Leo wouldn't stop nudging my leg, as if urging me to get up and move. I didn't want to—not yet. My mind was still spinning from what I'd just seen on the laptop screen.
"Welcome to The Office, Katie. Your new reality."
The man's voice still echoed in my head. Smooth. Calm. Controlled. The kind of voice that didn't need to shout to make you feel cornered.
I finally stood, brushing my hands on my jeans. "Alright," I whispered to Leo, who wagged his tail softly. "Let's figure out where we are."
The door creaked when I opened it, revealing a long hallway lined with frosted glass offices. The lights buzzed faintly above, and the smell of coffee and printer ink hit me instantly. For a moment, it felt almost normal—like I'd stepped into any ordinary corporate building. But the quiet hum in the air felt… wrong. Too controlled. Too perfect.
My sneakers squeaked faintly on the polished floor as I made my way down the hall. The nameplates on each door read like a cast list I half-remembered from the book—Sophie Grant, Mark Dalton, Clara Raines. Characters. People who didn't know I didn't belong here.
A voice startled me. "You're the new hire?"
I turned quickly. A woman with sharp eyes and perfectly straight hair stood by the break room doorway, holding a coffee mug like it was a weapon. Her badge read Clara.
"Uh, yeah," I said quickly, forcing a smile. "First day."
She looked me up and down, her expression unreadable. "You know we cant leave..right?"
Wait...What? "No."
The woman sighed. "Let me explain, we sleep, eat, drink, and breathe here. Your office is your home. You have a bed, a bathroom, and a desk with the laptop. Every morning at 8AM breakfast is delivered. Then at 9AM we must do what is asked on the computer. If we do not follow the instructions, we have to meet with the boss. Please, for your own sake, follow the instructions."
And with that she tuned and left.
As I turned the corner, my eyes caught on something—a framed photo on the wall. The man is in it. The CEO. Same cold smile, same calculating gaze.
A chime broke through my thoughts. The elevator doors slid open at the end of the hall, and a few people stepped out, chatting casually. I kept my head down, trying to blend in. Leo trotted at my side, surprisingly calm.
We passed rows of cubicles, each one humming with quiet productivity. A few people glanced up, curious about the girl with the golden retriever. I offered awkward smiles and kept walking.
A man at the far end called out, "Hey! You're Katie, right?"
I turned, startled. He looked friendly enough—messy hair, rolled sleeves, easy grin. "Uh, yeah?"
He waved me over. "I'm Evan. IT department. You're with TIC, I think. They told me to set up your system."
"Oh," I said, forcing a laugh. "Right. TIC."
Evan gave me a puzzled look. "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
I smiled thinly. "Something like that."
He gestured toward a cubicle near the window. "That's your desk. You'll find your badge, welcome packet, all that stuff. And hey—cool dog."
I thanked him and sat down. The cubicle was neat, almost too neat. A sleek laptop sat in the center, already logged in. My name glowed on the screen: KATIE LEIGH – Project Coordinator.
Leo curled up at my feet as I skimmed through the welcome email on the screen. It was all corporate fluff—deadlines, team introductions, motivational quotes—but then, at the bottom, one line stood out:
"Remember, appearances matter. Stay where you belong."
My throat went dry. The words were highlighted in bold red font.
I looked around, but no one seemed to notice. The chatter of keyboards and printers carried on as usual, like nothing had happened.
I clicked on the sender's name, but the email address was just a string of random letters—nonsense.
Another message pinged instantly.
Unknown Sender:Don't be afraid, Katie. You'll understand soon enough.
My pulse quickened. I locked the screen and sat back, heart hammering. The CEO. It had to be him.
A soft bark pulled me back to reality. Leo nudged my leg, as if reminding me I wasn't alone. I ran my hand through his fur, grounding myself in the warmth of something real.
"Okay," I whispered.
I turned back to the window. From here, the city looked bright, polished—like a reflection hiding something darker beneath.
I knew what this was. A test. Another world, another stage, another role. And he was watching, waiting for me to break.
But this time, I wasn't here to survive. I was here to win.