The Collision
Serena Vale had been inside Blackwood Industries for less than an hour when she realized that keeping her head down was going to be harder than she expected.
She had just left the administrative office with a stack of files when someone came around the corner without looking where he was going.
He collided with her shoulder.
The files slipped from her hands and scattered across the polished floor.
Serena stared at the papers before looking up.
"I'm sorry," the man said, although his tone suggested he wasn't particularly sorry at all.
He was tall, well dressed, and completely at ease in the middle of a busy office. His dark hair was slightly disordered, as though he had run a hand through it on the way upstairs, and an expensive watch showed beneath the cuff of his shirt.
Serena glanced at the papers again.
"You could help me pick these up."
He looked at the floor.
Then he looked at her.
"I could."
He made no attempt to move.
Serena waited.
When he still didn't bend down, she crouched and began gathering the files herself.
"Impressive," she muttered.
"What is?"
"Your willingness to help."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"You seem capable."
"So does everyone else on this floor. They still manage to pick up papers when they knock them over."
That got his attention.
He looked at her properly for the first time.
Most people who spoke to him in that tone usually knew exactly who he was. They either became nervous or immediately tried to correct themselves.
This woman did neither.
"You must be new," he said.
Serena picked up the last file and stood.
"Does that matter?"
"It explains the attitude."
She gave him a polite smile.
"Then perhaps you should enjoy it while it lasts."
She turned to leave.
"Wait."
Serena stopped.
He nodded toward the file in her hands.
"That's mine."
She looked down at the label.
Damian Blackwood.
Her eyes returned to him.
"You should have said so."
"I assumed you'd recognize the name."
"I didn't."
For the first time, Damian seemed genuinely caught off guard.
Serena handed him the file.
"There you go."
He took it slowly.
"What's your name?"
She considered ignoring the question.
"Serena."
"Serena what?"
She held his gaze.
"Serena Vale."
Something changed in his expression.
It was subtle, but she noticed it.
His eyes narrowed slightly as though the name meant something to him.
Before he could say anything, a woman appeared at the end of the corridor.
"Mr. Blackwood, your father is looking for you."
Damian sighed.
"Of course he is."
The woman glanced at Serena, then quickly looked away.
Damian started toward his office, but stopped after a few steps.
"You should be careful around here."
Serena frowned.
"Why?"
He looked at her for a moment.
"People don't stay innocent for long."
Then he walked away.
Serena watched him disappear through the executive doors.
She wasn't sure what irritated her more: his arrogance or the fact that he seemed completely certain that everyone else existed in his world for his convenience.
She returned to the administrative floor and found Chloe waiting for her.
"What happened?" Chloe asked.
"Nothing."
Chloe looked toward the executive corridor.
"You met Damian, didn't you?"
"So that's Damian?"
"You didn't know?"
"No."
Chloe lowered her voice.
"Please tell me you didn't argue with him."
Serena placed the files back on her desk.
"He knocked them out of my hands."
"And?"
"He didn't help pick them up."
Chloe stared at her.
"You're going to have a long week."
Serena sat down.
"I'm here to work."
"I hope you mean that."
Across the building, Damian entered his office and dropped the file onto his desk without opening it.
His father's voice sounded from the doorway.
"You were supposed to be in the boardroom ten minutes ago."
Damian turned.
Alexander Blackwood stood there, visibly irritated.
"I know."
"Then why aren't you there?"
Damian glanced toward the hallway.
"Who hired the new girl?"
Alexander frowned.
"What new girl?"
"The one in administration."
"I don't know."
Damian said nothing.
Alexander looked at his son carefully.
"Why are you asking?"
Damian leaned against his desk.
"She's a Vale."
Alexander went completely still.
For the first time that morning, Damian saw the irritation disappear from his father's face.
"What did you say?"
Damian's eyes remained on him.
"Serena Vale."
Alexander stared at his son.
Neither of them spoke.
The name had not been spoken inside the Blackwood family for years.
And now Richard Vale's daughter was working inside their company.
