New Intern (II)
1218 Words
Kate sat at her new desk, her fingers resting lightly on the keyboard as the hum of the office filled the air. The rhythmic tapping of keys and the soft murmur of voices created an oddly soothing backdrop. But Kate wasn’t here to relax. Her mind was already at work, strategizing and plotting her next move.
“Hello,” a sharp voice cut through her thoughts.
Kate glanced up to see a slender woman standing before her, a perm framing her angular face. The woman’s smile didn’t reach her eyes, and the condescending tilt of her head screamed one thing: office bully.
“I’m Susan,” the woman said, her tone dripping with faux friendliness.
“I know,” Kate replied flatly, not bothering to mask her disinterest. “We literally just introduced ourselves, didn’t we? What do you need?”
Susan’s smile faltered, slipping for just a second before she recovered.
“Oh?” she said, her tone taking on an edge. “I see you’re the tough cookie type. We’ll see how long that attitude lasts.”
With that, she spun on her heel and walked away, her shoulders stiff with irritation.
Helen, seated at a desk near Kate’s, leaned over, her expression a mix of worry and curiosity. “You know, you probably shouldn’t have done that,” she whispered. “Making a senior your enemy on the first day? Not a great move.”
“And let her walk all over me?” Kate shot back, her voice low but firm. “No thanks.”
Helen blinked, and then a small smile spread across her face. “I like you already. Can we be friends?”
Kate hesitated, weighing the pros and cons. Having someone to talk to—someone who could share information—might not be such a bad idea.
“Sure,” she said finally.
The morning passed in a blur of onboarding tasks. Logging into company systems, setting up emails, and reviewing HR protocols felt almost second nature to Kate, given her history. The muscle memory of running this empire, even from the shadows, gave her an edge over the other interns.
By lunchtime, Kate felt a flicker of triumph. She was back in her empire, even if it was from the bottom rung of the ladder. For now.
The cafeteria was bustling with energy as Kate stepped inside, employees milling about with trays in hand. It was the first time she had truly entered this space, as her former position never required her to eat there. Supervisory visits didn’t count.
As she stood in line, taking in the lively scene, someone barreled into her, jostling her tray.
“Ow!” Kate exclaimed, turning sharply.
It was the same guy who had bumped into her earlier that day… Ken.
“You again?” she said, her tone laced with irritation. “Why can’t you just watch where you’re going?”
“Why can’t you just get out of the way?” he shot back, his tone equally sharp.
Their heated exchange drew a few glances from nearby tables. Realizing they were attracting attention, Kate exhaled sharply and stepped away.
“Jerk,” she muttered under her breath, moving to a secluded corner of the cafeteria. She wanted to observe, not make a scene.
Moments later, Helen appeared tray in hand.
“Mind if I join you?” she asked, sliding into the seat across from Kate without waiting for a response.
“Go ahead,” Kate said with a shrug.
“What’s the deal with you and Ken?” Helen asked, gesturing toward the guy who had bumped into her earlier.
Kate rolled her eyes. “He’s a jerk. That’s the deal. He bumped into me twice today and didn’t even bother to apologize.”
“s**t happens,” Helen said with a shrug, then leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Hey, you know what I just heard?”
“What?” Kate asked, her interest piqued.
“There’s a rumor going around the office,” Helen said, glancing around to ensure no one was eavesdropping. “Some employees think the former CEO—Peter’s wife—was murdered. They don’t believe she just ‘fell’ into the swimming pool and drowned.”
Kate’s pulse quickened, though she kept her expression neutral. “Really?”
“Yeah. People were talking about it earlier in the break room,” Helen confirmed.
Kate hid a smile. It seemed the cracks in Peter’s carefully crafted narrative were already starting to show. Perhaps befriending Helen had been a good idea after all.
As they ate, Helen chattered on, comfortable in Kate's presence, while Kate responded sparingly, letting Helen's voice wash over her while her mind worked in the background.
The rest of the afternoon was spent shadowing her team leader, Tom McCombs. A seasoned HR professional, Tom was approachable and efficient, guiding the interns through their tasks with patience.
“Anna,” Tom said, pausing by her desk. “Tomorrow, I’ll need you to handle some document filings. Simple stuff—just making sure everything’s in order for the next payroll cycle.”
“Of course,” Kate replied, her tone professional.
Tom smiled. “Good. I can already tell you’re going to do well here.”
Kate returned the smile, though her mind was already racing. Document filings might seem mundane, but they often contain sensitive information—contracts, payroll details, and employee records. This could be her first chance to gather intel.
By the end of the day, Kate was mentally and physically drained, but a sense of accomplishment lingered. She had taken another step forward.
As she rode the elevator to the lobby, she caught her reflection in the mirrored walls.
The young woman staring back at her wasn’t entirely Kate Gilmore, the hardened CEO who once ruled this empire. But she wasn’t fully Anna Forbes, either. She was something in between—a survivor, a strategist, a woman on a mission.
Outside, the cool evening air greeted her as she stepped into the street and hailed a cab. As the car moved through the bustling city, her thoughts turned to Peter.
She could still see him standing in front of the interns earlier, his confident smile and polished demeanor fooling everyone in the room. Everyone except her.
“Enjoy your throne while you can, Peter,” she muttered under her breath. “Because I’m coming for it.”
Her phone buzzed, interrupting her thoughts. It was a group chat notification.
Kate had spent the past week combing through Anna’s conversations, piecing together her relationships. The group chat was with Anna’s three best friends from college—roommates who had been inseparable during their university years.
After graduation, they’d agreed to focus on their job hunts and not contact each other for a month. Today marked the end of that month, and the group chat was buzzing with plans to meet at a café.
Kate hesitated, then made her decision. She told the cab driver to change the destination.
If she was going to live as Anna Forbes, she’d have to live her life fully.
Bracing herself, she stepped out of the cab and headed toward the café, ready to meet Anna’s friends for the first time.
- Writer
