Cracks In The Calm
913 Words
Chapter 6
The steady hum of the office had become a kind of white noise for Ariella. After two weeks at Blackwood Enterprises, she had learned how to blend in—how to move silently, speak only when needed, and stay three steps ahead of Damien Blackwood’s expectations.
But today, something felt... off.
It started with the way the new executive assistant, Tessa Greene, watched her from across the room. Tessa was tall, elegant, and always seemed to glide rather than walk. She had been with the company for over a year but had only just returned from vacation.
And apparently, she wasn’t pleased to find someone else working directly under Damien.
“So,” Tessa said casually, approaching Ariella’s desk with a coffee cup in hand, “you’re the new assistant Mr. Blackwood hired while I was away?”
Ariella offered a polite smile. “Yes. Ariella Johnson.”
Tessa’s eyes slid over her slowly. “He’s usually picky about who works close to him. Interesting.”
Ariella didn’t rise to the bait. “I’m just here to do my job.”
“Mmm.” Tessa sipped her coffee, her perfectly painted nails tapping the cup. “You must be doing more than that if he’s letting you sit outside his office.”
Before Ariella could respond, Damien’s door opened. His expression was neutral, but his eyes landed on the two women immediately.
“Johnson, my office. Now.”
Ariella rose quickly, not missing the way Tessa’s smile tightened.
---
Inside Damien’s office, the mood was different today. A little less rigid. He didn’t immediately launch into instructions, instead gesturing for her to close the door behind her.
“You’ve handled the last three project summaries without error,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “And you’ve dealt with Marcus’s impossible deadlines better than most of my senior staff.”
Ariella blinked. “Thank you, sir.”
“I don’t say that often,” he added. “Don’t expect me to make it a habit.”
She gave a small smile. “Of course not.”
He tilted his head. “But I meant it.”
Before she could respond, her phone buzzed in her pocket—once, twice—then again in rapid succession.
She flushed. “I’m so sorry. Let me silence it—”
Damien raised an eyebrow. “If it’s urgent, answer it.”
She hesitated, then glanced down. Three missed calls. Daycare. Her heart stuttered. Liam’s teacher never called unless something was wrong.
With trembling fingers, she stepped to the corner and picked up on the fourth ring.
“Hello? This is Ariella Johnson.”
“Ms. Johnson, it’s Miss Clara from Starlight Daycare,” the voice said hurriedly. “Liam had a bit of an accident on the playground. He’s okay, but he’s shaken. He tripped and scraped his knee and elbow badly. We cleaned him up, but he’s asking for you.”
Ariella closed her eyes. Her heart dropped to her stomach.
“Is he crying?”
“A little. He’s being brave, but he said he doesn’t want to go home without seeing you.”
“I—I’ll be there as soon as I can,” she said softly.
When she turned around, Damien was standing—watching her.
Something unreadable flickered across his face. “Your child?”
She hesitated. This was it. One crack, and everything could fall apart.
“Yes,” she said, careful not to offer more. “His daycare just called. He’s hurt.”
There was a pause. Then Damien nodded once.
“Go.”
Ariella’s breath caught. “Sir?”
“I said go. He needs you.”
“But—what about the reports, the—”
“I said go, Johnson.”
His tone wasn’t harsh—it was firm. Decisive. And for a fleeting second, she thought she saw concern in his eyes.
She gathered her things quickly, thanking him before rushing out, barely catching the way Tessa watched her with narrowed eyes from down the hall.
---
Later That Evening
The apartment was quiet, dim except for the soft glow of the nightlight in Liam’s room. He had fallen asleep with a cartoon bandage on his knee, one arm around his dragon plushie.
Ariella leaned against the doorframe, watching him sleep. Guilt tightened around her like a rope.
She hadn’t even seen him fall. Hadn’t been there to comfort him until he was already bandaged up and sniffing back tears.
She knew it wasn’t her fault—she was working. Fighting for their future. But that didn’t make it hurt less.
Her mind drifted back to Damien. The way he’d told her to leave without question. The way he looked at her—not with judgment, but with something softer.
She hadn’t expected that.
She still didn’t know what to make of it.
---
The Next Morning
When Ariella walked back into the office, she expected tension.
Instead, she found a small box on her desk.
No note. No name.
Inside: a tube of children’s ointment, a roll of cartoon-themed bandages, and a small packet of jellybeans.
Her throat tightened.
She didn’t need a signature. She knew who it was from.
And for the first time since she’d started this job, she felt truly unsure of what to do.
Because the man she had been so certain was cold, distant, and unreachable… had just shown he might be something else entirely.
- Writer
