Chapter Three: The Supposed Ally
1008 Words
Isabelle’s POV
I stopped breathing for a second as the woman sitting in the chair turned slowly toward me.
It was Vanessa Monroe.
The same woman who smiled at me that first day.
“Close the door, Isabelle.” she said as soon as she noticed that I was in.
I didn’t ask why. I just did.
When the door clicked shut, there was silence for a while.
“You texted me,” I said quietly.
She smiled,
“You came faster than I expected. Good.”
“What do you want?” I asked
“I want to help you.” she replied.
I almost laughed.
“Help me? You’ve been giving me death glares since I walked in here.”
Vanessa leaned forward a little, maintaining eye contact with me.
“Then maybe I’m the only one being honest with you.”
I folded my arms.
“About what?”
“Bryan.”
I blinked. “What about him?”
She tilted her head, studying me.
“You’re new and naïve. He likes that.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m saying he destroys every woman who works close to him. You think you’re different? You’re not.”
“That’s not true.”
“Really?” Her voice softened, but it wasn’t kind. “You’ve been here, what, two days? And already you’re at the center of gossip, with missing files, and private meetings."
I swallowed hard.
“That’s not my fault.”
“Nothing ever is. That’s what Sarah said too.”
“Sarah who?”
“Sarah Chen.” she replied and the name flashed back to my memory.
“What about her?”
Vanessa’s smile faded.
“She was the intern before you. She was smart, hardworking. She in fact thought she could handle him.”
“And?”
“She couldn’t. She quit suddenly. No one’s seen her since. No goodbye, no social media, and no trace.”
“That doesn’t make sense. People don’t just vanish.”
“Don’t they?” She walked closer, as I could hear her heels clicking .
“You’re already in over your head. You should walk away before it’s too late.”
I stepped back.
“You sound like you’re threatening me.”
“I’m warning you.”
Her eyes didn’t move off mine as she continued
“Bryan Mark is not a man you want to get close to.”
Then she reached for the door and looked back once.
“Don’t say I didn’t try to save you.”
She said one last time and left.
I sat in that empty room for a long minute, just staring at the wall.
What the hell was that? I finally grabbed my folder and went back to my desk.
When I got to my table, the phone was buzzing nonstop, and when I checked, it was four missed calls from Bryan.
My stomach dropped as I rushed to his office, knocked once, and went in.
He didn’t even look up.
“Where have you been?”
“I had a meeting.”
“With who?”
“Vanessa.”
He looked up then his jaw tightened.
“What did she want?”
“Nothing. Just work stuff.”
“Don’t lie to me.” he said as if reading my mind.
“I’m not lying.”
He stood, walked around his desk until he was right in front of me.
“You work for me, Isabelle. When I call, you answer. Always!.”
“My phone was on silent.”
“Then turn it off silently.”
“It’s just a phone call, Bryan. Not a national emergency.”
He laughed, but it wasn’t amusing.
“You think this is a game? This company is my life. If you can’t keep up, leave.”
“Maybe I should.”
“Then do it.”
The words hit harder than I expected and we stared at each other for a few seconds.
He finally turned away and said quietly,
“You can go.”
So I did.
That night, the house was too quiet as mom and Richard were at some charity dinner.
Bryan had come home late, and said he needed to finish work in his office downstairs.
I stayed in my room, trying to make sense of the day.
Vanessa’s warning kept repeating in my head where she had said he destroys everyone who gets close to him.
It sounded crazy, but a part of me wondered if it was true.
I took a hot bath, hoping to stop thinking. My phone was on the counter in my room, still on silent.
Steam filled the bathroom, and I let my head fall back against the tub. I relaxed for a minute or two before I heard my phone’s voice assistant through the door:
“Incoming call from Mr. Mark.”
I froze and for a second, I thought I imagined it.
Then it said it again;
“Incoming call from Mr. Mark.”
My stomach twisted as his voice came back in my head. "When I call, you answer. Always."
“Damn it,” I whispered and got up.
Water splashed everywhere as I wrapped a towel around me and ran out of the bathroom.
The phone was still ringing when I reached for it,
and that’s when the door swung open.
Bryan stepped in fast,
“Why the hell haven’t you been....”
He stopped and I stopped. The towel had slipped and neither of us said anything.
He looked right at me, then looked away quickly, his jaw tight.
“Put something on,” he said, and he turned around and walked out. The door slammed behind him.
I stood there shaking, as my heart went crazy.
For a long time, I didn’t move. I just stood there, dripping water, and trying to breathe.
And I couldn’t tell what scared me more;
that he saw me like that,
or that some part of me didn’t want to forget it.
- Writer
