Claudia, beneath the scars

Chapter Six

"Great job, Claudia," Mr. Lucio said, his voice echoing in the otherwise quiet office. Claudia looked up from her desk, her eyes meeting his for a brief second before returning to the stack of documents she had just finished sorting.

"Thank you, Mr. Lucio," she replied, her voice a tad shaky. It was her first day back after a two-week leave, and she was trying to keep her emotions in check. The office walls were painted a calming shade of blue, but they seemed to close in on her as the weight of her recent traumatic events lingered like an unwelcome guest.

"We have a new partner," Mr. Lucio announced, his tone a mix of excitement and caution. He paused, letting the words hang in the air like an unexploded bomb. Claudia's heart skipped a beat. She had hoped to ease back into her role without any major changes, but the universe had other plans.

"Billionaire Ferdinand Castellanos," Mr. Lucio continued, his eyes gleaming with ambition. "He's a game-changer in the industry, and I've convinced him to come on board. This deal is going to take us to the next level." He paused again, waiting for Claudia's reaction. She nodded, trying to feign enthusiasm while her thoughts raced.

Claudia's desk was a sea of paperwork that Mr. Lucio had just dumped, each sheet a new challenge in the whirlwind of her day. The smell of fresh ink mingled with the faint scent of coffee from the nearby kitchen, a stark contrast to the sterility of the office. She took a deep breath, organizing the papers into neat piles. Contracts, financial statements, and emails about the upcoming merger filled her vision, creating a daunting to-do list.

As she worked, her mind drifted to the events that had led her to take the leave. The stalker, the fear, the never-ending sense of being watched. She had hoped that by coming back to work, she could leave that chapter of her life behind. But the mention of Ferdinand Castellanos brought it all back to the surface. She had read about him in the news—his ruthless business tactics, his controversial personal life. Could working with him bring more danger than opportunity?

Her phone buzzed, interrupting her thoughts. It was an email notification from Mr. Lucio's personal assistant, scheduling a meeting for later that day. "Ferdinand Castellanos, 2 PM, Conference Room A." Her stomach tightened. She had met Mr. Castellanos once before, at a company event, and his intense gaze had sent a chill down her spine. Now she would be face to face with him again, in a professional setting, with her new role as Mr. Lucio's right hand.

The clock on the wall ticked away the minutes, each one louder than the last. Claudia's mind raced with questions about what this new partnership would entail, and what it would mean for her. Would she be safe? Would her work be recognized, or would she be lost in the shadow of Mr. Castellanos's overwhelming presence? The blue walls of the office suddenly felt more like the bars of a cage than a sanctuary.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Mr. Lucio's footsteps approaching her desk. "Are you ready for the meeting, Claudia?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice. She nodded again, plastering a smile on her face. "Good," he said, patting her shoulder. "You're going to do great."

As the time grew closer, Claudia felt the tension in her shoulders build. She knew she had to be at her best—professional, efficient, and unflappable. But deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was the start of something she wasn't prepared for. The elevator doors opened with a ding, and Mr. Castellanos stepped out, flanked by his entourage. He spotted her and offered a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. She took a deep breath, bracing herself for the storm that was about to enter her life.

The meeting was a whirlwind of figures, projections, and strategic jargon. Mr. Castellanos's voice boomed through the conference room, demanding attention like a general addressing his troops. Claudia took meticulous notes, her hand cramping from the effort to keep up with the barrage of information. His presence was overwhelming, a force of nature that seemed to suck the air from the room. She couldn't help but feel like she was drowning in the sea of ambition that surrounded her.

During a brief pause in the conversation, Mr. Castellanos's gaze fell upon her. "Ah, Claudia," he said, his voice smoother than the whiskey he had been sipping. "I've heard a lot about you. Your work on the last quarter's report was quite impressive." His eyes lingered on her for a moment too long, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. She managed a polite nod, her heart racing in her chest.

The meeting concluded with a flurry of handshakes and promises to move forward swiftly. As Mr. Castellanos and his entourage left the room, Mr. Lucio turned to her with a proud smile. "You did great," he said. "I knew you could handle it." But Claudia couldn't shake the sense of foreboding that had settled over her. The partnership with Ferdinand Castellanos was a new chapter in the company's history, and she had no idea what it would hold for her.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of emails and phone calls, with Claudia doing her best to keep up with the deluge of work that accompanied such a significant merger. The office buzzed with excitement, but she felt isolated in her apprehension. She couldn't share her fears with anyone, not even her closest colleagues. The weight of her secret pressed down on her, making it hard to focus.

As the clock approached 5 PM, the office began to empty out. The blue walls of the office took on a gloomy hue as the sun set outside, casting long shadows across the floor. Claudia was the last one to leave, the echo of her heels on the marble floor the only sound in the otherwise silent space. She walked to the elevator, feeling the weight of the day's events settling on her shoulders like a heavy burden.

When she finally stepped out into the cool evening air, she took a deep breath, trying to shake off the tension that had built up over the course of the day. The city lights twinkled around her, a stark contrast to the cold, impersonal glow of the office's fluorescents. As she made her way home, her thoughts returned to Mr. Castellanos and the meeting. His smile had been unsettling, his interest in her work unnerving. What did he want from her? Was she just a pawn in his grand plan?

But he wasn't that bad? Or was he?