5
1045 Words
Sara's pov
A soft touch on my shoulder pulled me from sleep.
"Sara. You need to start preparing for work, honey."
Andrew's voice was gentle, but it felt like a bucket of cold water. I opened my eyes slowly. The morning light was creeping through the curtains. My body begged for more sleep.
But sleep was not an option anymore.
I sat up and forced a smile for Andrew. He kissed my forehead and went to get ready himself. I sat there for a moment, letting the weight of the day settle on me.
Today was my first day at William Corporation. Today I would work with Mike. Today I would have to face Vanessa and her threats.
And somewhere out there, a private investigator was looking for me. Looking for the woman from the hotel. The woman Mike had been searching for. The woman Andrew wanted to give to his son like a gift.
I got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. As the hot water ran over my body, my mind would not stop.
Andrew won't change his mind about this. He wants to see his son happy so badly. He has no idea that the happiness he is trying to give Mike will destroy the happiness we have.
Very soon, the truth is going to slap him hard in the face. And when it does, it might ruin everything between us. Between all of us.
Then there was Vanessa. The red-haired woman who made it clear she would do anything to keep me away from Mike.
I made a decision standing there in the shower. I would talk to her. I would make her understand that I am not interested in Mike. That I don't want him. That she can have him.
But as I stood under the water, a question popped into my head. A question I could not answer.
Is that true? Do I really not want Mike anymore?
I thought about his eyes. The way they looked at me across the dinner table. The way he saved me when I almost said too much about that night. The way my heart raced every time he walked into a room.
I could not answer my own question.
I shook my head and turned off the water. "What will be, will be," I said to my reflection in the mirror.
That was one of my mother's favorite sayings. She used it for everything. Bad day at work? What will be, will be. Fight with a friend? What will be, will be. I never understood how she could be so calm about everything.
Now I needed that calm more than ever.
By 7:30, I was dressed and ready. I wore a simple but nice dress. Professional but not too serious. I wanted to look like I belonged at the company, but I didn't want to look like I was trying too hard.
I walked to the dining room for breakfast. The moment I stepped in, my heart dropped.
Vanessa was there.
She sat at the table like she belonged there. Like she was part of the family. Rebecca was laughing about something. Mike was reading on his phone. Andrew was at the head of the table, smiling at me when I walked in.
I took my seat and tried to act normal.
"Good morning, Sara," Vanessa said sweetly. Too sweetly.
"Good morning," I said back.
The breakfast went well if you ignored the looks Vanessa kept giving me. Every time I looked up, her eyes were on me. Not friendly. Not neutral. Just watching. Waiting. It made my skin crawl.
At one point, I caught Mike looking at me too. But his look was different. Softer. He looked away quickly when our eyes met.
When breakfast ended, a security man came to lead Vanessa and me to the car. We were supposed to go to the company together. As we walked down the long driveway, I knew I had to say something. This might be my only chance.
"Vanessa," I said quietly, keeping my voice low so the security man wouldn't hear. "You see, I am not interested in Mike. I just even found out that Andrew and mike are related."
Vanessa stopped walking. She turned and looked at me. Her face showed nothing. Not anger. Not relief. Just nothing.
She stared at me for a long moment without saying a word. Then she turned and kept walking.
I hated myself for saying that. Why did I explain myself to her? Why did I beg? It made me look weak. And weak people get eaten in places like this.
We got to the car. The security man opened the door for us. But just as Vanessa was about to get in, another security man came running over.
"Miss Vanessa," he said, slightly out of breath. "Mr. William said you should stay back. He has some personal errands he needs you to do for him."
Vanessa's face flickered. Annoyance? Anger? It was gone before I could read it. She nodded and stepped away from the car.
"See you at the office," she said to me. Her voice was flat.
Then she walked back toward the mansion.
I got into the car. My heart was already beating fast. I looked to my left and saw Mike sitting there. He was already in the car. I was so focused on Vanessa that I didn't even notice.
The door closed. The car started moving.
And now it was just me and Mike. In the back seat of a car. With a driver in front who could hear everything.
The silence was heavy. I stared out the window, watching the trees pass by. My hands were in my lap, squeezed together tightly.
I could feel Mike looking at me. I didn't turn.
My mind raced. What if he wants to talk about it? What if he brings up that night? What if he asks me questions I am not ready to answer?
The car moved on. The silence continued.
And I sat there, heart pounding, waiting for him to speak. Waiting for the conversation I was not ready to have.
Because I knew it was coming. It had to come.
We could not pretend forever.
- Writer
