The CEO and the Secret Beneath the Moon

The Leclair Group building was even more imposing in person than in the Google searches I had done. Twenty-five floors of glass and steel that reflected the morning sky, a facade that screamed success and power. I stood on the sidewalk for a few seconds, watching people in suits entering and leaving with the confidence of those who belonged to that world. I didn't feel that way. My sneakers were already bothering me, and the skirt of my best outfit seemed too simple compared to the impeccable looks I saw around me. I took a deep breath and walked through the revolving doors. The lobby was a spectacle of polished marble and indirect lighting. A modern fountain murmured in the center, surrounded by leather armchairs that probably cost more than my entire salary. I walked to the reception desk, trying to appear more confident than I felt. "Good morning, I'm Isadora Martins. First day on the projects team." The receptionist, an elegant woman with platinum hair, smiled professionally and handed me a temporary badge. "Nineteenth floor, elevator to the right. Helena from HR is waiting for you." The elevator went up smoothly, but my stomach did the opposite. With each floor that passed, reality became more concrete. I was really there. After years of saving money, studying at night, sending resumes that seemed to disappear into the void — I had finally made it. The doors opened to an environment that could have been in a corporate architecture magazine. Organized workstations, huge monitors, people moving around with defined purpose. The air conditioning maintained a perfect temperature, and natural light entered generously through the panoramic windows. It was intimidating and exciting at the same time. "Isadora?" A woman in a navy blue blazer approached, extending her hand with a genuine smile. "I'm Helena Cardoso, HR. Welcome to our team." Helena led me through the office, explaining the structure as we walked. Urban projects team, tight deadlines, demanding clients — information I tried to absorb while discreetly observing my colleagues. There was an energy in the air, a sense of purpose and urgency that was completely new to me. At the small construction company where I worked before, the pace was much slower, conversations longer, the environment more... familiar. "This is your station." Helena stopped next to a desk near the windows. "Dante will arrive in a few minutes, he'll be your direct partner on projects." I settled my bag in the drawer, turned on the computer, and tried to familiarize myself with the systems. Everything was more advanced, more complex. I felt a pang of insecurity — what if I wasn't good enough? What if they had made a mistake hiring me? "There she is!" The animated voice pulled me from negative thoughts. A tall guy with reddish-brown hair tied in an improvised bun and a contagious smile approached with two coffee cups. "You must be Isa. I'm Dante Ferraz, your new partner in crime." He offered one of the cups. "Coffee? You'll need it here." I accepted gratefully. There was something immediately welcoming about Dante — the kind of person who makes any environment lighter just by being present. "Thank you. I'm a little nervous, to be honest." "Normal. I was too on my first day." He pulled up a chair and sat next to me. "But relax, our team is nice. And you'll discover that behind all this corporate seriousness, we're normal people too." We spent the next hour reviewing ongoing projects. Dante explained each detail enthusiastically, from the software they used to clients' specific preferences. It was comforting to work with someone so willing to help. "Want to meet the rest of the team?" he asked when we finished the first review. He introduced me to colleagues — Ana from accounting, who offered help with any spreadsheet questions; Marcus from design, who promised to teach me the layout program shortcuts; Sofia from logistics, who had already separated the company's basic manuals. Everyone was kind, professional, welcoming. Even so, I continued feeling like I was playing a role, pretending I belonged in that place. "General meeting in five minutes." Helena announced, passing by the desks. "Main conference room." Dante guided me to a spacious room with an oval dark wood table in the center. Gradually, colleagues arrived, talking quietly as they settled in. I chose a chair in the middle, trying not to draw attention. That's when I saw him. He entered the room with a presence that immediately caught my attention. Tall, broad shoulders under a gray dress shirt, dark hair perfectly aligned. But it was more than appearance — there was something in the way he moved, a silent confidence, almost feline. He chose a chair on the other side of the table, and when he sat down, our eyes met for a brief moment. Gray, intense, as if they saw beyond the surface of things. I felt a strange tingling in my stomach, a sense of recognition that didn't make any sense. "Who is that?" I whispered to Dante. "Cael, strategic analysis." Dante responded quietly, following my gaze. "Relax, he just seems kind of closed off. But he's good people when you get to know him." Throughout the entire meeting, I found myself casting discreet glances in his direction. Cael remained attentive, occasionally taking notes, but there was something in his posture that suggested tension. At one point, he looked up and caught me watching. This time, instead of looking away, he held my gaze for a few seconds. There was curiosity there. I felt my face heat up and returned my attention to Helena, who was presenting the quarter's numbers. But part of my mind remained focused on the man across the table, trying to figure out why his simple presence aroused so much curiosity in me. When the meeting ended, he left quickly, without looking back. "I told you he's kind of strange." Dante commented, putting away his notes and laughing. "But he's not a bad person, just... reserved." Reserved. It was a good word to describe him. But there was something more, something I couldn't name. The hours passed faster than I expected. Between systems to learn, processes to understand, and people to meet, the first day at Leclair Group was intense and exhausting. When six o'clock arrived, I felt a mix of relief and satisfaction. "How was it?" Dante appeared next to my desk while I organized things. "Tiring, but good." I admitted, turning off the computer. "Thanks for all the help today." "Don't mention it. We're a team now." He smiled. "Tomorrow things get more interesting, we start the Meridian Construction project." We walked together to the elevator, talking about work details. We discovered we had a lot in common — we both came from smaller cities, we were both the first in our families to work at a big company, we both loved music and old movies. "Want a ride?" he offered when we reached the ground floor. "Thanks, but I prefer to walk. I need to get to know the city." Actually, I needed to process everything that had happened.