Chapter Four
1379 Words
Alexandra
I survived.
Barely.
Honestly, when my alarm went off this morning, I genuinely believed I was marching to my professional execution.
And yet, here I am, walking out of the building at 5:03 p.m. alive, emotionally bruised, only slightly humiliated, and with more paperwork than I expected for day one.
As I hurried down the sleek marble steps, I tried not to replay every moment that had gone wrong today. The spilled coffee incident. Nicholas appearing out of nowhere and nearly giving me a cardiac event. Tripping over my own shoe lace in front of an entire executive team- still not sure how that even happened since my shoes don’t have laces.
But I made it.
And now I’m speed-walking across the city to meet Cassandra because if anyone is qualified to listen to me spiral dramatically about my day, it’s her.
Our usual spot is a warm little rooftop restaurant tucked above a side street in Asterion City’s arts district. It’s one of those places that makes you feel like you’re in a movie scene with indie music quietly playing in the background and fairy lights draped dramatically overhead. Cassandra loves the ambience. I love the desserts.
The elevator doors open to the rooftop level with a soft ding, and the moment the warm evening air hits my face, I feel my shoulders drop a little. Cassandra is impossible to miss—bright bouncy curls, bold eyeliner, a top in a color so vibrant it deserves its own spotlight. She’s already waving like she’s trying to direct traffic.
“There you are!” she calls as she practically skips toward me. “You survived! I was two seconds away from sending a rescue mission.”
“Cassandra,” I sigh dramatically as she pulls me into a crushing hug. “It was… a day.”
“Ooh,” she says with the kind of excitement that should be illegal on a weekday. “Tell me everything. I even ordered the appetizer you like because I knew this would require emotional support carbs.”
I love her.
We settle into our usual corner table- fairy lights twinkling above us, warm city glow stretching out below. Cassandra props her chin on her hands.
“Okay,” she says. “Start from the beginning.”
“You sure?” I ask. “Because I will not be stopping once this faucet starts running.”
She nods solemnly. “Unleash.”
I take a long sip of water, inhale deeply, and dramatically let my forehead drop onto the table.
Cassandra taps her straw against her glass. “Okay, start talking. You texted me forty-eight exclamation marks. Who died?”
“My dignity,” I mumble.
She perks up with immediate interest. “Excellent. Now explain.”
I lift my head just enough to glare. “Nicholas from the bar is my new supervisor.”
Her eyes go wide- then wider. Then she bursts into laughter so loud two people turn to look.
“No.” She leans in, almost whispering. “No. Absolutely not. The universe wouldn’t do that to you. That’s too cruel even for fate.”
“Oh, it would,” I say flatly. “It did.”
She covers her face, still laughing. “Alex… Alex. The man you tried flirting with on Saturday- Mr. Golden-Jawline-Mystery-Man- that’s your boss?”
“Former mystery man,” I correct bitterly. “Current source of professional suffering.”
Cassandra bites her lip, shoulders shaking. “You should’ve seen your face when you realized.”
“I wanted to evaporate,” I say. “Just dissolve into vapor and float out the nearest vent.”
Cassandra waves a hand dismissively. “Well, it’s not like he would recognize you. Thank goodness for that, right?”
I stare at her.
She notices the stare.
She blinks. “...Right?”
I drop my head into my hands. “Cass. He recognized me.”
She freezes mid-sip, straw paused between her lips. “No. No, he didn’t.”
“Oh, he absolutely did.” I throw my hands up. “He looked at me like I personally broke into his house and rearranged his furniture.”
Cassandra’s eyes widen. “Alexandra. That’s not- he’s not supposed to- your curse-”
“Yes!” I hiss. “Exactly! The curse should’ve reset everything. He should’ve forgotten the bar entirely. Forgotten me. Forgotten the almost-moment before his stupid phone ruined it.”
She leans forward, whispering like the FBI might be listening. “This is not normal. This is very, very not normal.”
“Welcome to my day.”
Cassandra presses a hand to her chest, scandalized. “You mean to tell me that Nicholas Carter- Strategic Development Nicholas Carter- mysterious bar guy Nicholas- your boss Nicholas Carter- remembers everything?”
“Not just remembers,” I say, jabbing a finger at the table. “He thinks I flirted with him at the bar to get on his good side before starting work.”
Cassandra recoils. “Ew. Men.”
“I know.”
“That’s so rude.”
“I KNOW.”
“And also-” she lifts a brow “—kind of bold of him to assume you’d use seduction to bypass actual competence.”
“Exactly!” I groan. “Like I would ever try to charm my way into Strategic Development. Do I look like someone who bats my eyelashes for corporate access?”
Cassandra snorted in response.
"So you were recognized by your cursedly un-forgetful boss, and he thinks you seduced him for a job recommendation. That is… honestly spectacular.”
“Please don’t use that word.”
Cassandra grins. “Spectacular.”
I shove a carrot puff in my mouth just to avoid talking.
“Okay, okay,” she laughs. “Start from the top. How was everything else? You said three embarrassments before noon?”
I exhale and hold up a finger. “One: spilled coffee on my blazer. Not even five minutes into the day.”
She winces. “Classic start.”
“Then, the bumping-into-him-twice thing.” I gesture wildly. “Twice, Cassandra. The universe is mocking me.”
“It definitely is,” she agrees cheerfully.
“As if that wasn't enough…” I close my eyes, reliving the shame. “I tripped over nothing and nearly crashed into the CFO. I looked like a baby horse learning to walk.”
She taps her chin. “Honestly? That one tracks. You do have a history of waging war against flat surfaces.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t. You love me.” She reaches over and pats my hand with faux sympathy. “Rough first day. But hey- you survived. And this Nicholas thing?” She gestures vaguely, like she’s dusting something off. “You’ll handle it.”
“I just want to do well on the project so he gets off my case.”
“You will,” she says, then adds with a teasing smirk, “Also: I still can’t believe bar guy is your boss. Alex. That is wild. That is cinematic. That is-”
“Stop.”
“—literally the plot of a drama.”
I groan. “Please stop.”
“Nope,” she replies, absolutely delighted. “This is my coping mechanism. Let me have it.”
I drop my forehead to the table once more. “I’m never drinking with you again.”
Something in the back of my mind clicks.
“Do you think Elias will be able to join us?” I ask.
Cassandra raises a brow. “Did you text him?”
“No. I figured he’d be too busy. Wolfe Corp was all over the news this morning. Something about a major software breach.”
“Oh right.” She taps her phone screen. “Should I ask him?”
“I mean… I wouldn’t mind,” I admit. “It’s not the same without him.”
Cassandra smiles mischievously as she begins typing.
Before she can type whatever dramatic nonsense she was about to send, a familiar voice cuts in behind me.
“Really?” he says. “Not the same without me? I’m honored.”
I turn around.
- Writer
