Elena settled at her desk, fingers curling around her mug of tea as she tried to calm the flutter in her chest. Her nerves hadn't settled since yesterday. Damien's smirk, his voice, the way he had cornered her in his office, it lingered in her mind like a bruise she couldn't stop touching.
She glanced toward the glass office at the end of the corridor, half-expecting him to walk through the door at any second. But the blinds were drawn, and the office was dark.
"Relax," Marcy murmured, leaning over with her mug of coffee, eyes amused. "You're safe. He's not here today."
Elena blinked. "Not here?"
"He left last night. Business trip to Shanghai, usually he likes to announce his returns, never his departures." Marcy explained. She lifted her coffee mug in a mock toast. "Which means you get a break today. Enjoy it while it lasts."
Relief swept through Elena so suddenly she laughed under her breath. "God, I thought I'd have to see him again this morning."
Marcy chuckled. "Nope. You get a reprieve. Don't sound too happy. People will talk."
Before Elena could reply, Sophie's voice cracked across the floor like a whip.
"I wasn't..." Elena began, but Marcy's eyebrow lifted, and she flushed. "Okay. Maybe I was."
Before Marcy could reply, Sophie's voice cut through the room like a whip.
"Some of us actually have work to do," she snapped, striding past in a sharp pencil skirt and heels that stabbed the floor with authority. Her eyes narrowed at Elena, then at Marcy. "If you've got time to chatter, perhaps your workload isn't heavy enough."
Elena's stomach dropped. "We weren't..."
But Sophie was already gone, leaving behind the sharp sting of perfume and disdain.
Marcy muttered under her breath, "And good morning to you too, Queen Sophie."
Marcy rolled her eyes and leaned closer. "Ignore her. She acts like Damien's personal watchdog. The rest of us stopped caring years ago."
Elena let out a shaky laugh, though her chest tightened. "Does she bark at everyone like that?"
"Only if she thinks you're worth barking at," Marcy said dryly. "Which, apparently, you are. Consider it… a backhanded compliment."
Elena groaned. "Some compliment."
***************************************************
The morning eased into its rhythm. The sound of keyboards tapping, phones ringing, muted conversations all blending into one steady hum. Elena typed emails, scheduled calendar slots, double-checked memos. Sophie passed by again once, dropping a folder on her desk without a word.
Elena glanced at it, then at Marcy. "Does she even know what 'please' means?"
Marcy snorted. "If she does, she's keeping it in storage."
A chuckle rose from the cubicle behind them. Lily, the bubbly blonde assistant Elena had only glimpsed yesterday, leaned around the divider. "She once told me to fetch coffee and added, 'And try not to trip on the way.' I don't even trip."
From the other side, Priya's calm voice floated out. "You tripped that morning."
Lily gasped. "Not the point, Priya!"
Elena bit her lip, trying not to laugh. It felt… normal. Like the kind of office banter she could actually belong in.
At eleven, Marcy tapped the divider between their desks. "You settling in okay?"
Elena hesitated. "I think so. I'm still learning where everything is, though. I nearly got lost trying to find the copy room."
Marcy laughed. "Don't worry. We all got lost at first. The place is like a maze, probably designed that way on purpose."
"What, to trap us here forever?" Elena joked.
"Exactly," Marcy said with mock seriousness. "You've figured out the company motto."
Elena chuckled, feeling a little more at ease.
Marcy tapped on her desk divider. "Printer's jammed again. Feel like a field trip?"
Elena hesitated. "Printer? Field trip?"
Marcy grinned. "You'll see."
She followed Marcy down the hall to a room filled with humming machines. A couple of assistants were already there, groaning as they poked at one of the massive printers.
"Again?" Marcy sighed.
"Every Thursday," one muttered. "Like clockwork."
Marcy turned to Elena with mock solemnity. "Rule number two of Steel & Cross: never send an urgent job to this printer on Thursdays."
"What's rule number one?" Elena asked.
"Don't piss off Sophie."
Elena laughed, shaking her head. "Got it."
By lunch, Marcy dragged her out of her chair. "Come on. You've been glued to your screen all morning. Time for food."
"I packed something," Elena protested weakly, holding up her lunch bag.
"Bring it. You're meeting the rest of the team."
