake said. His tone was light, but his gaze lingered a moment longer than necessary. "We should grab coffee again sometime, he looked at her and continued "maybe when you're not drowning in reports."
Clara blinked, slightly taken aback by the friendliness. "Oh...uh, sure, maybe."
He chuckled and walked away, glancing back once. When she turned to leave, she missed the brief smirk that crossed his face and the lingering gaze on her retreating figure.
---
Later that evening, Max entered Ronan's office, dropping a file onto his desk.
"She completed orientation and first-day tasks," Max reported. "Nothing unusual…"
He hesitated.
Ronan looked up straight in to his eyes.
Max avoided his gaze. "She's… quite friendly with the team and...Daniel too."
Ronan's hand stilled over his pen.
"Daniel," he repeated slowly.
"Yes. The project head." Max replied.
And she also ran into Blake from Finance."
Ronan leaned back, his expression unreadable, but inside, Draven stirred.
She smiled at them.
Ronan's jaw tightened. You're overreacting.
Am I? You felt it too, didn't you? Draven's voice purred in his mind. The way she looks at them, the way they look at her. You should've let her work here in your office.
Ronan pinched the bridge of his nose. "She's just an intern."
She's ours. Draven growled.
Ronan's pulse thudded once, hard.
The wolf's possessive growl echoed through his mind, low and hungry.
Ronan exhaled, staring out the glass wall overlooking the fading skyline. Enough. We won't interfere with her life.
Say the same when she links her arm with Blake or takes a vow with Daniel...
Draven said dramatically.
Ronan didn't answer. The silence said enough.
He wished he could just throw his wolf out at the moment.
Draven's laugh rolled darkly in his chest. Keep telling yourself that, Alpha.
Ronan closed his eyes briefly, gripping the armrest tighter than he meant to.
Below, the lights of Marlowe Industries flickered alive for the night.
And somewhere among them, Clara Jean laughed again, unaware that her every step had already begun to shift the balance of two worlds.