I had no idea what to expect on my day at Vale Industries. My stomach has been doing flips since I woke up. I spent the night thinking about what could happen imagining Lucas watching me judging me testing me. What if I made a mistake? What if he got angry with me? What if he did not even talk to me?
The lobby was really fancy and cold with glass walls that made me feel like I was in a fishbowl. Every step I took towards the elevators felt like a deal. I kept smoothing my skirt hoping I did not look too nervous.
The elevator doors. A man in a nice suit nodded at me. "Ms. Hale?" he asked. I. He took me down a hallway with a lot of expensive artwork. I could hear my heartbeat.
When I got to Lucas's office the door was a bit open. I. Took a deep breath. Then I knocked softly.
"Come in, " he said.
I went inside. The office was just like I thought it would be. Perfect, scary and full of furniture that made me feel like I did not belong. He was standing by the window looking out at the city. He did not turn around right away.
"Ms. Hale, " he said, finally turning to face me. His eyes were really sharp. I felt like he could see what I was thinking. "Welcome."
"Thank you Mr. Vale " I said, trying to sound calm.He pointed to a chair. Said "Sit."I did, putting my hands in my lap. It was quiet for a time and I could hear my heart beating. Then he leaned forward looking at me."You know why you got this job " he said quietly.
I swallowed hard. "Because I am qualified?" I said, even though I was not sure that was what he wanted to hear.
"Partly " he said, leaning back in his chair. ". I do not hire people just because of their resume. I hire people I can trust. People who can handle things when they get tough."
My stomach was doing flips. "I understand, sir, " I said.
He looked at me for a time. "You will have to deal with things. You will see things that most people do not see. You will have to be careful with information that could hurt people or companies if it gets out."
I nodded slowly. "I am careful sir. I understand that I have to be discreet."
Lucas smiled a bit. "That is good.. Being discreet is not enough. I need someone who can think on their feet. Someone who notices things before I have to tell them."
I tried to breathe. I really wanted this job. I needed this job.. What he was saying sounded like a test, not a job.
"Can you handle that?" he asked, leaning back in his chair.
I nodded. "I can."
He looked at me some more then leaned in his chair. "We will see " he said softly, like a warning.
The rest of the morning was a blur. I met the people in the office, saw my desk and got a lot of work to do. Every time I looked at Lucas he seemed to be watching me waiting for me to make a mistake. I was really nervous. I tried to focus. I could not afford to mess up.
When I was on my lunch break I was alone in the kitchen trying to calm down. That is when I saw a folder with my name on it.
I picked it up. Looked inside. There were some papers and a note that said "Pay attention. Not everything here is what it seems. Trust no one but yourself."
I felt a chill. Who wrote this? It was my day and already I was getting warnings. I looked around the kitchen but no one was there. It was really quiet. It felt scary.
I did not know what to think. Was it Lucas? Someone else in the office?. Something else entirely? The words kept repeating in my head: Trust no one but yourself. It was scary. It also made me feel excited in a way I could not explain.
When I got back to my desk I tried to focus on my work. I kept thinking about the note. The office felt different like there were secrets. Every time someone looked at me I wondered what they were thinking. Every time I saw Lucas I felt like he was pulling me towards him in a way I could not explain.
That day Lucas came to my desk. He walked slowly. Stopped in front of me. I stood up away, my heart beating fast.
"You are doing well so far " he said quietly. "Better than I thought you would on your day."
I tried to smile. I felt nervous. "Thank you sir " I said.
He leaned in close. Said "But this is not a place where you can make mistakes Mira. One wrong. It could cost everything. Do you understand?"
I whispered "Yes ". I was afraid to breathe.
He stood up. Walked away leaving me feeling relieved and scared at the same time. I was not sure if he was praising me or warning me.
That night I was walking home through the streets thinking about everything that happened. I thought about my mom and my sister waiting for me at home. I thought about how I needed this job.. I thought about Lucas Vale, his gray eyes and the way he seemed to be pulling me towards him.
I knew one thing for sure: nothing, about this job or this man was going to be easy.
I had a feeling that danger, secrets and something more personal were already coming my way closer than I thought.