Chapter 3: A Stranger In A Familiar Eyes.
899 Words
Amara had promised herself she would be prepared.
But nothing could have readied her for him.
As she stood across from Damon Wu, the air charged with a tension that curled around her spine, she willed her face to remain blank. Polite. Professional.
Inside, she was chaos.
He stared at her with the kind of intensity that saw beneath masks. That used to see her.
But not this time.
She raised her head again and forced a soft, composed smile. The kind that didn’t reach her eyes.
"You said your name was... Amara Li?" he asked slowly, voice low and smooth. The way he said her name wrapped around her nerves like silk and thorns.
"Yes, sir," she replied lightly, nodding.
He tilted his head slightly. "Have we met before?"
She didn’t blink. "No, I don’t believe so."
The lie fell from her lips so effortlessly she almost hated herself for it.
But she couldn’t let him recognize her. Not now. Not when she’d come this far.
"You just seem... familiar," he murmured, more to himself than to her.
Her eyes avoided his. Instead, she examined the polished conference table, the glass windows, the sleek walls—anything but the man who once pulled her from the ledge.
To his credit, Damon didn’t press. Not directly.
Instead, he asked her questions. A smooth stream of them, like a man trying to solve a puzzle he didn’t even realize he needed to solve.
"What’s your favorite book?"
She lied. "Crime thrillers."
She hated them. They gave her anxiety.
"Favorite food?"
"Seafood."
She was allergic to shrimp.
"Hobbies?"
"Tennis."
She couldn’t hold a racket to save her life.
Still, she smiled through every word, and when he finally leaned back in his chair, a puzzled look crept over his face.
"Sorry," he finally said. "You just reminded me of someone I used to know."
Amara gave a small laugh. "I get that a lot. Must be the cheekbones."
He smirked faintly and stood, the interview seemingly over. "I'll see you in the main interview room shortly."
He walked out without another word.
The moment the door shut behind him, Amara let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Her knees weakened, and she stumbled to the nearby stool, letting her body fall into it.
Her hands trembled.
That was close.
Too close.
She exhaled deeply and smiled faintly to herself. Damon Wu hadn’t changed. Still composed, still handsome, still the kind of man who filled a room without trying.
But he hadn’t recognized her.
Not yet.
Elsewhere in the building, Kendra Song glared at her reflection in the restroom mirror.
Her perfectly planned morning had gone sideways. She replayed every humiliating moment from the hallway. The way her coffee had stained her blouse. The way Amara had dodged it with such grace.
"That smug little..."
She bit her lip, steadying her emotions.
She couldn’t face Damon like this. Not with coffee stains and shaken confidence.
She dabbed her top with a paper towel, trying to save what was left of her outfit.
Who the hell is that girl?
Her phone buzzed. A message from HR.
Orientation interviews begin in ten minutes. Be punctual.
Kendra tossed the phone back into her bag, letting out a sharp sigh. Her position at the company wasn’t threatened. Not yet. But she could feel something shifting.
And she didn't like it.
The interview room was sleek, with glass walls and a panoramic view of the city. Damon stood at the far end, flanked by a panel of two HR executives and his assistant.
Candidates were called in one by one.
When Amara entered, her footsteps quiet but certain, Damon’s gaze immediately found her. He didn’t look away once.
She felt it. The weight of his attention.
He watched her like a man trying to fit a memory into a present moment.
"Miss Li," one of the HR managers began, "we’re impressed with your resume and past projects."
"Thank you," she answered calmly, hands folded in her lap.
She answered questions confidently, her posture perfect, her voice measured. She had practiced this a hundred times.
But Damon’s stare made her skin itch. Her palms grew damp.
Why does he keep looking at me like that?
Was he beginning to suspect?
She didn’t falter. She matched every question with a carefully crafted response. She even added subtle references to her "past firm abroad," careful to omit anything that could link her to the university where they'd met.
Damon’s expression stayed unreadable.
Then finally, HR concluded the interview and one of the directors smiled. "Excellent. You’ll be joining Mr. Wu’s department. Top recommendation from HR."
Amara’s heart stopped.
His department?
She managed a graceful nod. "Thank you."
"Orientation begins tomorrow morning," the assistant added. "Please be punctual."
"Of course."
She stood, bowed slightly, and walked out with every ounce of elegance she could gather. But her thoughts were spiraling.
Damon’s department.
This wasn’t part of the plan.
Back inside, Damon leaned into his chair, eyes still fixed on the door Amara had just walked through.
There was something in the way she moved, something in the shadows of her voice.
She wasn’t the Amara he knew.
And yet... she was.
He closed the file slowly, brows furrowed in confusion.
He didn’t believe in ghosts.
But something about this one wasn’t ready to rest.
[End of Chapter Three]
- Writer
