It was nighttime, and I was about to fall asleep when the next task popped up on my screen.
Task 004: Record a video of you stripping.
Blood drained from my whole body. "You've got to be kidding me..." I said I reluctantly hit record and did what was asked. When I pressed submit, I felt sick and went back to my bed. The next morning, my breakfast was delivered with a note:
"Thank you for participating in last night's task."
I stared at it, my stomach twisting in knots. Last night. The words echoed in my head, replaying the entire experience: the isolation, the trembling hands, the way my chest had tightened with every second I obeyed The way my clothes hit the floor. I hated every second. Every moment had felt like a test, a trap, and a reminder that someone—someone very dangerous—was always watching.
I pushed the plate away, unable to eat. Leo nudged my hand, whining softly, sensing my tension. I wrapped my arms around him, letting his warmth anchor me. My mind, however, refused to settle.
The office was deceptively normal. Typing, faint chatter, the low hum of printers—it all felt like a cruel mask, a lie designed to hide the undercurrent of danger that ran through the place. I couldn't stop glancing around, noticing small details: a shadow that lingered a second too long, the slight shuffle of a coworker when no one else was looking, and the empty cubicles from yesterday.
I kept thinking about Julian. About the way he had looked at me the first day. Calm. Controlled. Magnetic. He wasn't just watching—he was studying me. Judging me. I shivered, trying to ignore the sick thrill that ran through me at the memory of his gaze.
Even with Leo at my feet, grounding me, I couldn't shake the paranoia. What if he had been watching last night? What if he knew exactly how I'd felt? How I'd hesitated, how my hands had trembled?
I forced myself to stand and pace, trying to reclaim some sense of control. My sneakers squeaked lightly against the polished floor, the sound deafening in the quiet of my cubicle. I couldn't focus. Every little sound made me jump—the rustle of papers, a pen rolling off a desk, even the hum of my own laptop.
I glanced at my screen. Another message blinked in the corner.
TASK 005 – coming soon.
My stomach sank. Another task. Another test. Another chance to fail, another chance to feel exposed and trapped. I didn't know what it would be. I didn't want to know. All I could do was brace myself and try to survive.
I hugged Leo tighter, whispering to him, "We'll get through this. Somehow."
Even then, I couldn't stop thinking about yesterday, about the night, about the way I had obeyed without question. A part of me hated myself for it. Another part… feared the consequences if I hadn't.
The office around me felt alive and sinister at the same time. Every glance from coworkers felt loaded, every movement suspicious. I couldn't tell if I was imagining things or if the danger was truly everywhere. And that uncertainty was worse than any task Julian could assign.
I pressed my palms against the desk, trying to calm my shaking hands. Leo nuzzled me, a quiet reminder that I wasn't completely alone. But the knot in my stomach wouldn't release.
I realized, with a sinking feeling, that this wasn't just a game anymore. This wasn't just an office with rules. This was a test of my sanity, my instincts, and my ability to survive under constant observation. And Julian… he wasn't just the CEO. He was the one orchestrating it all, pulling strings I couldn't see.