The Internship

Traces Of The Past

Six Months Later

Paige

His thumb found my lip, sliding along the space between my upper and lower lip until they parted, letting him in. His thoughts brushed through my mind, and instinct took over before I could question it. “Suck it.” He growled.

A soft gasp slipped from me as I closed my lips around his thumb, my chest rising and falling beneath the weight of him standing over me.

“Good girl.” His voice drifted over my skin, sending a chill down my spine despite the darkness around us. He moved behind me, pressing quick kisses along my neck, my back, my shoulders, each one stealing another breath from me.

Muffled gasps escaped my lips, each gasp coming out lower than the rest. “Let me see your face,” I whispered, but each time I turned around he was gone.

He only appeared again when my back was turned to him. This time, he snaked his arms around my waist, pulling me closer. I could feel the pressure of his member poking my behind. “Why won’t you let me touch you?” I whispered.

“You are touching me,” he said in his rich accent, his lips brushing my ear as his hand traced small circles along my back. “You feel it, don’t you?”

I shivered at the sound of his voice, and he leaned closer, his chin resting lightly on my neck. “The heat…” he whispered, his breath grazing my skin, “the pull…”

He tilted his head, nuzzling the side of my neck, inhaling the scent of my hair as his fingers moved slowly over my shoulders. “The sound of your heartbeat…” he murmured, letting his hand linger for just a moment longer, “…drumming in desire for me. It’s more than enough.”

“That’s not fair, I—“

My words hung in the air as the the room began to blur. Everything started to fade, the sound of his voice became distant, echoing from somewhere far away.

A sharp, familiar voice cut through the haze “Paige! Wake up!”

I tried to turn toward it, but the world kept slipping… the bed, my sheets, everything was dissolving into gray. My chest tightened, a pulse of panic running through me.

Suddenly, I was gasping awake, half sitting, half collapsing into my pillows. My room snapped back into focus, but everything felt off, it was now too quiet and too bright.

The echo of his voice lingered in my mind, I clutched the sheets as I blinked rapidly, trying to anchor myself in reality, but for a few seconds, I wasn’t sure which was real, the dream or this waking world.

“s**t!” I muttered, facepalming myself, before my aunt’s groan caught my attention.

Damn! She had woken me up. It was really her voice lingering in my dream.

I turned to her, offering the warmest smile I could muster. “Good morning, my favorite aunt.”

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head, her gaze flicking first to the clock, then back to me. “I’m your only aunt. Also, do you even know what day it is?”

I shook my head, holding her gaze while trying to remember if we were celebrating anything. “No,” I said, earning a sharp scoff from her.

She crossed the room to my bed so quickly it made me flinch. Sitting at the edge, she looked somehow younger in the morning light, the wrinkles on her forehead and around her eyes softened. Her green eyes held worry, her lips dry. She took my hand in hers, brushing a stray strand of grey hair from her mouth as she spoke.

“I know what happened six months ago is still very fresh in your mind,” she said gently. “You were hurt and betrayed by the people you love. But, darling, you’ve got to let it go if you want a better life. Get rid of dead weight, and I will support you all the way. Ever since you left New York and moved to New Orleans with me, you’ve carried that burden, I need you to let go. Free yourself. Please, don’t throw your life away—”

My phone buzzed, pulling my attention from her. I reached under my pillow, lifting it up and giving her an apologetic look. She knew how important it was to answer at the right moment.

A month ago, I had applied for an internship role at Sterling Corp, the leading powerhouse in tech and innovation, specifically for the Summer Analyst position, and every notification made my stomach twist in anticipation. A part of me didn’t even believe I’d get it. What would a billion dollar company want with me? But there was the other part that wanted me to try anyway.

I unlocked my phone nonchalantly, and my eyes nearly popped as they scanned the message on the screen.

“Dear Miss Hilton, we are pleased to invite you for an interview for the Summer Analyst role. Please reply with your available dates and times.”

I froze, staring at the message like it might disappear. Then it hit me, I had actually done it. My aunt’s face lit up as she leaned over, squeezing me tightly. “Oh my God! Oh my God!” she squealed, her voice trembling with excitement.

