- ARIA
The air in the Vanguard Realty office smelled like stale coffee, burnt toast, and the distinct, sharp scent of desperation.
I loved it. To anyone else, it was just a mid-range real estate firm, but to me, it smelled like freedom.
"Aria, right? The new blood?"
I looked up from my desk to see a man leaning against my cubicle wall. He was wearing a suit that was a size too small and enough hair gel to reflect the overhead fluorescent lights. This was Manager Serge.
"That’s me," I said, forced into a polite smile. "Ready to get to work."
"Fantastic. We love go-getters." Serge didn't just stand there; he loomed over me.
He reached out, resting a hand on the back of my chair, his fingers inching uncomfortably close to my shoulder. "I’ve cleared your schedule for the
