Annie actually thought the worst part was over. But she was so wrong.
An email from A&R came in just before evening.
She had been resting on her bed, shoes still on, staring at the ceiling like someone who had just survived a spiritual attack. Her phone buzzed beside her.
A&R Interiors.
Her heart skipped. She quickly sat up.
The message was brief.
> Annie,
We'd like you to accompany the team tomorrow for a site visit. Consider it part of your onboarding process.
Details below.
"Onboarding!."
She read the word twice.
It wasn't an official offer. Not a congratulatory message. Just… movement.
Her eyes searched and ran down to the details.
"Private residential project.
South Side.
High-profile client."
Her throat tightened, as her mouth became dry.
Clearly, this wasn't an observation. This wasn't training. It was exposure.
Annie carefully placed down her phone slowly, like it might explode if she moved too fast. Her mind raced ahead of her body.
A site visit meant questions. It meant observation and intelligent conversation. It meant people who assumed she belonged.
She stood and paced the room, rubbing her palms together. She wondered why her palms suddenly turned cold.
"Annie, you passed the meeting, she told herself. This is normal."
But nothing about A&R felt normal. Not even Adrian. She's yet to confirm Adrian's role and position in the company.
Her phone made the buzz sound again.
Another message came in.
> Dress appropriately. The client values discretion.
"Discretion!."
Annie let out a quiet laugh that held no humor. One of pain with a touch of sarcasm.
She walked towards her mirror and looked at herself. The same face. The same eyes. Someone still pretending not to be scared.
She imagined the space she was about to walk into. A clean lines, expensive furniture. People who spoke like they had never needed to prove themselves.
People who would look at her and assume she was one of them.
She felt her chest tighten again..
This wasn't a job yet and it wasn't a win either. It was a test.
Annie picked up her phone again, her thumb hovering over Sasha's name. Her hands where shaking.
Then she stopped.
"No, not yet." She said.
She needed to think.
She needed to breathe. She needed to put one or two together.
Outside, the city hummed on like nothing had changed. Like she hadn't just stepped deeper into something she can't fully comprehend .
She looked back at the email one last time.
"Tomorrow." She sighed.
She was already in too deep to pretend this was just opportunity.
Whatever A&R was doing…
They were watching to see who would crack first. Definitely not her.
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Annie barely slept.
Anytime she tried to close her eyes, she imagined rooms she hadn't seen yet. White walls. Clean edges. Faces that watched her instead of welcoming her. By morning, her body felt so tired, but her mind was sharp in the uncomfortable way fear makes it.
She dress up slowly.
Nothing loud. Nothing soft. She chose pieces that didn't ask questions. A neutral dress. A fitted coat. Shoes she knew she could walk in without thinking twice about them.
She checked herself once in the mirror.
Not for beauty. But deep down she wanted it to speak beauty and control.
The address A&R sent led her to a quiet part of the South Side, not far from where the city changed tone. Fewer sounds. Wider streets. Buildings that didn't announce their value but carried it anyway.
A Shiny black SUV was already parked outside when she arrived.
One of the assistants from the meeting stood beside it, a tablet in her hand.
"You're Annie," she said, not looking up.
"Yes."
She nodded once. "Good. We're waiting on one more person."
Annie didn't ask who.
The door opened a few seconds later revealing Adrian.
He stepped out.
He looked different out here. Less corporate. Still sharp. Still controlled. His coat was dark, his expression unreadable.
"Morning," he said to the assistant.
His eyes flicked to Annie. Just for a second.
"Good morning," Annie said.
He nodded. "You ready?"
It wasn't a question she could answer honestly.
"Yes," she said anyway.
The drive was quiet. Not awkward, very intentional. The kind of silence that made Annie hyperaware of her own breathing. She watched the city through the window as buildings slipped past, trying to ground herself in something real.
They parked in front of a tall, gated property set back from the street.
Old brick. Iron details. Subtle, expensive restraint.
"This is it," the assistant said, alighting first.
Annie followed, her heart picking up speed.
Inside, the space opened up into something vast but calm. High ceilings. Natural light. Floors that looked like they had stories older than her fear.
The client was already there.
A woman in her early forties, dressed simply, but with the kind of confidence money gives when it no longer needs permission.
"Good,"
The woman said, extending a hand. "You're on time."
Annie shook it gently. "Thank you for having us."
The woman's eyes lingered on her for half a second longer than necessary.
"You're new," she said.
"Yes." Annie replied swiftly.
The woman smiled faintly. "I thought so."
They walked through the space slowly. The assistant took notes. Adrian spoke occasionally, short but precise comments about structure, light, flow.
The woman suddenly turned to Annie.
"And you?" she asked. "What do you see?"
The room seemed to tilt.
Annie hesitated for exactly one breath.
She didn't talk about cost.
She didn't talk about trends.
She talked about feeling.
"The space feels guarded," she talked slowly.
"Like it wants privacy before beauty. I'd soften the edges without taking away its strength."
The woman studied her carefully.
"Hmmm."
Annie continued, finding steadiness in honesty.
"It doesn't need more. Just better intention."
Silence followed.
Then the woman smiled softly. A real one, this time.
"I like that," she said. "Most people try to impress me. You didn't."
Annie felt something loosen in her chest. "Finally!" She said within.
They moved on.
By the time the visit ended, Annie felt wrung out but standing. Like someone who had crossed a bridge without falling, even though she hadn't looked down once.
Outside, the assistant thanked the client and left to make calls.
That left Annie and Adrian standing by the SUV.
"You handled that well," he said.
She exhaled. "I wasn't sure if I did."
"You did," he replied. Then, after a pause, "You see spaces differently."
"People live in them," Annie said. "That matters."
He looked at her, really looked at her this time.
"Where did you learn that?"
Annie's stomach tightened avoiding his close gaze.
"Experience," she simply said.
He nodded, like he expected that answer.
As they got into the car, a buzz came from her phone.
A message from an unknown number reads...
> You're adapting faster than I expected.
Annie stared at the screen wide eyed, her pulse thudding loudly in her ears.
She didn't know who sent it. It was sent anonymously. But she had a feeling.
Annie looked up.
He was watching her reflection in the window, his face calm and unreadable.
The car pulled away from the curb. Annie didn't reply to the message.
She slipped her phone back into her bag, her mind racing. It was clear Someone was paying attention.
And she didn't know whether that meant she was being tested…
or cornered. Well let's see...