The Executive's Secret

Chapter 5

As she typed away on her desktop she could hear the lady's giggles in Jasper's office. It took everything that she had in her to ignore them but she couldn't. She checked the time and it had barely been an hour since she had arrived in the office, Larissa sighed at the thought of having to endure listening to those two for any longer.

"Larissa, coffee?" Mark called out, his voice piercing through the thin office walls.

The suddenness of it made her jump. She swiveled around in her chair to face the open doorway where Mark, the office intern, hovered with a steaming mug in hand. He was a lanky young man with a permanent expression of bewilderment, as if perpetually surprised by his own existence. The smell of the coffee wafted over to her, a bitterness that did little to mask the burn of her jealousy.

She had met Mark when she went to get Jasper his food and they spoke briefly, nothing too memorable but she was grateful for the new distraction in front of her.

"come in Mark" she gestured him in with her hand and a smile on her face, her thoughts aggressively consumed her, she hadn't even heard the elevator because she was trying so hard to block the sounds coming from Jasper's office away. Mark slowly entered her office careful not to spill any coffee as he extended his hand to give Larissa her coffee,

"Thanks, Mark," she said, plastering on a smile. She took the mug and noticed the tremble in her hand. It matched the one in her chest. He gave her a friendly smile before making himself comfortable on the seat across her desk. “Is he in a meeting?” Mark asked,

"I'm not really sure about that" Larissa responded honestly, by the sounds of the giggles emanating from his office it was more a personal meeting than a business meeting.

"ohh i see, Emma is visiting" Mark said so casually as if everyone knew about these 'Emma visits' , he saw the look of confusion on Larissa's face and decided to go on further, "well, Emma is Mr Edwards girlfriend" he said with a shrug.

Mr Edwards

That's what se was supposed to call him, she had gotten used to calling him with his first name and she felt so awkward calling him Mr Edwards, "i see" she said as she slowly sipped her coffee. Larissa and Mark continued talking to each other for a while and she discovered that there was more to him than she had initially thought.

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on her door and Jasper walking in with Emma behind him, now wearing her leggings. He looked at both Larissa and Mark before proceeding to ask Larissa to cancel all his meetings for the day. She agreed and after Jasper left Mark decided to take his leave as well to allow Larissa to get on with cancelling all the meetings Jasper had, it was not a fun process with some people being upset at her because they were too scared of Jasper to be upset at him so she would be their scapegoat for the day.

Larissa sat at her desk, the soft glow of the computer screen casting shadows across her face. She was a picture of concentration, her brows knitted as she typed away at the keyboard with swift precision. The office around her was so silent she could hear herself think, better than listening to Emma's giggles. Her desk was neatly organized, with a few personal touches that hinted at a life beyond the confines of the office walls, a small potted plant, a framed picture of her and Sydney in college, and a half-empty coffee mug that had seen better days.

The office lights buzzed a constant reminder of the hours ticking by, but she barely noticed. Her eyes remained glued to the computer screen, the digital clock on the corner seemingly frozen in time. The office was eerily silent, a stark contrast to the outside world where life pulsed with the rhythm of the evening rush. The air was stale, filled with the faint aroma of coffee that had been brewing since dawn. Her fingers danced over the keyboard, finishing the last email of the day.

With a sigh of relief, she glanced at her watch, 5 pm. The day had stretched on longer than she had anticipated. The realization that she had been confined to the four walls of her office all day, only pausing for the most necessary of bodily functions, weighed heavily on her. The to-do list lay in front of her, completed yet unsatisfying. Her stomach rumbled, a protest against the neglect it had endured. She made a mental note to grab something to eat on the way home.

Shutting down her computer, she gathered her belongings, feeling the weight of the world lift from her shoulders. The leather of her bag creaked as she stuffed her laptop inside, the sound echoing through the now abandoned workspace. The clack of her heels on the linoleum floor grew louder as she made her way to the elevator, the rhythm syncing with the anticipation of escape. As the doors slid open, she stepped into the metal tomb that would whisk her down to the ground floor, offering a brief respite before the chaos of the city swallowed her once again.

The city streets were a cacophony of honking horns and chattering pedestrians, a stark contrast to the solitude of her office. She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of exhaust fumes mixed with the tantalizing aroma of street food wafting from nearby carts. The sidewalks were a river of life, people rushing to get home or to start their night out. She walked with purpose, dodging elbows and briefcases, her eyes scanning the horizon for the sanctuary of home.

Her apartment was a short subway ride away, but she decided to take the longer walk. The brisk air was refreshing, a welcome change from the recycled office atmosphere. She passed by the park, where children played and couples strolled hand in hand. The sight of life outside her work bubble made her feel a twinge of envy. Her thoughts drifted to Sydney, her best friend and roommate, who was still job hunting. She wondered what adventures Sydney had embarked on today.

The sun dipped below the skyscrapers, casting a warm glow over the city as she approached her building. The building was old and looked like it might fall apart any time soon but this is what they could afford for now, neither of them wanted any help from their parents even though both their parents had the capacity to help them into an apartment building with a doorman.

Larissa walked up the creaky stairs, grateful to have not worn heels for the day, yesterday had been a lot for her and she removed the heels halfway to her destination. Finally she was on their floor and she put the old rustic key in the lock and opened it, when she got in she locked it almost immediately, this neighborhood was a rough one.

Larissa walked through their short hallway which was lined with framed photos of their travels and laughter-filled moments, a stark contrast to the sterile office corridor she'd just left behind. She dropped her bag with a thud and kicked off her shoes, relishing the feel of the cool floor beneath her stockinged feet. The aroma of something delicious filled the air, and she followed it to the kitchen, where Sydney was busy chopping vegetables.

"Hey, you're home!" Sydney looked up from the cutting board, a smile lighting up her face. Her hair was tied back in a messy bun, and she wore an apron splattered with various colors of paint. It was clear she had been busy with her art and cooking, a typical day off for her when she's not on hair laptop sending emails to potential employers . "I've made us some stir-fry, hope you're hungry!"

Her stomach responded with a loud growl, and she couldn't help but laugh. "I'm starving," she admitted, walking over to give her friend a hug. The warmth of the kitchen was a comforting embrace after the cold office. "What's on the menu tonight?"

"Just some veggies and tofu," Sydney said, pointing to the colorful array on the counter. "But I picked up some fresh ginger and garlic from the market, so it should be pretty amazing."

Her stomach rumbled in response, and she couldn't help but smile. Sydney had a knack for turning simple ingredients into mouthwatering meals. She pulled out a chair and sat at the kitchen table, watching her friend's deft hands dance around the wok. The sound of sizzling oil and the aroma of spices filled the room, making her mouth water.

"where did you get the money for this Syd?" Larissa asked, they barely ever had money for things like tofu,

"i got it as a commission" Sydney said with a smile on her face, "that guy i went to yesterday got me a job as their creative director!" she screamed at the mention of this and Larissa gave her a hug as they jumped up and down.

Finally things were looking up for the both of them.