CHAPTER ONE
1702 Words
Eden let out a frustrated cry, bouncing on her heels as the elevator inched closer- too slowly. Way too slowly.
She glanced at the clock on her phone: 7:45.
Perfect.
She had been told to be there by 8, and she still had a thirty-minute drive. Great first impression.
The glowing numbers above the elevator seemed to mock her. She gave them the finger and screamed internally before kicking off her heels and bolting for the stairs.
By the time she hit the ground floor, five minutes had passed, and her perfectly styled hair now looked like she had just ridden a motorcycle down the freeway without a helmet. Her shirt clung to her body, drenched in sweat. Ew.
She slid into the driver’s seat of her beat-up Corolla, silently praying that it would start. It finally did on the third try, and she pulled out of the apartment complex like her life depended on it.
She pulled into the company parking lot at 8:20. Not exactly how she had pictured her first day, but whatever.
The whole building had an eerie stillness, and she couldn’t spot a single person apart from the security guards.
“Good morning, I’m Eden Stone. A referred intern starting today,” she said, out of breath as she reached the front desk.
“You’re late,” the receptionist practically hissed, disgust etched all over her face.
“Traffic,” Eden blurted, immediately regretting it. Traffic? Really?
The receptionist’s perfectly curled blonde hair framed her face like she had just stepped out of a salon, and her skin was so pale , Eden wondered if she ever stepped into the sun. Her red lipstick popped against her porcelain complexion.
The clacking of the keyboard brought Eden back to the present.
“Eden Stone. Marketing Department, fifth floor,” the receptionist read off her screen and pointed toward the elevator.
“Thank—” Eden began, but the woman waved her off.
She rolled her eyes at the snobbish attitude, which the receptionist caught, her mouth falling open in offense. Smirking, Eden rushed toward the elevator.“Thank—” she began, but the receptionist waved her off.
She rolled her eyes at the woman’s snobbish attitude, which the receptionist noticed, her mouth falling open in offense. Smirking, Eden rushed toward the elevator.
She couldn’t help but admire the beauty of the lobby. A perfect mix of brown and gold—one of her favorite combinations. Even the receptionist desk looked like it had cost a fortune.
But then again, she expected nothing less from LK Holdings—one of New York’s most powerful corporate empires. Interns prayed to get in and cried when they didn’t. Eden had cried when she hadn’t.
She had been ready to let it go until she received an email saying a spot had opened. Spots never opened. LK only accepted interns once a year. If you didn’t get in, that was it. No second chances.
Apparently, someone had been forced to give up their spot due to health issues. Lucky her, she guessed.
The elevator finally stopped. She wasn’t sure what she had been expecting, but it wasn’t this. The office was flawless. Each cubicle was perfectly spaced, and the design clearly prioritized movement and efficiency.
A woman in a grey pencil skirt approached her. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun, and her smile looked like it had been perfected over decades.
“You’re thirty minutes late, Ms. Stone,” she said sternly, brows furrowed, though her polite smile never wavered.
“I’m terribly sorry,” Eden said, bowing her head slightly.
“We don’t tolerate lateness at LK. Three strikes and you’re out,” the woman said, flipping through Eden’s documents.
Once she was done, she directed Eden toward a group stationed to her left.
Five faces turned as she approached. A tall, dark-skinned guy with a wide smile waved at her first. Definitely didn’t have the kind of morning she had.
“I’m Simon,” he said.
“Welcome. Tony,” added the blonde guy standing next to him. He was about four inches shorter than Simon.
Two girls stood beside them. One of them hugged her warmly.
“I’m Mai,” she said, her voice as cheerful as her energy.
The last girl made no move to greet her—not that she cared. But Eden couldn’t help but notice that she was stunning, like runway-model stunning. Her eyes skimmed over Eden the same way the receptionist’s had.
Now that she thought about it, they were similar—perfect posture, flawless hair, and perfectly tinted lips.
“Her name’s Samantha,” Mai whispered when she noticed Eden looking.
Samantha, probably fully aware they were talking about her, rolled her eyes, folded her arms, and looked away.
“As I mentioned earlier, my name is Lina Sanders, and I’m the head of this department. Just call me Mrs. L,” the grey-haired woman announced as she joined them.
“It’s the first day, and I already feel like running away,” Mai muttered under her breath.
