THE FACE SHE COULDN'T REMEMBER
1049 Words
CHAPTER THREE
Elena Carter adjusted the strap of her bag as she stepped into Wolfe Industries for her first official day. The building felt even more imposing than it had during her interview—taller, colder, and filled with an unspoken authority that made her straighten her posture instinctively.
This was it.
Her new beginning.
She couldn’t afford any mistakes.
“Good morning,” the receptionist greeted her with a polite smile. “You must be the new assistant.”
“Yes, Elena Carter,” she replied, returning the smile, though her nerves were beginning to show.
“Welcome. HR is expecting you upstairs.”
“Thank you.”
As Elena stepped into the elevator, she caught her reflection in the mirrored walls. She looked composed, professional… almost confident.
But inside, her heart was beating too fast.
She kept reminding herself: *Focus on the job. Nothing else matters.*
Not the past.
Not that night.
Not him.
---
The orientation process went smoothly. Paperwork, introductions, brief instructions—everything was organized and efficient. By the time she was led to her assigned workspace, Elena felt slightly more at ease.
“This will be your desk,” the HR manager said, gesturing to a sleek workstation just outside a large office with tinted glass walls.
Elena nodded. “Thank you.”
As the HR manager walked away, Elena took a moment to settle in. She arranged her files neatly, turned on the computer, and tried to familiarize herself with the system.
But her eyes kept drifting to the office behind the glass.
There was something about it.
Something… commanding.
“Don’t overthink it,” she muttered softly.
Just then, the glass door opened.
Elena looked up.
And froze.
The man who stepped out carried an aura that silenced the entire floor without a single word. Tall, composed, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit—every movement he made was controlled, deliberate.
Powerful.
Her breath caught in her throat.
There was something about him.
Something… familiar.
But she couldn’t place it.
“Mr. Wolfe,” one of the staff greeted respectfully.
Mr. Wolfe.
Elena’s stomach tightened.
So this was the CEO.
Dominic Wolfe.
His dark eyes swept across the room—and stopped on her.
For a brief moment, everything else faded.
There was a flicker of recognition in his gaze.
Sharp. Intense.
Unmistakable.
Elena felt it like a spark.
But then it was gone.
He walked toward her, each step measured, confident. Elena stood quickly, her hands instinctively smoothing her skirt.
“Good morning, sir,” she said, keeping her tone professional despite the strange tension in her chest.
Dominic stopped in front of her, studying her face as though searching for something.
“Elena Carter,” he said, his voice low and steady.
It wasn’t a question.
It was a confirmation.
“Yes, sir.”
His gaze lingered.
Too long.
Elena shifted slightly under the weight of it. There was something unsettling about the way he looked at her—not inappropriate, but… knowing.
“Follow me,” he said finally, turning without waiting for a response.
Elena blinked in surprise but quickly grabbed her documents and followed him into the office.
---
The moment she stepped inside, the atmosphere changed.
The office was spacious, elegant, and intimidating. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city, but Elena barely noticed.
All her attention was on him.
Dominic took his seat behind the desk, gesturing for her to stand in front of him.
“Your documents,” he said.
Elena handed them over, careful to keep her movements steady.
Their fingers brushed.
A small, electric spark shot through her.
She pulled her hand back quickly, startled by the sensation.
Dominic, however, didn’t react outwardly—but his eyes darkened slightly.
He opened the file and began flipping through the pages, though it was clear his attention wasn’t fully on the documents.
“Your qualifications are acceptable,” he said after a moment.
“Thank you, sir.”
Silence followed.
But it wasn’t comfortable.
It was heavy.
Charged.
Dominic closed the file slowly, his gaze lifting to meet hers again.
“Tell me something, Ms. Carter,” he said, leaning back slightly. “Do you always forget people so easily?”
Elena blinked, confused. “I… I don’t understand, sir.”
His eyes locked onto hers.
Sharp.
Piercing.
As if trying to pull something from her memory.
For a split second, an image flashed in Elena’s mind—dim lights, music, laughter… a man standing close to her.
Her breath hitched.
But it was gone as quickly as it came.
“I believe we’ve met before,” Dominic continued, his voice calm but deliberate.
Elena shook her head slowly. “I don’t think so, sir.”
There was a pause.
Then—
A faint smirk touched his lips.
“I see.”
He didn’t press further.
But something in his expression told her that he knew more than he was saying.
And that made her uneasy.
“You may go,” he said, dismissing her.
Elena nodded quickly. “Thank you, sir.”
She turned and walked out of the office, her heart racing.
The moment the door closed behind her, she let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.
“What was that?” she whispered to herself.
Something wasn’t right.
The way he looked at her.
The way he spoke.
It felt like he knew her.
But how?
She shook her head.
“No… it’s nothing,” she murmured.
“It’s just your imagination.”
---
Inside the office, Dominic remained seated, his eyes fixed on the closed door.
His expression slowly darkened.
“She really doesn’t remember,” he muttered.
The night.
Her laughter.
The way she looked at him like he was just another man—not a CEO, not a powerful figure, just… human.
And the way she left without looking back.
A slow, dangerous smile formed on his lips.
“Interesting.”
He leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly against the desk.
Elena Carter.
The woman who had walked into his life for one night… and now walked back into it again without a clue.
Fate had a strange sense of humor.
But this time—
He wouldn’t let her walk away so easily.
- Writer
