Chapter Five
891 Words
Hazel learned quickly that nothing in the building was accidental.
Her fifth day working under Ares began the same way the others had—early arrival, quiet floor, tasks already waiting in her inbox. She completed them without question, her movements careful, her voice low whenever someone spoke to her.
People watched her.
Not openly.
Not rudely.
Just enough to notice.
She felt it most when she walked into meetings and conversations paused for half a second too long before resuming.
By noon, her head ached.
She stood near the coffee machine, waiting for it to finish brewing, when a woman stepped up beside her. Tall heels. Sharp blazer. Smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“You’re Hazel, right?” the woman asked.
Hazel nodded. “Yes.”
“I’m Livia,” she said. “Marketing.”
The machine beeped. Hazel poured her coffee slowly.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Livia continued lightly.
Hazel’s hand stilled. “You have?”
“Mmm,” Livia said, stirring her drink. “It’s interesting. New interns don’t usually sit on executive floors.”
Hazel forced a polite smile. “I was assigned here.”
“I’m sure you were,” Livia replied. Her eyes flicked briefly toward Ares’s office. “You must be very… impressive.”
Hazel didn’t know what to say.
Livia leaned closer, lowering her voice. “Just a word of advice. This place eats people alive. Especially the quiet ones.”
She smiled again and walked away.
Hazel stood there for a long moment, her coffee untouched.
Her phone buzzed.
ARES:
Did she introduce herself?
Hazel’s breath caught.
She typed back with shaking fingers.
HAZEL:
Who?
Three dots appeared.
ARES:
Livia.
Hazel closed her eyes.
HAZEL:
Yes.
ARES:
Good. Avoid her.
Hazel stared at the screen.
HAZEL:
You’re watching the cameras now?
The reply came immediately.
ARES:
I don’t need to.
That didn’t make her feel better.
Later that afternoon, Hazel was pulled into a meeting she hadn’t been scheduled for.
A small conference room. Glass walls. Four executives already seated.
Ares stood at the head of the table.
He didn’t look at her when she entered.
“Sit,” he said.
She did.
The discussion moved fast. Numbers. Projections. Risks. Hazel followed as best she could, scribbling notes, her heart pounding every time someone glanced her way.
Halfway through, a man across the table frowned.
“Why is she here?” he asked bluntly.
The room went quiet.
Hazel’s cheeks burned.
Ares finally looked at her.
Then at the man.
“Because I put her here,” he said calmly.
“That’s not an answer,” the man replied.
“It’s the only one you need,” Ares said.
No one argued after that.
Hazel kept her head down, her pulse racing.
When the meeting ended, the others left quickly. Hazel gathered her things, ready to escape.
“Stay,” Ares said.
Her hands stilled.
The door closed behind the last person.
Hazel stood there, unsure whether to sit or leave.
“You handled that well,” Ares said.
She laughed weakly. “I didn’t do anything.”
“You didn’t panic,” he replied. “That counts.”
She hesitated. “Why do they look at me like that?”
Ares studied her for a moment. “Because they don’t know what you are.”
“I’m an intern,” Hazel said quietly.
Ares shook his head. “You’re leverage.”
Her stomach dropped. “That’s not comforting.”
“It’s honest,” he replied.
Hazel’s voice trembled. “I don’t want to be used.”
Ares stepped closer, resting his hands on the table. “Then learn how not to be.”
She looked up at him. “Are you teaching me?”
His gaze held hers. “I am protecting you. The learning is optional.”
She swallowed hard.
By the end of the day, Hazel was exhausted.
She packed her bag slowly, hoping no one would stop her. The elevator ride down felt longer than usual, her reflection staring back at her with wide, uncertain eyes.
Outside, her phone rang.
Kaida.
“Hey,” Hazel answered.
“You’ve been disappearing,” Kaida said. “Alex says you’re busy.”
“I am,” Hazel replied.
“With what?” Kaida asked.
Hazel hesitated. “Work.”
“At a place you won’t talk about?” Kaida pressed.
Hazel closed her eyes. “I’ll explain soon. I promise.”
Kaida sighed. “Just don’t shut us out, okay?”
Hazel nodded even though Kaida couldn’t see her. “I won’t.”
They hung up.
Hazel started walking, the evening air cool against her skin.
Her phone buzzed.
ARES:
You didn’t answer Livia.
Hazel stopped walking.
HAZEL:
She didn’t ask a question.
A pause.
Then:
ARES:
Good.
She frowned.
HAZEL:
You said I’m leverage.
ARES:
Yes.
HAZEL:
Against who?
This time, the reply took longer.
ARES:
People who think silence means weakness.
Hazel stared at the screen.
She typed slowly.
HAZEL:
And what do you think?
Several seconds passed.
ARES:
I think you’re quiet because you’re listening.
Her chest tightened.
She slipped her phone back into her bag and kept walking.
She still felt small.
Still felt controlled.
But for the first time since the club
She felt seen for something other than a mistake.
- Writer