“Tell me about it,” Eden replied, and they both laughed.
“At LK Holdings, only the best survives. Do your best, and you have nothing to worry about. Shortly, you’ll be introduced to your supervisors. They’ll show you the ropes, and remember, your performance reflects on them too. …Mr. List expects perfection and nothing less. That standard is what has kept this company at the top for the past year. If you’re ever summoned to his office or are lucky enough to speak with him directly, know this: he has no patience for people who can’t speak coherently.”
Kaiden List—the young and mysterious CEO of LK Holdings—had led the company to the top in just two years. He was known for his successful projects, intense presence, and yes, his good looks. He rarely smiled, kept his personal life out of the media, and was a man of few words. Eden had never seen him in person, but she had heard enough descriptions to recognize him if she ever did.
Samantha’s hand shot up.
“Will we get to meet him personally?” she asked, her eyes shining with what Eden assumed was hope—the only emotion she had shown since they met.
Mrs. L seemed unimpressed by the question, but her smile turned ever so slightly mischievous.
“If you’re lucky.”
“Or unlucky,” Simon whispered. They all heard it and burst into laughter—all except Samantha, of course, who rolled her eyes again.
Mrs. L gave them a stern look, and silence fell immediately.
The orientation continued, filled with rules, warnings, and handouts, most of which were a blur.
Eden glanced at the time. 12:15 PM.
“All right,” Mrs. L said. “You can collect your schedules at the Marketing Desk before you leave. You’ll now meet the supervisors assigned to you for the duration of your program.”
Five people stepped forward: three men and two women, all sharply dressed. They didn’t look much older than the interns, but there was something about them—they looked settled, confident, like they belonged.
“This is Mr. Colton, head of Digital Strategy. Miss Susan, Event Management. Mrs. Leah, Public Relations. Mr. Shaun, Brand Relations. And finally…”
Their eyes moved to the last man.
“…Mr. Damien, Creative Direction.”
Everyone stared. And for good reason. He had an air about him, like he was exactly where he was meant to be. His eyes were a light brown, almost whiskey-colored under the lights.
Samantha’s demeanor shifted instantly. She smiled at him in a way any man would swoon over. He didn’t seem to notice—or maybe he was pretending.
Mai nudged Eden and whispered, “The world can have Mr. List. Give me him.”
Eden laughed out loud before she could stop herself. Then she noticed him. His eyes were on her, calm, unreadable, but burning as if he had seen their whole exchange and was very amused.
Mrs. L cleared her throat, bringing everyone’s attention back.
“I’ll now announce who you’ve been assigned to. Simon, your supervisor is Mr. Colton. Mai, you’ll be with Mrs. Leah. Tony, Mr. Shaun. Samantha…”
Samantha straightened up excitedly.
“…Miss Susan.”
Her shoulders slumped in disappointment. Mai stifled a giggle beside Eden. She had to fight the urge to do the same.
That meant…
“Eden, Mr. Damien,” Mrs. L concluded as she closed the file.
For a moment, it felt like every eye in the room was on her—one in particular seemed capable of piercing straight through her. A brief pause, then Mr. Damien dipped his head ever so slightly. It was subtle, almost nothing, yet somehow it unsettled her.
“That’ll be all for today,” Mrs. L said. “Supervisors, I trust you’ll do your best to train them. Introduce yourselves and get to know each other. New interns, you may leave by 2 PM today as this is mainly orientation. But you are to report by 8 AM sharp tomorrow.”
She looked directly at Eden when she said it.
“You lucky b***h,” Mai squealed in her ear as they all began walking toward their assigned supervisors.
“Eden. Nice to meet you,” said a voice, deep and smooth enough to snap her out of her thoughts.
She turned.
“Mr. Damien.”
He frowned slightly before letting out a soft laugh.
“Please. Call me Damien,” he said, offering his hand. They shook hands.
“I’m sure Lisa has told you everything you need to know about LK. Don’t feel pressured, but you do need to do your best,” he said in an attempt to reassure her.
“Yes. That’s very… assuring,” she replied, and he smiled. He glanced at his watch.
“It’s 1:30 PM. Would you like to have lunch?” he asked. Eden was about to decline when her tummy let out a low growl.
“Yes, please,” she replied, and he motioned for her to follow him.
- Writer
