Chapter 3 – Haunting Eyes
778 Words
Rhea’s eyes fluttered open to the soft beeping of her alarm.
She groaned.
Her body ached like she hadn’t slept at all, and in truth, she hadn’t really. She had spent most of the night turning from side to side, haunted by a pair of cold grey eyes that had stared straight through her the day before.
She didn’t need to wonder whose they were.
Damian Cole.
Even his name left a strange taste on her tongue.
He was everything she expected—and nothing like she imagined.
Sitting up slowly, Rhea reached for her phone. 5:37 AM. Way too early, but her brain refused to go back to sleep. She tossed the blanket aside and got out of bed, rubbing her eyes.
Today would be different, she promised herself.
Yesterday had caught her off guard. She had studied him for years—from news articles, press conferences, even security camera footage.
But nothing had prepared her for the real him.
The cold arrogance.
The quiet authority.
The way he looked at her—like he was trying to remember something that didn’t exist.
She stepped into the bathroom, splashing water on her face.
She stared at the mirror for a while, droplets clinging to her jawline.
“You’re not here to feel,” she whispered to her reflection. “You’re here to destroy him.”
**
The walk to ColeTech was a blur. She took a different route today, avoiding the main subway crowd, needing time to settle her nerves.
By the time she stepped through the glass doors of the building, it was 7:15. The office wasn’t packed yet, but people were already settling in.
A woman in a navy-blue suit stood near the front desk, scanning a tablet. Her hair was in a neat bob, and her glasses sat perfectly on her nose.
“New girl!” the woman called out.
Rhea paused mid-step, a little surprised.
The woman walked over confidently. “Catherine Myers. I handle employee onboarding and internal communications. You're Rhea, right?”
Rhea nodded. “Yes. Rhea Blackwell.”
“I thought so. You made quite the impression yesterday.” Catherine smiled, though her tone was brisk, like she was always on a schedule.
“Did I?” Rhea asked carefully.
“Relax,” Catherine chuckled. “In a good way. Punctual. Neatly dressed. No unnecessary small talk. Cole appreciates that kind of thing.”
Rhea’s stomach flipped slightly at the mention of his name.
“Come,” Catherine waved her to follow. “I’ll walk you to your department this time. Have you had a chance to meet anyone yet?”
“Not really,” Rhea said. “I kept to myself.”
“Smart,” Catherine nodded. “You’ll find your people eventually, but don’t rush it. This place can chew up the wrong energy. Stay sharp.”
There was something in her tone that Rhea couldn’t place—almost like a warning.
They passed by a few cubicles. Some employees glanced at her. Others didn’t bother. But the buzz of quiet voices and tapping keyboards was steady.
Rhea caught snatches of conversation—weekend plans, a team presentation, complaints about someone named Thomas from HR.
“He forgets to mute his mic,” someone whispered behind her. “And he breathes like Darth Vader.”
Rhea nearly smiled.
Not everyone here walked on glass, it seemed.
“Your desk’s by the graphics team,” Catherine said, stopping at a small but neatly organized space near a glass wall. “They’ve got headphones on most of the time, so don’t expect much chatter.”
Rhea nodded, setting her bag down.
Catherine leaned in slightly. “Just a tip—avoid office gossip. Don’t get too friendly too fast. And don’t make eye contact with Cole unless he speaks first.”
Rhea looked up. “Is he really that intense?”
Catherine gave a small smile. “Let’s just say… he remembers everything. And forgets nothing.”
With that, she turned and walked away, her heels clicking across the tile.
Rhea sat down slowly.
She looked at the computer screen, at the pile of unopened onboarding emails, but her mind drifted.
She didn’t expect anyone to be friendly—not yet.
She didn’t come here to make friends anyway.
Her eyes drifted toward the glass wall to her right. Beyond it, the hallway stretched quiet and empty.
For now.
But she knew that at some point today… he’d pass by.
And this time, she wouldn’t let his eyes shake her.
She was here for a reason.
And nothing—not even those haunting eyes—could make her forget that.
- Writer