We jumped up together, spinning around the room in disbelief, laughing and crying all at once. I felt a surge of hope that had been dormant for months. “I got it,” I whispered, as if saying it too loudly might make it vanish.

Her hands were on my shoulders, shaking me gently. “This is it, darling. This is your moment. I’ve always known you could do it. Now go show them what you’re made of!”

We sank back onto the bed, still hugging, letting the gravity of the news wash over us. Almost immediately, my phone buzzed again. I picked it up, my fingers trembling slightly, and opened the mail without a second thought.

The subject line made me pause for a fraction of a second.

“Follow-up: Sterling Corp Interview”

I took a deep breath and scanned the words.

“Dear Miss Hilton, we apologize…”

I froze, my fingers hovering over the screen. I handed the phone to my aunt, letting my disappointment spill onto her. “I knew it,” I muttered. “It was too good to be true.”

She took a quick glance, smiled, and handed the phone back to me. “Read it carefully,” she said.

I wanted to argue, but bit back my words and continued reading like she said.

“We know we asked you to schedule an interview, but we would appreciate it if you could come in today by 11 a.m., as the boss will be traveling soon and would love to interview you himself.”

My jaw dropped. I could feel my heartbeat in my throat. “No… no f*****g way,” I whispered.

My aunt’s hand settled over mine. “Paige, you know what this means,” she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

I took a shaky breath, trying to steady myself. A part of me wanted to scream, another part wanted to run, and yet another wanted to collapse into the nearest chair and cry from relief. I could hardly believe it. So it was true? Sterling Corp, one of the biggest names I had ever dared to imagine working for, actually wanted me.

***

By 10:30 a.m., I was standing outside Sterling Corp, craning my neck to take in the building. Glass towers stretched skyward, reflecting the morning sun so brightly it nearly hurt my eyes. The lobby was pristine, the glass cubicles so shiny I could see my reflection in them. Everything about it screamed wealth and power.

I squared my shoulders. If there’s one thing about me, I reminded myself, it’s that I never let a place make me feel out of place.

The receptionist behind the desk had dark, glossy hair pulled into a neat bun and eyes that seemed to measure everyone who approached. She smiled as I showed her the email. “Follow me,” she said warmly.

The hallway that followed felt endless, like we were walking through a tunnel. My heels clicked nervously, my skirt twisting slightly as I tried to keep my stride composed.

When we finally reached the elevator, she pressed the button for the top floor, and the doors closed with a smooth final hum. I smoothed my navy pencil skirt again and adjusted my crisp white blouse, trying to steady the jitter in my hands. My simple black heels felt like they weighed a ton, but they were crucial for this moment. I needed to make an impression.

The receptionist flashed me a warm smile. “It’ll be fine. The boss doesn’t bite,” she said, as if reading the storm of panic in my mind.

The elevator doors opened onto another hallway. We walked a short distance before she stopped at a door. “That’s his office,” she said, pointing. “If you need anything while you’re on this floor, find me. My name’s Sarah.”

I nodded, swallowing hard. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, trying to force calm into my racing thoughts. Okay, Paige. Just… knock. Just knock and breathe.

I raised my hand and rapped gently on the door.

“Come in,” a deep, steady voice called.

I pushed the door open, letting my confidence carry me through the room as I muttered a greeting.

I had barely finished the words when I noticed a man standing near the window, shoulders tense, looking down as if he might… my stomach flipped at the thought…jump.

My chest tightened so sharply I thought I might collapse. Panic and fear collided with instinct. I ran toward him without thinking, wrapping my arms around him before my mind could catch up. “No matter what it is, life is worth living!” I said, my voice trembling. “I know how lonely it can be, even with all the money in the world, but people need you!” I blurted, trying to keep my hands steady.

He was so much bigger than me. Just standing there made me feel small. Hugging him felt like I was breaking myself apart, every part of me stretched and pulled at the same time.

The next few minutes held an unbearable silence, until the sound of his chuckle echoed through the room, dismantling me, amusement oozing off it.

I flinched as he slowly turned to face me, and my heart nearly stopped.“Did you hit your head on your way here?” he asked, his tone impossibly familiar.

I froze, my mind spun. That voice. That voice. I knew it. Somewhere, I had heard it before, but where?

He smirked, tilting his head. “Wondering where you know me from, Paige?”