He slowly looked at me. He came closer and closer to me, stepping forward until my back was against the wall. The air between us felt different. His hands began trailing my body; every touch sent a sensation down my spine. Every touch felt good. His hands moved from my thighs until they got to my hands. He grabbed both of my wrists and gently slammed them against the wall. He drew his face until it was closer to mine. His eyes landed on my lips, then moved to my boobs.
"This is what I am talking about," he rasped.
My eyes widened. He smirked, his eyes looking forward to my hands.
"The files," he said as he grabbed the files from my hands.
"Oh, yes, the files."
"Yes," he said and went back to his desk.
I hurried to the door. As I got to the door, Selene was already standing there. She must have seen, from the way he had me pinned to the way his hands had held mine.
"Oh my gosh, she saw," I thought, the blood draining from my face.
I did not give her a chance to speak. I ducked my head, hurried my steps, and ran past her into the elevator. I hit the button for my floor and leaned against the elevator. I noticed Selene does not really like me. I just hope she does not make my days miserable in this office.
I spent the next hour at my desk staring at the same paragraph, unable to process a single word. Every time the door to the executive wing opened, I jumped. My mind kept replaying the way he looked at me and the way his body pinned me to the wall.
A soft knock on my glass door made me gasp. It was Tiffany again, her expression now a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Hey, everything okay? You looked like you saw a ghost when you came back from the top floor," she whispered, leaning in.
"I am fine, Tiff. Just a lot of work," I lied, closing my laptop to hide how tensed I am.
"Well, you might want to watch your back. I just saw Selene heading into the IT department with a very smug look on her face. Usually, when she looks like that, someone is about to fall into her wickedness," Tiffany warned. "She has been the queen of these floors for years, Emma. She does not take kindly to new girls, especially Mr. Vane's new secretaries. Most of the few that were hired when he came back and resumed his position in the company did not stay long and had to resign. Just be careful of her, Emma."
"Alright, sure."
She gave me a warm smile and walked towards her desk. Selene was not going to just yell at me, I thought to myself. She is the CFO. I just have to stay clear and be mindful of her. I looked down at the documents Mateo had given me earlier. They were financial records for my father's estate and his industries' accounts. My father had left me with everything: his money and his company. After reading the file page by page, I traced the signature on the bottom of it.
My father's handwriting was so familiar it made my chest ache. Oh, how I miss my dad. I wish the world was not so cruel as to take my father away from me. I miss his bright smile. I forced myself to get back to my work, trying to drown my sorrows.
I got back to my work. After a while, Jonathan walked in.
"Hey, I saw you looked a bit intense earlier," he whispered, leaning against the desk. "Is everything okay? You look pale."
"I am fine, Jonathan. Just first-day jitters," I lied, my voice sounding very low.
"Well, the offer for that drink still stands. You look like you could use a friend, especially since you are new here, and the rest of the team will be having a few drinks after work," he said with a warm, easy smile.
"I wish I could, but Mr. Mateo already told me I have to stay late to finish these reviews," I said, gesturing to the stack of files.
Jonathan's expression shifted as he looked at me, then at the files, then at me again.
"He is working you hard on day one, huh? That is the boss for you. He does not believe in light workdays."
"It is fine. I can handle the work."
"Alright, if you say so. Catch you later."
"Kk."
A few hours went by. The staff already left, some to the nearby spot to grab a drink with Jonathan. It was just me on the entire floor. I checked my phone and saw a text message from Sarah.
"How was your first day?"
"Okay, I guess. A lot happened today. I will give you all the tea when I get home," I texted back.
My mind immediately went to Mr. Mateo and wondered if he had gotten home or if he was working late, as I did not really notice him leaving. I waved off the thoughts as I got up, yawned, and packed my stuff.
"What a day it has been," I thought to myself. I stood in the doorway of my office, looking at the desks, the empty chairs, and the quiet hallways, feeling a sudden chill. As I took a step out of my office, the office phone rang. I picked it up, my voice trembling.
"Hello?"
"Hey bitch, come to my office. Now. Do not make me wait," Selene's angry voice came through the line.
I stared at the blinking light on the telephone, my heart hammering against my ribs so hard it felt like it might burst. The tone of her voice definitely wasn't peaceful
i suddenly felt every bit of the office's late-night chill
The anger in Selene's voice still echoed in my ears, in that moment, I realized I was gripping the edge of my desk so hard that my fingers were numb, my knuckles dry,
"She's going to destroy me,"