Burning Heart

"Just a peak and I will be out." Sofia rasped out in anticipation as her heart thudded against her chest painfully. She knew that what she was doing was very risky, as risky as losing her life if she was caught but she just didn't know how to turn back when met with such a generous opportunity. Mr Stone, the richest tycoon and most mysterious youngest billionaire in City Z had many rumors surrounding him, and getting the opportunity to see what his office held just made her blood boil. "Huh? No dead bodies and coffins?" Sofia's perplexed expression mirrored her disbelief. With a hesitant push, the door swung open, revealing an office draped in opulence. The walls emanated an aura of richness, adorned with tasteful artwork and meticulously crafted furniture. Suddenly, the distinct sound of a gentle elevator chime filled the air, interrupting the quietness of the office. Sofia's heart skipped a beat as waves of apprehension washed over her, igniting a sudden surge of panic. "s**t! I have to get out!" "Oh no!" She peeped through the door and saw approaching figures, she hurriedly closed the door with a soft click. "I'm so dead!" Sofia gasped, her eyes frantically scanning the surroundings of the office. She desperately searched for any possible hiding spot, but the only thing she could fit in to hide was the office table that dominated the room. ***Few hours ago*** Sofia had woken up tired like any other day and headed out to the largest company in City Z where she worked as a cleaner. Yes, a cleaner, it was quite an embarrassing job for a twenty-one-year-old but she had no other choice. "Seems I lost some more weight…at this point I wouldn't be surprised if I disappear entirely hehe" Sofia stared at her reflection in a car window parked outside the big company where she worked to make sure everything was well in place. At least with the heavy makeup and baggy old clothes she was always putting on, she looked older and that's why she got the job. It also helped her to remain anonymous to those who knew her. She still had her pride intact. Sofia had gotten to work very early that morning in high spirits most likely because that was the last day of the month and she was going to get paid, she couldn't wait to treat herself to a good meal. "Not like I will have much left at the end…" Just the thought of how most of her earnings went into training her sister dampened her mood but she shook the thought off. "Mr Stone called in, he has been delayed. Send this message to the conference room?" The passing comments of some group of men in black suits reached Sofia's ears. Ignoring all that she headed straight into the towering skyscraper to clock in for work. "Sofia, thank the heavens you are here, hurry up and head to the tenth floor and start cleaning, Naomi called in sick today." A middle-aged woman who looked to be in her fifties called out to Sofia at the other end of the hallway. "Hun? But that's the president's floor." Sofia's eyes widened, there was no way she was heading all the way to that floor to clean. Naomi just started working four days ago and her calling in sick was just her quitting this was nothing new to them as all the other service girls before Naomi who cleaned the tenth floor always ended up quitting with the longest staying being two weeks "No time for questions Sofia, the president is having a conference and that floor needs to be touched up before he arrives. Don't worry you will get a bonus." Sofia, who was going to protest, held her tongue at the mention of more money, 'what could go wrong?' That was how she found herself on the elevator heading to the highest floor, the tenth floor. "What do you want? Don't you know this floor is restricted?" The president's secretary, A slim blond bimbo in a very tight suit Sofia wondered how she could even breadth in it asked with disgust in her voice as she eyed Sofia's outfit from top to bottom. "Cleaning crew…I was sent to replace Naomi, the lady who usually cleans here." Sofia stammered out as she made sure to make her voice sound raspy and weak to portray the voice of an elderly lady. The Secretary stared hard at her before giving a wave of her hand and rushing past her leaving a ring of words. "Get my table tidied up and clean while you are at it!" "Yes, mam." Sofia gave an inaudible reply as she bowed her head, her heart rate beating twice as fast. 'This was it!' With quick steps, she hurried forward immediately coming across the secretary's desk and getting to work all the while trying to take her mind off the looming office door in the distance. "Okay…just a small peak and I am out." Slowly muttering this out, Sofia looked sideways, spotting no one around. She sprinted across the little hallway to the forbidden door that stood in the distance. ***** Only if she had known…Sofia's face was white with horror and pale as she listened in on everything that happened in that office hidden under the large office table that offered no sense of security that if someone were to walk behind the table she would be in plain sight. "Dispose of the body Ethan, I want no traces left. Also, find another replica." The cold undeniable voice of Mr Alexander Stone, the cold, mysterious, and rumored dangerous CEO of the Stone Age coup. "This is the third body just this week Alexander ah I think you should cut down on the drinks!" Listening to all these conversations made Sofia feel lightheaded. She had audibly heard the sickening sound of the knife connecting with flesh and the groans of pain from the man that the president had just taken his life. What scared her was the thought of what the president would do to her once she was caught hiding under the table.