AFTERGLOW

CHAPTER 1: THE INTERVIEW *Her:* Lena — 26, was queen bee in high school. Mouthy, mean, made his life hell. *Him:* Jax — The kid she called "Ghost" because he never talked. Now 28, 6'3", rich from tech/security company, owns the building she works in. Still remembers every single thing she said to him. *Chapter 1 Hook — The Interview* Lena didn't recognize him at first. The man behind the desk was in a black suit, watch that cost more than her rent for a year, jaw sharp enough to cut. Cold eyes. Calm. Then he smiled. "Lena Reyes. Still love making people cry?" Her stomach dropped. Jax Moreau. The boy she'd locked in the janitor's closet sophomore year. The boy she'd written "LOSER" on in yearbook. Now her resume was in his hands. And her loan was due in 9 days. "You applied for the assistant position," he said, flipping a page. "You were... not nice to me. Remember?" "I was a kid—" "You were cruel," he corrected, soft. "For years." He stood, walked around the desk, locked the office door. Click. She backed up until her spine hit the glass wall — 30 floors up, whole city below. "But I'm a forgiving man," he whispered, leaning in, hands in pockets, not touching her. "You get the job. $90k. You work late. You do exactly what I say." "What?" "And I get to finally be the one you can't stop thinking about." He brushed past her to unlock the door, close enough she could smell his cologne. "Welcome to Moreau Industries, Lena. Don't be late on Monday."