The Unspoken
947 Words
Amelia walked into the office the next morning with the sound of her own footsteps echoing through the empty hallway. The building was quiet—too quiet. She glanced at the clock on the wall. 7:00 AM sharp.
She was on time.
For the first time in days, she felt a small sense of relief. Maybe, just maybe, she could handle this job after all.
She set her things down at her desk, trying to ignore the faint anxiety gnawing at her stomach. The to-do list on her desk seemed endless, and the pressure of being the assistant to Ethan Blackwood was already weighing on her. But there was no going back now.
The office door to Ethan's personal space was slightly ajar. She could hear the low murmur of his voice talking on the phone, but she couldn’t make out the words.
She took a deep breath. It was time to prove herself.
Amelia settled into her chair, scrolling through his calendar for the day. Meetings. Calls. More meetings. He had no room for mistakes, and neither did she.
At 9:00 AM, a soft knock on the door made her glance up. She quickly stood, smoothing down the front of her blouse.
"Come in," she called out, her voice surprisingly steady despite the nerves twisting in her chest.
The door opened, and a tall, confident-looking woman stepped in. Her heels clicked sharply on the floor as she crossed the room with purpose.
Celeste Montgomery.
Amelia recognized her instantly, even though she had only seen pictures online. Celeste was stunning, the kind of woman who had always seemed out of her league. The type who could charm anyone with a single smile.
“Miss Montgomery,” Amelia said, keeping her tone as neutral as possible. She didn’t know if Celeste was here for work or to visit Ethan, but she was the last person Amelia expected to see so early.
Celeste shot her a quick, assessing look. “I’m here to see Ethan. We have a meeting.” She spoke with a confidence that only added to the cool aura around her. “Is he available?”
Amelia hesitated for a moment, glancing at the time. She had no reason to lie, but part of her didn’t want to deal with Ethan’s ex-fiancée so early in the day.
“He’s still on the phone,” Amelia replied carefully. “I’ll let him know you’re here.”
Celeste smiled, a touch of smugness in her expression. “Please do.”
As Celeste took a seat, Amelia couldn't help but notice the way Celeste carried herself. She was polished, effortlessly graceful, and radiated an aura of elegance that made Amelia feel like she was still just a girl trying to find her footing.
The click of Ethan's office door made both of them turn.
Ethan stepped out, his eyes flicking between them before he turned to Celeste.
"Morning," he said, voice neutral, but there was something in the way his eyes lingered on her that Amelia couldn't quite place.
Celeste smiled up at him, the familiarity between them too easy, too casual. "Morning, Ethan." Her gaze dropped to his lips for a split second before she cleared her throat. “We need to go over the new project proposal, don’t we?”
Amelia swallowed, trying not to let the discomfort show. The tension in the air was palpable.
Ethan glanced back at her. “Miss Harper, get me the files on the Montgomery project. Now.”
“Yes, Mr. Blackwood,” Amelia said quickly, her hand already reaching for the papers on his desk. Her fingers brushed against the stack, but her thoughts were elsewhere. Why was Celeste still here?
It felt like a test. One that Amelia wasn’t sure she was ready for.
Celeste leaned forward, smiling at Ethan with a playful glint in her eyes. "I'm glad we’re meeting so early. I like it when you take charge, Ethan."
Amelia handed Ethan the files as he turned back to face her. He didn’t respond to Celeste’s comment, but there was something in his eyes—something that made Amelia’s stomach flip.
"Can you give us a moment?" Ethan said, barely looking up from the papers in his hands.
Amelia nodded quickly, turning to leave the room.
As she stepped outside, she could hear their voices—soft and private. The conversation didn’t last long, but Amelia couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling that was building in her chest. There was something more between them than just a professional relationship.
She leaned back against the cool wall, trying to calm her racing thoughts. But there was no ignoring the way the situation had unsettled her. Celeste was a part of Ethan’s past.
But would she always be in his life?
A moment later, Ethan emerged from the office, his face back to its usual unreadable mask. "Harper."
She straightened up, meeting his gaze.
"The proposal." He handed her a few papers. “Get this to the Montgomery group. Then arrange a call with the board at 1:00 PM.”
Amelia took the papers, but she couldn't quite shake the feeling that she was in way over her head. How was she supposed to navigate this? The job itself seemed simple enough, but the dynamic with Ethan and Celeste—that was a whole other thing.
She forced a smile. “Got it, Mr. Blackwood.”
Ethan turned away, already absorbed in his next task.
Amelia let out a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding.
Her first day on the job had been a whirlwind, and it was clear that things weren’t going to get easier anytime soon.
- Writer
