The sun was already high when I made my way down the street, heading toward my apartment. Without even realizing it, my thoughts drifted back to Mr. Alex. I couldn't shake the image of him from earlier in the store. Why had he been there? What did it mean that he'd shown up just as I was picking out my groceries? Was he there to subtly remind me that he'd be watching my every move? I couldn't quite put it together. I quickened my pace, eager to get home and pack. I had already decided—today, I would start getting ready for my move. I wasn't sure what awaited me, but I was ready to take that next step.
As I approached the familiar neighborhood, memories flooded my mind. I couldn't help but recall all the years I'd spent in this small apartment since I'd first arrived in the city. It wasn't much, and honestly, I wasn't particularly fond of the place, but at least it provided me with shelter—a safe haven from the storms, both literal and metaphorical. As I stepped inside, I surveyed the space. The walls, the floors, the dim lighting—it all seemed so much smaller now. Still, there was comfort in the familiarity, even if it felt like a place I had outgrown.
The sound of my phone ringing snapped me out of my thoughts. I reached for it, answering almost automatically.
"Hello?" I said, my voice a little breathless.
"Miss Stone, this is Mrs. Johnson. I'm just calling to remind you that the company will be sending a truck tomorrow by ten o'clock to assist with your move," she said, her voice polite and efficient as always.
"Thank you, ma'am. I've already started packing," I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt. There was a knot in my stomach as I thought about the move, but I didn't want Mrs. Johnson to sense any hesitation.
"That's good to hear. Well, I won't keep you. Continue with your packing, and I'll see you tomorrow. Take care." She hung up, and I exhaled, relieved.
Packing. That's what I had to focus on. There was no turning back now. I grabbed a few of my law and philosophy textbooks, stacking them neatly in a box. As I worked, the exhaustion from the past few days began to catch up with me. My body ached, and my mind was tired from all the uncertainty surrounding my future. I sank onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. The silence in the apartment was deafening. As my thoughts began to wander again, I found myself thinking about Mr. Alex—about the office arrangement. Why had he put me in his office, specifically? It didn't make sense. The other secretaries worked in their cubicles on the office floor, but he had insisted on putting me in his personal space. Was it a test? A power play? Or was I overthinking it? Something didn't sit right with me.
The doorbell rang at exactly noon, cutting through my musings. A burst of laughter followed, and I knew right away my friends had arrived. I got up quickly, eager for some distraction, and opened the door to find them standing there, grinning like they'd just won the lottery. In their hands were pizza and a bottle of wine—clearly, they'd come to celebrate my big move... or at least, they thought it was a celebration.
"There she is! Our madame secretary!" Amber teased, pulling me into a tight hug.
"Need an extra hand for packing your stuff? Because I'm here to lend my muscles," Brittany chimed in, waving the bottle of wine in the air like a victory flag.
I laughed, relieved to see them. "I love you guys. Please, come in! You even brought pizza!"
We all shuffled inside, making our way to the living room. The packing process took on a different tone with their presence—suddenly, it wasn't just about moving boxes; it was about making memories, even if they were filled with laughter and chaos. At some point, as I was packing a box of old knick-knacks, I accidentally knocked my photo album onto the floor.
I froze. My hands hovered above the album, and for a moment, I couldn't make myself pick it up. The past had a way of sneaking up on me, and there were parts of it I wasn't ready to confront. Amber and Brittany noticed the pause.
"Girl, don't tell me that's what I think it is," Amber said, her voice laced with curiosity.
"What's going on? I'm suddenly jealous. What are you talking about?" Brittany asked, her eyes narrowing playfully.
I sighed, reluctantly reaching for the album. "It's just my old photo album... but we had promised ourselves not to open it, right?"
Amber's face softened as she nodded. "Yeah, we agreed not to go down that road. But honestly, it's been ages, and I miss our younger selves. Let's just look through it. Come on."
We opened the album and began flipping through the pages, filled with memories of when Amber and I were inseparable—carefree, innocent, without a worry in the world. As we went through the pages, I saw him. There he was, over and over again: the boy who had been part of nearly every memory I held dear. His presence was unmistakable, and it hurt to see him in the photos. Brittany, as always, was curious.
