BROKEN SILENCE

CHAPTER TWO

"How did it go?"

That was the first thing Catherine said the moment I stepped through the front door, wiping her hands on an apron.

I kept my face completely blank, hanging my bag on the coat rack and shrugging. "I don't know..."

"Oh baby, it'll be alright. Come here," she said, opening her arms wide.

I didn't hesitate. I walked straight into her hug, burying my face against her shoulder. She smelled like old paper and vanilla—the comforting scent of the bookstore that had been my safe haven for two years. She rocked me gently, just like she always did when the world outside got too loud.

"I got the job," I whispered against her shoulder, unable to keep the grin off my face any longer.

Catherine pulled back so fast her hands nearly flew up. "Sarah!" she gasped, slapping my arm lightheartedly. "You terrifying young woman! Why did you walk in looking like you were heading to a funeral?"

"I couldn't help myself," I laughed softly, the tension in my chest loosening for the first time all day.

"Well? Don't keep me in suspense! What did they offer?"

"Eight thousand dollars a month," I said, voice dropping in awe. "Plus full health coverage after ninety days."

Catherine stared at me, her eyes wide. "Eight thousand... Sarah, that is—that’s life-changing."

"I know," I whispered, holding her hands. "I checked the contract three times just to make sure I wasn't misreading the zeroes, Mom."

"Look at you," she said, her voice softening as she held my face between her hands. "Growing into such a strong, remarkable young woman. I am so ridiculously proud of you."

"I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for you," I said, hugging her tightly. "You know that, right? You gave me a home when I had nothing."

"You did the hard work, baby," she murmured, stroking my hair. "Now, go get some rest. Tomorrow is a big day."

……………..

"Why can't you be more like your brother?"

"Sarah, don't be a slob, get out of the house for once!"

"You think Mom and Dad will believe you over me?"

"You should be grateful I help you….. no one will ever want a weirdo like you."

I jolted awake, gasping for air, chest heaving.

The sheets were tangled around my legs like hands.

My skin felt wrong. Too tight. My heart hammered against my ribs so violently I thought it would break through. For a horrifying minute, the dark room felt suffocating, as if the walls were closing in on me.

"It was just a dream," I whispered. clutching my trembling chest. It’s not real, or is it? Cause I could still feel it.

My hand shook as I reached for my phone on the nightstand.The screen flared to life: 2:03 AM.

Sleep is not an option anymore, not with the voices in my head.

I kicked off the sheets, threw on a pair of oversized leggings and a heavy hoodie, and laced up my sneakers.

The 24-hour gym four blocks away was the only place I could go when my brain turned against me. I needed to feel something else. Anything else to numb this pain. If I couldn't quiet the noise in my head, I’d force my body to burn until there was nothing left to feel.

By the time I was done, it was already 6:00 AM, my thighs were burning and my lungs felt raw, and i was tired—like really f*****g exhausted. Not the usual kind where you need rest or need sleep, but the kind where all you need is peace, just for a while. Because the physical exhaustion was a relief—a temporary hush over the storm inside.

I leaned against the gym locker, resting my forehead against the cold metal while my breath slowly evened out. My muscle legs trembled from pushing past my limit, but the physical burning in my thighs was better than the storm in my head.

Autopilot. I reminded myself. Just turn on autopilot.

I pulled my hood up, stepped into the crisp morning air, and walked back through the quiet streets. The house was still still when I unlocked the front door at 6:15 AM. Soft morning light was just beginning to filter through the sheer curtains in the living room.

I crept past Catherine's room, keeping my weight light on the hardwood floor. She already carried so much of my baggage; she didn't need to see me pacing like a ghost before sunrise.

Inside my room, I shut the door quietly and draped myself into the bathroom, washed up and started getting ready,

One minute I’m fine and now I’m not. Not that it’s makes much difference. I’m never fine for a long time anyway

First day at Reed Enterprises, and I’m already f*****g drained, physically drained,emotionally drained, running on zero sleep, and mentally raw.

Because feeling fine was never a luxury I had anyway. I adjusted my outfit—black tailored trousers and a high-collared shirt. Clean lines, zero color, total protection. As I slipped into a black heels, it’s was a body armor color, High collar, zero color and an expression so sharp that’d stop people from getting too close, to stop me from breaking down or freaking out. It was my armor to keep the past buried, and stop the world from seeing how close I was to breaking. Cause the voices still echoed in the back of my head whenever I let my guard down.

I didn't bother making coffee. My heart was already pounding fast enough to double as a caffeine rush.

I grabbed my bag, stepped into the kitchen, and snatched a couple of granola bars off the counter. I can’t afford to be late on my first day.

The morning air outside was crisp, biting through my thin shirt as I hailed a cab. City traffic crawled at a grueling pace, red tail lights blurring together like a warning sign. Every time the driver hit the brakes, my stomach did a slow, nervous flip.

I ended up getting to the office around 8:05 AM—nearly an hour before my 9:00 AM start time.

Following Mr. Reed’s instructions from yesterday, I skipped the main ground-floor lobby and headed straight up to the 15th floor to wait at his private executive reception area. The floor was quiet, almost eerie in the early morning light, so I just took a seat on one of the plush leather chairs, clutching my bag in my lap and trying to steady my pulse.

