Chapter Three
1676 Words
That morning,the office had a different vibe.The open area was filled with a low hum of conversation,but Maya noticed something else,a quiet presence that didn’t belong.Shaking her head,she faced her desk and carefully went over the schedule that Adrian had given her the previous day.Travel arrangements,calls,meetings,everything was the same as usual .It had become a routine.
Yet this strange feeling wouldn’t leave her.
She looked at her phone as it buzzed on the desk,no missed calls,no emails,just a message.
Unknown number:”Maya,still running?”.
Her stomach tightened immediately she saw the message.Her hands trembled slightly,she deleted it instantly,trying to force herself to breathe well.She repeated the rules under her breath,but as she did her mind was racing so fast.Someone had found her.
A few minutes late,Adrian showed up at her desk with a folder.”Good morning,”he said casually,but his eyes were on her longer than usual.
“Good morning,sir”,she said with a trace of fear in her voice.
Adrian dropped the folder on her desk.”Please arrange these reports and write out summaries for tomorrow’s board meeting”.
Maya nodded immediately.”Understood sir”.
He stopped and looked at her face.”You look…distracted.Is everything okay?”.
She froze for a second,then shook her head.
“Yes sir,just concentrating on the task at hand”.
He smiled at her and said,”Are you concentrating…or running from something?”.
Her eyes met his for a very short moment.He knew something wasn’t right,he wasn’t just guessing.She could tell from the way he was looking at her,he was trying to read every of her expressions.She took a deep breath and looked down at her papers.”I’m fine”,she said firmly.
It was a quiet lunch that day.As usual,she sat at a quiet corner and cautiously watched both entrances and exit.She felt a strange presence staring at her just outside the cafeteria window.This time she wasn’t imagining it,someone was watching her.
Before she could react,a familiar voice interrupted.
“Would it be okay if I join you?”.
Maya looked up sharply.Adrian stood there looking around with his brown eyes,like he had seen what only she had noticed.
“I…don’t mind”she said cautiously,pointing to the empty chair.
He sat there so she could feel the quiet weight of his presence while maintaining a slight distance.He stirred his coffee and said,”You’re cautious about something”.
“Practical”,she said bluntly.
He smiled slightly.”You could say practical but I may prefer to say alert….or experienced”.
She felt tensed little .”Experience is considerable”.
“I get it”.He looked into her eyes.”Someone has made an impression on you…or maybe they are still making one”.
Maya’s fork hung midway in the air.”I don’t understand”,she said carefully.
He leaned back,observing her.”Oh,nothing Ms Clarke.Just curious,you do have a fascinating way of observing the world”.
Curiosity.He said that word again,she forced herself to focus on her salad as her chest tightened.It was impossible to read Adrian Kane.But yet,she felt the unwanted pull on her.
After she left the cafeteria back to her desk,Adrian called her into his office unexpectedly.
He said,”I need a summary of last quarter’s performance”.”I also want your suggestions on how to improve operations.”
She looked at the papers.”It’s a lot,but I can handle it”.
“Good,I’ll check back in an hour.Take your time,just do it thoroughly please”.he said leaning against his desk.
Maya gave a nod.She turned to leave,but he said softly,” Ms Clarke…don’t let anyone distract you”.
She paused.”Sir?”.
He smiled faintly.”Nothing,just a reminder to let you know that even the smallest distraction can have an impact on the results”.
It was more than a work-related reminder.Maya felt it in her chest,the unspoken knowledge that he saw more than she wanted him to.
She felt more and more like she was being watched by the time she got to her desk.She looked over her shoulders,using her eyes to scan the office.Nothing unusual,just empty cubicles and sunlight reflecting through the glass walls.
For a brief moment,a shadow in the office’s far corner caught her attention before it disappeared behind a pillar.She blinked quickly twice,imagining it.
Maybe,maybe not.
She looked at her reflection in the glass wall that evening as she walked toward the elevator.Her expression was calm,her blazer was perfectly arranged and her hair was packed neatly.But inside,her heart was racing.
She entered the elevator,pressed the lobby button and breathed out slowly.The doors opened again almost instantly,”Ms. Clarke?”.Adrian said as he tried to stop the elevator doors from closing.
