Monday arrived like any other day at Casa Thorn,but I could already feel the weight of the week ahead.
The office smelled of coffee and perfumes .Keyboards clicked,soft conversations floated around.
I walked in with my badge clipped to my blazer,my heels tapping against the floor as I reminded myself to breathe.
Marcus,the assistant,caught my eye near the elevator.
He gave me a small nod,he kind that made my stomach tighten.He had been here long enough to understand this place better than most.
"First day of your big task" he said, handing me a paper.
"Alex will review everything tomorrow. Just… stay on alert"
I frowned. "Tomorrow?"
He shrugged with a small smile. "He notices everything. Even a second of doubt"
I took the papers,my heart beating faster,the task wasn't huge. It was a small campaign idea for a social media launch. But it came directly from Alex. My name would be attached to it. My work would be judged.
I walked to my desk and arranged the papers slowly,trying to calm my hands. The office felt different today. People seemed more alert,more aware.
It was like everyone could sense when Alex was involved, even when he wasn't around.
Monica passed by and smiled. "Big assignment already? You're moving fast"
I smiled back.
"It's just a small project" I said, though it didn't feel small to me.
Daniel leaned back in his chair nearby. "Careful,getting noticed too early can be dangerous"
"Dangerous?" I repeated. The word stayed with me. At Casa Thorn, being noticed was a good thing,but it also came with pressure.
I focused on my work. I wrote ideas,drafted captions,and planned angles.I tried to ignore the glances from coworkers and the quiet curiosity in the room. It wasn't negative,but it reminded me that I was being watched.
By late morning,i finished a strong draft and sent it to Alex.My finger hovered over the send button for a second. It was only work,still,it felt personal.
The next hour dragged.
Every time someone walked past my office,my heart jumped. Every email sound made me look up. I told myself to focus,iwas here to work,nothing else.
As the day went on and the office grew quieter,the tension inside me grew louder. I had come here to grow, to build a future. But working at Casa Thorn meant working under Alexander Thorn. And even without speaking to him, his presence affected me.
Marcus stopped by my desk later that afternoon"Alex liked what you sent," he said casually"He wants to talk about it. Tomorrow"
My stomach tightened "Tomorrow?"
He smiled "You'll be fine. Just be ready."
The rest of the day passed quickly. Emails came and went,work continued. I tried to stay focused, but my thoughts kept drifting.
As I packed up to leave, Monica waved. "You'll do great" she said. "Just don't let him scare you"
I laughed softly. "I'll try"
When the office finally emptied, I leaned back in my chair and looked out the window.
The city moved below busy and unaware of what was happening inside this building.
I had done my job. I had stayed professional. Still, I felt exposed. Like someone had seen more of me than I intended.
This job was everything I had wanted. And somehow, that made it frightening.
My calm wasn't gone.
It had changed.
And deep down, I knew something else too
Alexander Thorn wasn't just noticing me.
He was watching.