Exclusively me
1330 Words
The next morning, the usual noise of the office greeted me like a welcome I didn’t need.
My head was still spinning from what had happened the night before.
I’d barely slept, thinking about those men, the strange panic that had driven them to flee, and Jeremy, who had appeared out of nowhere as if he knew exactly where I was and that I needed help.
I shook those thoughts away as I walked through the company’s hallways. My goal was clear: get to my desk, focus on work, and stop obsessing over something that clearly made no sense.
But before I could reach my desk, an assistant stopped me.
“Alondra, Mr. Hanks wants to see you in his office. Right now.”
My heart skipped a beat. Why was he calling for me so early? I tried to convince myself it had nothing to do with last night.
But a small part of me knew that was probably the reason behind his summons.
When I reached his office door, I took a deep breath before knocking softly.
“Come in,” he said, his voice calm yet serious.
I pushed the door open, and there he was, sitting behind his massive desk. The moment he saw me enter, he stood up, something I hadn’t expected.
His gaze was intense, and for a second, time seemed to stand still.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked, his eyes locked onto mine.
“Yes, I’m fine, thank you,” I replied with a brief smile, though my voice sounded shakier than I would’ve liked.
He took a step closer to me, his movements controlled yet brimming with an energy I couldn’t define.
“Did those men hurt you?” he asked, his tone so serious that it caught me off guard.
I quickly shook my head. “No, I’m fine. By the way, it’s funny… You showed up, and suddenly they started talking nonsense.”
His eyebrows arched slightly, showing genuine interest.
“Nonsense? What did they say?”
I couldn’t help but chuckle a little, recalling how absurd it had seemed at the time.
“They said there was a wolf. As if you could encounter something like that in the middle of the city.”
His expression shifted slightly, just enough for me to notice. His lips curved into a faint smile, but his eyes didn’t reflect amusement.
“Wolves are real,” he said, his tone low and deliberate.
I laughed again, more openly this time.
“Of course they’re real, but not in the middle of the city. Those animals would be a danger to anyone nearby. It’s ridiculous.”
His smile widened, but it wasn’t entirely kind. It was almost as if he knew something I didn’t.
He took a step toward me, closing the distance between us, and his voice dropped to a near whisper.
“Wolves can be closer to you… closer than you think.”
The air around me seemed to thicken. A strange sense of unease ran through my body.
“What does that mean?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, though I didn’t entirely succeed.
Jeremy tilted his head slightly, as if studying my reaction.
“I can feel your fear.”
My heart skipped a beat. What kind of comment was that? I swallowed hard and forced a smile, trying to regain some control over the situation.
“Well, I have a very tight schedule today. Lots of work to get through,” I said, looking to change the subject.
He studied me for another moment, as if debating whether to press the matter further. Finally, he nodded and returned to his chair behind the desk.
“Of course,” he said lightly as he settled back into his seat. However, before letting me leave, he spoke again. “Last night, I noticed someone came to pick you up.”
I froze for a moment, though I tried not to show it. “Yes, a friend,” I replied, unwilling to elaborate.
“A good friend?” he asked, his tone so casual it was almost believable. Almost.
I nodded slowly, trying to keep the conversation as brief as possible.
“Yes, a good friend.”
Jeremy didn’t respond immediately, but the way he looked at me made me feel as if he could see right through me, as if he was searching for something beyond my words.
Finally, he offered a small smile and shifted his focus to some papers on his desk.
“Alright. You can get back to your work.”
I nodded, muttering a quick thanks before leaving his office.
But as I walked down the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest, I couldn’t shake the memory of his final look or the words he’d spoken.
“Wolves can be closer to you… closer than you think.”
What did that mean? Why had he said it like that? There was something about Jeremy that didn’t add up, something that unsettled me as much as it intrigued me.
I sat at my desk, trying to concentrate on my work, but every time I tried, his voice echoed in my mind, along with the image of those golden eyes I thought I’d seen in the darkness last night.
“Alondra,” Viviana’s voice startled me.
I turned in my chair to find her standing in front of me, arms crossed and wearing a serious expression.
“Yes?” I asked, trying to keep my voice from sounding too tense.
“The man from the other night has requested to see you again.”
For a moment, my mind went blank. The man from the other night? Was she talking about… him?
“Excuse me?” My voice came out higher-pitched than I intended.
“You heard me. That important man specifically asked for you to attend to him today.”
I shot up from my chair, the surprise echoing in every one of my movements.
“No, I’m not going,” I said quickly, shaking my head.
Viviana raised an eyebrow, as if she’d expected that response, then took a step closer, reducing the distance between us.
“If you don’t want this to turn into a workplace issue, I suggest you reconsider.”
“A workplace issue?” I repeated, incredulous. My tone shifted from shock to anger in seconds. “You can’t fire me for refusing to see someone outside of my usual duties. There are plenty of others who can assist.”
Viviana sighed, like she was explaining something obvious to a child.
“Maybe I can’t fire you directly, but believe me, I can make working here very, very uncomfortable for you. And besides, he was clear. He wants you. Exclusively you.”
Her last sentence sent a chill through me. Why would someone insist on seeing me? What made me so special? This couldn’t be a coincidence. Not after everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours.
“Why me?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
Viviana didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she gave me a look that said she didn’t have time for my questions and pointed at the clock on the wall.
“I don’t know and I don’t care. What matters is he needs you now.”
I opened my mouth to protest again, but just then, the phone on my desk began to ring.
I stared at it as if it might somehow explain what was happening.
“Answer it,” Viviana ordered, her expression impatient.
I swallowed hard and picked up the receiver.
“Alondra?” Jeremy’s voice filled my ears, deep and authoritative, resonating beyond the phone.
“Yes, it’s me,” I replied, trying to maintain composure.
“Come to my office. Now.”
He hung up without another word. Slowly, I placed the receiver back in its cradle, aware of Viviana’s eyes boring into me.
- Writer
