I barely slept at night,not because anything had happened,but because something was about to.
By the time morning came,I was already dressed,already ready for work and already tired from thinking too much.
I arrived at Casa Thorn earlier than usual, the building still half quiet, the lights softer than they would be an hour later.
I sat at my desk and opened my laptop, pretending to work while watching the time creep forward.
Tomorrow had become today.
At exactly fifteen minutes after ten,my phone vibrated.
Marcus: Executive office,now.
My stomach tightened,but I stood anyway. No hesitation,no delay. I smoothed my blazer,picked up my tablet, and walked toward the elevator,the ride up felt longer than usual.
When the doors opened, the executive floor greeted me with its usual silence. Marcus was waiting, hands behind his back,face unreadable.
"He's in a meeting" he said. "You'll wait inside"
I nodded.
He opened the door and stepped aside.
The office was large, clean, and controlled,dark wood,glass walls. The city stretched behind the desk like it belonged there. Alexander Thorn stood near the window, his back to me, speaking quietly into his phone.
"Send it by noon" he said. "No mistakes"
He ended the call and turned.
His eyes landed on me and stayed there.
Not rushed not surprised,just steady.
"Close the door" he said.
I did.
The sound echoed louder than it should have.
He gestured to the chair across from his desk. "Sit"
I sat.
He didn't.
Instead, he walked slowly around the desk,stopping a few feet away from me. He crossed his arms,studying me like he had all the time in the world.
"You work fast" he said.
"I work focused" I replied.
A small smile appeared. "Good answer"
He picked up my tablet from the desk and flipped through my work. As he read, the room stayed quiet,too quiet.PEvery shift of his expression felt important.
"You understand the brand" he said finally. "That's rare"
"Thank you"
"You didn't try to impress" he added.
"You aimed to connect"
I nodded.
"People don't want to feel small,they want to feel invited"
His eyes lifted to mine. Something unreadable passed between us.
"You'll do well here" he said.
I felt a small sense of relief washed over me,but only briefly.
"However" he continued, setting the tablet down
"working close to me requires discipline"
"I understand" I said quickly
"Do you?" His voice was calm, but his gaze sharpened. "Because Casa Thorn is watched. And I don't tolerate mistakes. Or distractions."
I held his gaze. "Neither do I"
That seemed to please him.
He stepped closer,not too close, but enough that I became very aware of the space between us.
"You'll attend executive reviews from now on" he said. "You'll report directly through Marcus and sometimees to me."
My heartbeat picked up. "Yes, sir"
He tilted his head slightly. "Not sir"
I paused"Mr Thorn?"
"When others are around" he said. "Yes"
He took one more step closer, lowering his voice. "But when it's just us… Alex will do"
The room felt warmer suddenly.
"I—okay" I said.
His gaze softened just a little "Good"
He stepped back then, returning to his desk like nothing had happened. He picked up a folder and opened it.
"You can go" he said. "For now"
I stood, heart still racing.
As I reached the door, his voice stopped me.
"Lila."
I turned.
His eyes held mine,steady, focused.
"Don't lose that calm" he said.
"It suits you"
I nodded once and left.
The moment the door closed behind me, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
The elevator ride down felt unreal.
Back at my desk, everything looked the same. The screens. The desks. The people.
But I wasn't the same.
I had walked into his office as an employee.
I walked out as someone seen.
And that thought stayed with me long after the workday ended.
Because Alexander Thorn didn't just test people.
He chose them.
And somehow, I knew,I had just been chosen.