Under Her Authority

Chapter Four

Athenarie’s POV

The first week at Greybell Solutions was exhausting, overwhelming, and… strangely exhilarating. Every morning, I woke before dawn, hurried through the quiet streets to reach the towering office building, and dove headfirst into schedules, emails, and phone calls. Each completed task felt like proof that I could survive on my own, that I didn’t need anyone’s approval or permission to exist.

I had learned quickly that Greybell was massive departments stacked on top of departments, employees rushing from meeting to meeting, phones ringing incessantly. And yet, no one asked questions I couldn’t answer. No one dug into my past. My middle name, a vague address, and a fake last name were enough to make me disappear into the crowd.

By the third day, I had fallen into a rhythm. Administrative work in the mornings, coordinating schedules and sending reminders in the afternoons, quietly observing the flow of the office without attracting attention. It was exhausting, but it was mine.

And then I met Janine.

It was lunchtime on Thursday when I spotted her sitting alone near the office café, a book in her hand and a thoughtful expression on her face. I hesitated friendship had always been dangerous territory for me but something about her quiet presence drew me in.

“Mind if I join you?” I asked cautiously. She looked up, startled for a moment, then smiled warmly.

“Not at all. I’m Janine.”

“Arie,” I replied, sliding onto the bench across from her.

We started with small talk workload, the building, the never-ending flood of emails. Her laughter was light and genuine, a stark contrast to the tense conversations I had left behind at home. For the first time since leaving, I felt something like… normalcy.

Over the next few days, Janine became my anchor. We ate lunch together whenever possible, sharing small jokes about office life, gossiping quietly about the harmless quirks of coworkers, and comparing notes about administrative tasks. I kept my distance when it came to personal information. I didn’t tell her my last name, my family, or where I lived. That part of my life was locked away, and I intended to keep it that way.

Janine never pressed. She was kind, curious, and intuitive, but respectful of boundaries a rare combination. And it made me trust her, cautiously, slowly. For the first time in weeks, I didn’t feel like I had to hide completely. I could be myself… sort of.

By Friday, I realized I had survived my first week. I had navigated the massive Greybell bureaucracy, completed my tasks without error, and even made a friend. Janine’s presence made the long hours lighter, her laughter a balm against the tension that clung to me like a second skin.

Yet, even as I felt this fragile sense of accomplishment, the reality of my secret life pressed against me. My family was still out there, somewhere, possibly looking for me. The Van Raay marriage, the threats of being found, the fear of being dragged back into that life all of it lingered in the back of my mind.

But for now, here in Greybell Solutions, I had a choice. I could focus on my work, my new routine, and the small friendship that had started to grow. I could breathe. I could survive. And slowly, carefully, I was beginning to believe that maybe just maybe I could thrive.

As Janine laughed at some small comment I had made, I smiled genuinely for the first time in a long while. My past, my family, the life I had left behind it was still there, waiting, but it couldn’t touch me here. Not today. Not while I was learning to live on my own terms.

For the first time in my life, I felt like I might actually be okay.

Almost three months had passed since I started at Greybell Solutions, and the routine had become familiar comforting in its own way. Every day, I walked into the massive building, navigated the maze of departments, and completed my administrative and coordination tasks. I had grown confident in my work, learned the ins and outs of schedules, clients, and deadlines.

The CEO, as always, remained a distant figure, shuttling between international business meetings. I had never met them in person, and in truth, I hadn’t needed to. Greybell ran like a well-oiled machine, and I fit into it quietly, efficiently. No one asked unnecessary questions. No one dug into my past. My secret identity remained intact.

Janine had become my anchor. We shared lunch breaks, whispered jokes in the hallways, and exchanged stories about office life. Even in my cautious way, I began to feel like this this hidden life was sustainable. I could breathe here. I could survive.

But the shadows of my past were growing longer.

It started subtly at first strange notifications on my phone, unknown numbers sending messages, emails that I didn’t recognize. Then came the more blatant threats: persistent calls from people I didn’t know, inquiries that hinted someone was asking about me, questions about my whereabouts.

I knew immediately who it was my family. They had begun tracking me down, trying every possible angle to bring me back. And for the first time in weeks, fear pricked at the edges of my confidence.

I couldn’t stay silent. I couldn’t face this alone. I needed help.

I hesitated for a moment, my fingers hovering over the phone. Then, with a deep breath, I dialed RC.

“RC?” I whispered when he answered, my voice trembling slightly.

“I… I need your help.” There was no pause, only the calm, steady warmth in his voice.

“Arie. Of course. What’s happening?”

I explained everything—the messages, the emails, the people sent to find me, the constant pressure from my family. Each word sent a shiver down my spine.

“Don’t worry,” RC said firmly.

“I’ll take care of it. I’ll make sure no one can reach you, no one can track you down. You just focus on your work and staying safe. I’ve got you.”

Relief hit me like a wave. Finally, someone I trusted was stepping in to protect me. I didn’t have to shoulder the fear alone anymore.

“Thank you… RC,” I murmured, letting myself feel the weight lift slightly.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’ll be fine,” he replied.

“Just stay low, keep doing what you’ve been doing, and trust me. I won’t let anyone touch you.”

Hanging up, I felt a strange mix of comfort and anxiety. My family was still out there, still searching, but now I wasn’t alone in facing them. Greybell Solutions remained my refuge, Janine my anchor, and RC my shield. For the first time in months, I dared to think that maybe I could actually survive this life I had chosen—and maybe, one day, thrive in it.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the city skyline from the office window. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the streets. Somewhere out there, my family continued their hunt. But here, behind the walls of Greybell, in the rhythm of my work, surrounded by allies I could trust, I had space to breathe. I had freedom, for now.

And I wasn’t letting go of it.