"Who's that handsome guy who seems to be in every single picture? I mean, seriously, he's in like 70% of them," she asked, her voice filled with the typical curiosity I had learned to expect from her.
The room fell quiet. Amber and I exchanged glances, and we both knew this was the moment. Brittany would want to know, and there was no way to avoid it now.
"That guy is Emma's... fiancée, or crush, or whatever you want to call him," Amber said softly, her voice tinged with sadness. "Back when we were young, they were basically inseparable. They promised each other they would get married one day."
Brittany looked shocked. "What? So, what happened? Why do you guys look so... sad all of a sudden?"
Amber let out a heavy sigh. "Well, it wasn't that simple. His parents had already arranged his marriage to someone else. After graduation, he got engaged and moved abroad. He never really explained anything to us. The years went by, and who knows? Maybe they're married now."
Brittany's jaw tightened. "That's terrible. I mean, he just left you like that? Men are the worst sometimes. I swear, if I see him again, I'll make him pay for what he did to you."
I quickly intervened, trying to keep the mood light. "Guys, it's okay. I've moved on from that. Really. But there's something I've been meaning to tell you. Do you know how much I'll be making per month in this new role?"
Amber raised an eyebrow. "You never told us how much you'll be getting paid. Spill it!"
"Well," I began, "I'll be getting half a million a month."
Both Amber and Brittany stared at me, mouths agape, as if they hadn't heard correctly.
"Half a million?!" Brittany blurted, her eyes wide with shock. "That's... five hundred thousand! Emma, you're going to be rich!"
I shrugged, trying to downplay the surprise in my own voice. "It's not a huge shock. Do you guys realize how much he makes in a single minute? He's a billionaire with a lot of money. But he's also got a... well, let's just say, a pretty rotten personality."
Amber shook her head. "Still, that's an insane amount of money. What are you going to do with all of it?"
"I don't want to work for him forever. I'll help you guys start our own business one day. We'll make it happen," I said, my voice determined.
Brittany smiled, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes. "Emma, we're not here for your money. You know that, right? We've been with you through everything—when you didn't have a penny to your name, when you couldn't even pay rent. Now, it's our turn to help you achieve your dreams. We'll make it happen together."
I smiled warmly, feeling my heart swell with gratitude. "Thanks, guys. But for now, let's focus on the move. Tomorrow's going to be a big day. Let's finish packing, and then we'll have some drinks to celebrate."
We continued packing, chatting about the future, about our plans, about everything that was ahead of us. By the time we were done, we heated up the pizza, had a glass of wine, and headed to bed early. Each of us had our own little fantasies about what the new apartment would be like, what the future held.
The next morning, we woke up and started cleaning up the mess from last night's celebration. The truck arrived on time, and we loaded everything up, ready to head to the new place. The building was even more impressive than I'd imagined—luxury oozed from every corner, even the reception area had an aura of wealth.
As we entered the new apartment, my jaw dropped. The place was stunning—white walls, sleek gray furniture, black and white curtains, and the space... It was beyond anything I'd ever imagined.
As we unpacked, I found myself pinching my arm, wondering if this was all real. I kept telling myself it was, but deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking into something I didn't fully understand yet.
"Who knew the devil could be this considerate?" Amber said, her voice laced with disbelief.
"I know, right? But maybe this is just the beginning. Maybe he's trying to sweet-talk me into something worse," I replied, trying to keep my mind from spiraling.
After we finished unpacking, we went out for groceries, stopping at a Chinese restaurant for lunch. As we sat eating shrimp and sweet and sour pork ribs, I tried to push all the dark thoughts to the back of my mind. Little did I know, someone was watching—someone who had been following us since we left the apartment.
In a black car, a man with perfect features stared at his phone, smirking as he zoomed in on a picture of me on his screen.
"Don't get too comfortable, my dear secretary. You'll soon be begging for death, but even death won't save you from me."