Ambrose Romero was a mystery covered in fancy clothes. Nobody at the company really understood him. His bosses saw him as a forward thinking, smart, and well composed supervisor.
The workers saw him as someone to both look up to and fear.
His demeanor felt like something intense, like a storm, beautiful to look at, but risky if you got too close.
And for Nadia, he was a distraction she didn't want.
From her workspace by the glass wall, she could spot him when the shades were up.
That annoyingly composed guy, face down looking at documents, tie a bit loose, and sleeves gently rolled up showing a glimpse of his strength. He somehow made being professional seem attractive, like being powerful was an art.
She told herself she was uninterested, that she watched him just like anyone else would. But the truth stung her: Ambrose was the kind of person who grabbed attention without even trying.
And Nadia was not so different.
If she was another person, someone without three kids, without a full past, she might have even tried to flirt back.
But that wasn't how she lived anymore.
She had learnt about attractive men and fake promises.
Love had taken everything from her once. Her pride, her family, her sense of self. She couldn't risk another letdown.
Still, it didn't stop her heart from beating a bit faster when he walked by her desk, she couldn't ignore his charming smile or the smell of his expensive fragrance.
By the end of the day, Nadia finished putting together the reports, the same ones Ambrose wanted before the day ended.
He had that effect on people; even the most experienced workers rushed to meet his high expectations.
She checked every page twice, reading between each line, making sure her calculations were perfect. Then she gathered the papers, her heart racing at the idea of going into his office again.
"It's just work," she said to herself.
You're just taking him papers, nothing else.
The hallway to his office was very quiet. The workers had learned not to speak loudly when near Ambrose's office, as if he could sense mistakes through the walls. Nadia stopped, and raised her one hand to knock with the files on the other.
Then she heard him speaking.
His voice, quiet but sharp, not the smooth, strong voice she was used to or the voice he used when talking to the office employees, but something darker, something sketchy.
"Yes. The package came last night. Two big boxes. No, not on the list."
Nadia stopped moving.
She quickly thought about the lists she had looked over earlier that day. Every item that was sent out was accounted for.
There were no deliveries that were not written down, or at least…. not officially so.
She moved a little closer, holding her breath to avoid being heard. The door was slightly opened, enough for his words to come out.
"Keep it a secret," Ambrose went on.
"Don't say any names on the phone. The docks at midnight, same person to talk to."
She was confused and scared. Deliveries? Docks? Nothing about it seemed like honest work.
She was curious but also cautious. She leaned in just a bit more, and the files almost slipped out her hands. She shouldn't be doing this. She knew it. But something about his voice, that calm controlled tone, made her really scared.
A quiet laugh came from inside the office, and then the sound of a drawer being opened.
Nadia tried to hear better, moving a bit,
and her elbow touched the side of a bookshelf close to the door.
A single book fell over.
It made a quiet noise when it hit the floor.
The sound might as well have been a very loud shot.
She gasped quietly.
The talking inside stopped.
Then she heard the clear sound of a chair moving on the floor.
She panicked. She straightened the books with shaky hands, grabbed the files, and made herself stand still, trying to appear calm and professional.
The door opened.
Ambrose stood there, tall and in control, too much in control. His dark eyes looked quickly at the book she had put back, then back at her face.
"Nadia," he said, his voice smooth again, but there was a sharpness to it.
"Is there a reason you are standing outside my office instead of inside it?"
She gulped.
"I, I came to give you these, sir. The reports you asked for."
He looked at her for a long, careful moment, then reached out to take the folders from her. Their fingers touched, then her cheeks turned red. not from fear, but from the feeling that sparked between them.
Ambrose put the files on his desk without looking away.
"You seem worried."
Her throat felt dry. "Just tired," she said.
He watched her for another second before a small smile appeared on his face, a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"I see."
It was quiet between them.
"I'll look over these tonight," he said at last.
"Good work."
"Thank you, sir."
She turned away quickly, wanting to get out of his sight.
But before she could get to the door, he said quietly,
"Miss Reyes."
She stopped.
"Be careful where you spend time,"
Ambrose said softly. "Some things are not meant to be heard."
The warning in his voice was quiet, almost nice, but it hurt her.
Nadia nodded stiffly, unable to look at him. "Of course, sir."
Her heart was racing as she went into the hallway. The door closed with a click after she left, keeping any mysteries locked away.
Each footstep seemed very loud as she returned to her workspace. Her logical thoughts told her it wasn't that big of a deal and she must have misunderstood.
Perhaps "shipments" had a different meaning, or she was letting her thoughts go too far.
But in her heart, a small voice told her that Ambrose Romero was more than just someone who worked in "business".
And for the first time since she had begun her new existence, Nadia felt unsure, as if the secure life she had created, piece by piece, was starting to fall apart.
She placed her hand on her chest, as she tried to calm herself.
Ambrose Romero. Her boss.
And now… a person with strange secrets.