BEHIND HER MASK

TWO PERSONALITIES

~Mackenzie~

The elevator glided to a halt on the last floor. She stumbled out, her steps quick and unsteady, before rushing through the building’s exit and onto the main street. A cab appeared just in time, and she raised her hand sharply to flag it down.

“Littleton Corp,” she instructed as she slipped inside.

“Alright, miss,” the driver replied, pressing his foot on the accelerator.

The ride was smooth, but her insides were anything but. Nausea churned in her stomach, her head spinning in chaotic circles. She lowered the window, and the cool rush of air washed over her, offering a fleeting sense of relief.

Within minutes, the cab rolled to a stop at the entrance of the company. She paid the fare swiftly, then hurried inside. Sliding her ID across the scanner, the glass doors parted with a soft click.

The lobby was almost deserted, save for a handful of security guards beginning their early shift. She headed straight for the elevator, pressing the button for the top floor—her station, her destination.

She peeked out as the elevator doors slid open. The floor was empty. thankfully, no sign of Alex.

Stepping out, she walked briskly to her cubicle and dropped into her chair. A deep breath escaped her lips, relief flooding through her. She had managed to get in before him.

Now came the real challenge. avoiding Alexander. But how was that even possible when she was his secretary?

Click.

An idea sparked. If she prepared his coffee and set out the morning papers ahead of time, the essentials would be covered. She could figure out the rest later.

Heading into the small pantry, she set water to boil for coffee, then went in search of the day’s newspapers. Returning with them in hand, she poured the coffee and carried it carefully toward his office. At the doorway, she hesitated.

“Relax, you’ve got this under control. Last night you were Ramona, but today you’re Mackenzie, two completely different people.”

She said to her self before pushing through the Glass doors. Balancing the tray of coffee in one hand. The room was quiet. The low hum of air conditioning filled the wide space. She exhaled, relieved… he wasn't here yet.

She step into the office fully, trying to get the tray to Alex desk. The tray jolted as her shoulder smacked into something solid.

“Oh my God” she hissed under her breathe.

When she raise her eyes. Her breathe caught on her throat

ALEX

He stood there, tall, immovable, dress sharp as ever in a fitted suit. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. One brow raised in quiet amusement. His presence was alarming.

She froze, her pulse skipping. She hadn't expected him here… in fact no one expected him this early.

The tray which was steady earlier finally fell as she step back in shock. The coffee knock over spilling on her skirt.

“Ouch!” she gasped, clutching the spot where the scalding heat had kissed her skin. The sting shot through her, sharp and unrelenting.

“I....I’m sorry,” she stammered between breaths, wincing at the pain. “I didn’t expect you to be here this morning.”

His gaze dropped to her, lingering on the angry red patch spreading across her skin. She sat helplessly on the floor, the coffee stain marking both her clothes and her flesh.

Without a word, he turned toward his desk, opened a drawer, and retrieved a small tube of ointment. His steps were unhurried, deliberate, as he came back to her and crouched down until his eyes were level with hers.

Her breath caught. “What are you doing?” she demanded, inching backward, as if the space between them might shield her from whatever intention he carried.

“Shhh,” he murmured, his tone low and steady. “You don’t want that turning into a blister, do you?” He lifted the ointment into view, holding it just inches from her face, a subtle gesture meant to soften her resistance and quiet the wild thoughts racing in her head.

“Alright,” she agreed, lifting her skirt slightly to reveal the irritated spot.

He squeezed a bit of cream from the tube and carefully smoothed it over her skin, his fingers working gently to soothe the sting. The relief spread almost instantly.

She tilted her gaze up at him. The concentration on his face, the careful way he touched her, it was a version of him she hadn’t seen before. Different. Almost unrecognizable from the man he’d been yesterday.

Then, without warning, he broke the silence. “Why would you wear a skirt this short to the office? Trying to catch the attention of every man here?” His tone was flat, his face unreadable.

The words struck her like a slap. Seducing men at the office? Another insult from him. Who did he think he was?

Jerking back, she rose quickly, tugged her skirt into place, and locked eyes with him.

“That’s not what you think, sir,” she said firmly, her voice edged with defiance.

“As if,” he muttered with a smirk, rising to his feet.

He brushed past her without a glance, disregarding her feelings. Heading straight to his desk, he yanked open the bottom drawer, pulled out a stack of documents, and slammed them onto the polished mahogany surface.

“I want these sorted by date within the next hour,” he commanded.

Dropping into his chair, he spun toward his screen, his fingers racing furiously over the keyboard like a marathon runner.

She drew in a deep breath, steadying herself against the frustration bubbling inside her. Walking over, she laid her fingers lightly on the stack of papers.

Her eyes widened. “Sir, I’m not sure this can be ready in just an hour,” she admitted.

“If you can’t handle it in an hour, then what can you do in an hour?” he mocked.

God knew if this man weren’t so shameless, he wouldn’t drag her private life into this. Well, she would just have to prove to him how capable she really was.

“I’ll get it done as you instructed,” she said, gathering the documents.

“And one more thing, Miss Jordans, I want it sorted manually,” he added just as she reached the door.

His unyielding stare gave her no chance to argue.

“Yes, sir,” she forced a smile.

As she made her way to her cubicle, she muttered under her breath, mimicking his tone, “I want it sorted manually.”

She nearly bumped into Amy in the hallway.

“Hey, are you alright?” Amy asked.

“I’m fine. It’s just that Mr. Gracias is every bit the jerk people imagine,” she replied.

“What? What did he do?” Amy’s shock was evident.

It was the first time Amy had ever heard her complain about a superior. She had always been the polite one, the one who knew how to handle any situation gracefully.

“How does he expect me to finish this in just one hour? And manually, too?” she grumbled.

“Oh my God, that’s awful,” Amy sympathized.

“Maybe you could help me out?” she asked, giving her a pleading, puppy-eyed look.

“Oh, I wish I could, darling. But my boss needs me to get these documents signed by Mr. Gracias, and after that, I’ll be out on site for supervision on his behalf,” Amy explained.

“That’s fine, I understand,” she replied with a faint smile.

“You’ve got this, girl. Fighting!” Amy cheered, flashing a thumbs up before heading toward the CEO’s office.

That small gesture reignited her fighting spirit. Her morale shot up. She pulled the stack of documents closer.

Now was the moment to prove to him that she was capable and competent. She wouldn’t let him trample over her again.

Sliding on her prescription glasses, she cracked her knuckles. Her expression shifted—like a superhero gearing up to take down the villains.

She flipped through the pages, swift and sharp, almost as fast as lightning.