Leo nudged me again, persistent and warm, and I finally let myself sit on the floor, hugging him close. The rhythm of his heartbeat against my chest was calming, grounding me in the chaos. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to slow my racing thoughts.
I wasn't in my world anymore. Not my house. Not my life. Somewhere in the back of my mind, a small, stubborn part of me still hoped I'd wake up, that it was all some nightmare or trick. But deep down, I knew better. I was here. And if I wanted to survive… I needed to understand this world.
Pulling back, I looked around again. The room was small, cluttered, and impersonal, but it wasn't threatening—not yet. Sunlight peeked through half-closed blinds, casting stripes of gold across the messy floor. A laptop sat open on the desk, dark but humming faintly. I approached it cautiously, Leo padding beside me, and pressed the power button.
The screen flickered on, displaying a login screen I didn't recognize. A single line of text flashed at me:
"Katie, we've been expecting you."
My stomach dropped. Someone knew I was here. Someone had brought me into this world—and now they were waiting. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, hesitant. Was this a greeting? A warning? A threat?
I took a deep breath. I had faced Lorian. I had survived impossible situations. I could handle this. I reminded myself: focus. Observe. Plan.
As if on cue, the laptop pinged, and a video window opened. A man appeared on the screen, sitting in a sleek office I recognized from pictures in the book. Sharp suit. Cold, calculating eyes. The CEO.
"Ah," he said smoothly, leaning back in his chair. "You're awake." His voice was familiar, unsettlingly so, carrying the same intensity I remembered from… another life, another world.
I froze, heart hammering. He knows me.
"I suppose you're wondering where you are," he continued, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Welcome to The Office, Katie. Your new reality."
I swallowed hard. "Why me?" I asked, voice steady despite the quiver in my chest. "Why here? Why now?"
He tilted his head, eyes sharp and unnerving. "Let's just say you have… potential. Certain… qualities that can be very useful to me. And I have a feeling you'll find your role here… interesting."
The screen went black, leaving me staring at the empty laptop, heart pounding. Leo whimpered softly, pressing against my leg as if sensing my tension. I hugged him again, trying to summon courage.
I had no allies yet. No friends. Only fragments of what I knew from the book, and the faint memory of Lorian—the danger, the thrill, the obsession. And now this man, watching me, testing me, waiting for me to make a move.
I forced myself to stand, pacing the room. My mind raced through possibilities. Observe. Learn. Survive. That had been my mantra before, and it would be my mantra again.
Outside, the world seemed normal—birds chirping, the faint sound of traffic—but I knew better. Danger could be anywhere. Anyone could be an enemy. Or an ally, carefully disguised.
I glanced down at Leo, his golden eyes warm and trusting. "Alright," I whispered. "We do this together. Step by step."
I moved toward the door, cautious but determined. The hallway stretched ahead, lined with closed doors and muffled voices. Each step felt like a test, a challenge, a promise of what was to come.
And somewhere, behind all this new world and unfamiliar faces, I felt it—the pull of the game that had started long ago. The stakes were higher. The players more dangerous. And I was right in the center.
I exhaled, gripping Leo's leash tightly. This wasn't just about survival anymore. It was about control, about strategy, about being the one to dictate my own story.
One step. One decision. One move at a time.
And with that, I took my first real step into this new world.