The cafeteria was buzzing with energy, assistants and junior managers crammed into booths and tables, voices echoing against the sleek glass walls. Marcy led her toward a corner table where three women were already eating.
"Ladies," Marcy said, sliding into a chair, "this is Elena. She survived Sophie's initiation. Be nice."
The blonde with a braid grinned. "I'm Lily. Welcome. Finally, someone newer than me."
The woman scrolling through her phone glanced up briefly. "Priya. Don't mind Lily, she's dramatic."
The third woman, dressed in a sharp blazer, tilted her head. "Aria. And don't mind Sophie. She's insecure."
Elena blinked. "Oh. Um… thanks?"
Lily laughed, stabbing her fork into her salad. "She dumped files on you already, didn't she?"
Elena smiled awkwardly. "Something like that."
"Classic Sophie," Aria muttered. "She thinks the whole company revolves around her. Ignore her, and you'll be fine."
Priya leaned in slightly. "Just don't cross her. She'll try to make your life harder if she thinks you're a threat."
Elena's throat tightened. "Noted."
Marcy patted her arm. "Don't worry. You've got us now. We'll keep you from drowning."
The tension in her chest loosened. Elena smiled. "Thanks. Really."
Lily leaned forward, eyes twinkling. "So, tell us, what's your survival tactic? Crying in the bathroom or passive-aggressive sticky notes?"
Elena blinked, startled, then laughed. "Um… tea?"
Lily gasped theatrically. "Tea drinker? You'll be the calmest person here in two months."
Priya arched a brow. "Or the most caffeine-deprived."
Aria smirked. "Don't listen to them. Tea is fine. We'll just assume you're the zen one of the group now."
Marcy raised her sandwich. "To Elena, the new zen master."
They all clinked utensils in mock cheers, laughter spilling over the table.
Lunch stretched into laughter and small stories. Lily complained about someone stealing her yogurt from the fridge last week. Priya groaned about early morning calls with overseas clients. Aria recounted how an intern once sent a mass email to the wrong address list.
As they ate, the conversation drifted.
Lily leaned in. "Okay, true story. Last year, an intern accidentally CC'd Damien on a chain where people were complaining about him."
Elena's eyes widened. "What happened?"
Aria chuckled. "He didn't reply. He just showed up at their desks one by one, silent, and stared until they apologized."
Priya added, "Three people quit that week."
Lily sighed dramatically. "And yet here we are, still slaving away."
Elena laughed, covering her mouth. "God, you all make this sound like a reality show."
"Sweetheart," Marcy said dryly, "that's because it is."
By the time they returned to their desks, Elena actually felt lighter, like she was starting to belong.
*************************************************
The afternoon moved quickly. She typed up summaries, answered phone calls, and helped Marcy file documents. A couple of times, Lily waved at her from across the aisle with exaggerated expressions, making her stifle a laugh.
It was ordinary. Peaceful.
Until her phone buzzed.
She glanced down, and her breath caught.
Unknown Number: Did you miss me?
Her pulse spiked. She shoved the phone face down on the desk, praying no one saw the flush rising in her cheeks, but Aria noticed.
"Everything okay?"
"Spam," Elena blurted.
Aria's sharp gaze lingered, but she let it go.
Marcy nudged her gently under the table. Elena forced a smile, but her pulse was racing.
Ten minutes later, it buzzed again.
Still pretending you don't?
"Elena?" Marcy's voice startled her.
She looked up quickly. "Hm?"
"You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"I'm fine," Elena said too quickly, forcing a smile.
Marcy gave her a suspicious look but let it drop.
By five-thirty, she was gathering her bag when the phone buzzed a third time. Her hands trembled as she slid it open.
Sweet dreams, sweetheart. Don't think distance changes anything.
Her breath hitched. She snapped the phone shut just as Marcy approached.
"Heading out?"
"Yeah. Definitely."
They walked out together, the evening air cool against the glass doors as the city lights flickered awake.
For one day, Elena had blended in. She'd laughed over lunch, gotten through her work without collapsing, even ignored Sophie's barbs.
But Damien Cross wasn't gone. His messages burned through every layer of calm she'd tried to build.
And she knew, deep down, quiet days like this wouldn't last.