She looked up.”Yes,sir?”.
“I need you to stay a little longer today.The Europe branch sent some important paperwork,I want them done before tomorrow morning”.
“Alright sir”,she answered.
He looked at her for a moment,not long enough to call it uncomfortable,but long enough to call it weird.”You can take a quick break before you start if you’re tired”.
“I’m fine”,she said softly.
“Good”,he said as he left for his office,leaving behind the scent of his cologne and a quiet pressure she wasn’t sure how to name.
The warm sunset light filled the office as evening slowly crept in.Voices faded down the hallway as staff members started packing up to leave for their various houses.The building became calmer and more quiet until it was just Maya and Adrian that were the only ones left.
At 7:30pm,Maya got up to stretch her back.She rubbed her hands together for warmth as she walked towards the break room.Leaning against the counter,she poured a cup of coffee,allowing the steam touch her face.
She felt a vibration from her phone,she froze.
Unknown number:”I see you working late today”.
Her chest tightened immediately she read the message.Her hands shook a little,almost allowing the cup slip from her hand before she put it down.The break room suddenly felt more cold and smaller.
With her breath caught in her throat,she stared at the message confused.It can’t be him,not so quickly,not in this place.
Her hands shaking for a moment,she quickly deleted the message.
“Maya?”
She looked up instantly.
With his brows drawn together,Adrian stood in the doorway.”Are you okay?”,he said.
She took a forced breath.Her voice sounded almost normal as she said,”Yes…yes,I’m fine”.
He didn’t look convinced.His eyes looked down at her hands.”You’re shaking”,he said.
She quickly lied, saying,”I just need sugar,I haven’t eaten since morning”.
He kept looking at her as he nodded slowly.”Come to my office,I have something for you to eat”.
“That’s not necessary sir…”
“I insist”,he said calmly.
She hesitated for a bit,then followed him.
Aside the light from the desk lamp,Adrian’s office was dark.He moved close to his desk and opened a drawer then he handed her a small packet of cookies.”Here,eat this.You won’t work properly especially on an empty stomach”,he said.
“Thank you sir”,she said.She opened the packet and took one as she sat on the edge of the small sofa close to his bookshelf.
His arms were crossed as he leaned against his desk.”You know…you can tell me if something is wrong”,he said.
She felt her heart skip a beat.”Nothing is wrong”,she replied.
“Your face and expressions say otherwise”,Adrian added.
She forced herself to look him in the eye.”Mr.Kane,I’m fine”.
Between them,there was a long silence that was heavy,silent and too personal for a CEO and assistant.Even though Adrian’s eyes were still fixed on her,it was enough to make the room feel different.
“You don’t have to pretend around me”,he said quietly.
That was risky,too close.She looked away immediately.
“I’m not pretending,I’m just exhausted”,she replied.
Adrian didn’t push any further.Instead he moved to his desk and switched on a second lamp which helped brighten his office a bit.
“Complete the paperwork and go home early,I’ll go over everything else”.
She blinked twice.”Sir,I can finish it…”
“Maya…Go home”,he said in a calm yet firm voice.
She pressed her lips together and nodded.”Thank you sir”.
She could feel his eyes on her back as she left his office.After arriving at her desk,she turned off the computer and packed her bag.But as she walked toward the elevator,her phone vibrated again.
Her stomach dropped.
Unknown number “Going home early? He must be taking care of you”.
Her breath seized for a moment.
She looked up…staring at her reflection in the elevator’s metal doors,trying to keep a calm eyes,calm face and calm posture.But inside of her,she panicked.
Someone was observing her.
Someone knew she was there.
Someone had found her again.
Before she could think straight,Adrian appeared behind her.”I’ll have Marcus take you to your car”
She turned back sharply,”That’s not necessary…”.
“It’s late”,he said in a tone that put an end to a conversation.
Maya nodded slightly.
Within a minute,Marcus the head of security showed up and escorted her out of the building.She kept her phone deep inside her bag.
The wind outside felt cold.After locking the doors of her car,she let her breath out slowly.
She stopped herself from crying,but she could taste the fear.
Her phone vibrated again as she drove miles away from the building.She didn’t look at the screen,not that she had to because she knew who it was.
- Writer