Every time the elevator chimed or a distant door clicked, my shoulders tensed.

Around 8:30 AM, the elevator doors chimed, and Dani stepped out holding a travel mug.

"Oh, look who’s early," she said, offering a warm smile that instantly took the edge off my nerves.

I didn't smile back. I just gave a tight, polite nod, pulling my arms a little closer to my body. "Good morning."

“Follow me, I'll show you around," she offered, turning down the corridor.

I kept a steady two-step distance behind her, my eyes scanning the hallway, instinctively marking where the emergency exits were.

Dani stopped outside a heavy door directly adjacent to Mr. Reed’s suite and pushed it open.

“This is your office."

The room was clean, spacious, and flooded with natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows. On the dark wood desk sat a sleek laptop, dual monitors, and a desk phone.

"You're free to decorate it however you want," Dani added, gesturing around. "Make it feel like yours."

Make it feel like mine. The thought felt alien. I didn't want to leave a trace of myself anywhere. Surprisingly the less space I occupied, the safer I felt.

"Thank you," I said softly, keeping my voice flat and professional. "I prefer to keep things simple."

Dani spent the next twenty minutes walking me through the software setup and security passcodes. I absorbed every word with intense, panicked focus— terrified that a single mistake on my first day would give them a reason to discard me or yell at me.

By 8:53 AM, she finished setting up my credentials.

"Alright, that's everything," Dani said, tapping the edge of the desk. "He usually arrives right about now. Go ahead and head into his office for your instructions."

"Understood."

As Dani walked away, I stood alone in the quiet office for a moment. My palms were damp, and my heart beat rapidly against my ribs. I smoothed my shirt down, swallowed the lump in my throat, and forced myself to walk toward Mr. Reed's door.

I knocked once, a soft, hesitant tap against the dark mahogany and waited, my pulse hammering against my throat.

"Come in."

His voice was a low, smooth baritone that seemed to carry straight through the thick wood. I took a deep, shaky breath, smoothing down the front of my black trousers to mask my trembling hands, and pushed the door open.

Mr. Reed had clearly just walked in. He was standing behind his massive desk, bathed in the sharp morning light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. I couldn't help but notice how tall he was up close, easily six feet tall, broad-shouldered, with an aura of absolute authority that made the spacious room suddenly feel suffocatingly small. He was unbuttoning his navy designer suit jacket, his movements were calm, before draping it neatly over the back of his leather chair. His white dress shirt was tucked perfectly into his trousers, the sleeves neatly buttoned at his wrists.

He didn't look up immediately, placing a leather- bound planner onto the desk, before he turned his gaze toward me as he sat down, his dark eyes sharp and unsettlingly focused.

"Miss Wills," he acknowledged, his voice flat and unreadable. "You're early." There was no warmth in his tone, but there was no irritation either, just a cold, analytical observation.

"Good morning, Mr. Reed," I said, keeping my posture rigid, keeping my hands tightly clasped in front of me so he wouldn't see them shaking. "I wanted to make sure I was set up and ready before nine."

"I trust Dani has walked you through the floor layout and handed over your daily schedule?" he asked, opening the leather-bound planner on his desk.

"Yes, sir. She showed me my office and helped me set up my credentials."

He nodded as he reached into his top drawer and pulled out a sleek, brand-new black smartphone, placing it directly in the center of the mahogany desk between us.

"This is your official work line," Mr. Reed said, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my chest tighten. "Any calls coming through this device must be answered immediately, regardless of what you are doing. No personal calls are permitted on this line, it is strictly for company business. Furthermore, your personal phone is to remain on silent and out of sight throughout office hours. Am I clear?"

"Noted, sir," I replied immediately, my brain recording every rule like a defense strategy. Rules meant safety. "It won't be an issue."

"Good," he said, leaning forward and pulling up a blank calendar grid on his computer screen. The sudden movement made me take a subtle, reflex half-step backward before I managed to catch myself.

He didn't seem to notice my flinch, or if he did, he didn't care.

"Now, down to business," he continued, his tone brisk as he gestured toward the folder on his desk. "I need you to schedule an urgent meeting with Jayden Vance, the head of our regional acquisitions team. He’s been overworking his department on the new board project, and we need to align on the final figures before Thursday. Find an opening on his calendar today between one and three, confirm it with his secretary, and have the briefing summary on my desk before noon."

He looked up, dark eyes locking onto mine. "It won't be easy. Vance’s department is notorious for dodging administrative requests. Do you have any questions, Miss Wills?"

A strange, quiet relief washed over me. A hard task. A tight deadline. A fight.

My chest, which had been tight with lingering fear from my nightmare, settled into a sharp, focused rhythm. This was what I needed. If he piled enough work on my shoulders, if he kept my hands busy and my brain operating at full capacity every single second of the day, there would be no room left for the voices. No room for Mark.

"No questions, sir," I said, a rare, genuine edge of determination in my voice. "I'll have it on your desk before noon."

"Good. You're dismissed."

I turned and walked straight back to my office, closing the door behind me.