Episode three
1814 Words
CHAPTER THREE — The Coldest Room
Maya sat quietly at her desk, staring at the computer screen in front of her.
She had been staring at it for almost five minutes.
Not because she didn't know what she was doing.
She was just trying to convince herself that she hadn't made a terrible mistake.
She looked around the office.
Everyone seemed busy.
Phones rang occasionally.
Fingers moved quickly across keyboards.
People walked through the hallway carrying files and coffee cups.
Nobody looked particularly happy.
Maya frowned.
Maybe that was normal.
Maybe this was just what working in a big company felt like.
She turned back to her computer.
Her first task was simple.
Organize the files.
Check Alexander's schedule.
Respond to emails.
Make sure his meetings were properly arranged.
Simple.
At least, that's what she thought.
“Maya?”
She looked up.
A woman stood beside her desk.
She appeared to be around Maya's age, maybe a year or two older, with a warm smile and a stack of folders in her hands.
“Yes?”
“I'm Sophie.”
Maya smiled.
“Hi.”
“I work in the finance department.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Sophie glanced toward the office behind Maya.
“You're his new secretary?”
Maya followed her gaze.
Alexander's office door was closed.
“Yes.”
Sophie made a face.
“Oh.”
Maya raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“No. That wasn't a nothing face.”
Sophie laughed.
“You're observant.”
“I try to be.”
Sophie leaned closer.
“Just… good luck.”
Maya laughed.
“Is he really that bad?”
Sophie looked toward the closed office door again.
“Let's just say Alexander Harrison doesn't believe in unnecessary conversation.”
Maya smiled.
“Well, I don't have a problem with silence.”
Sophie nodded.
“Good.”
She started walking away.
Then turned around.
“Oh, and Maya?”
“Yes?”
“Don't take anything he says personally.”
Maya smiled.
“I won't.”
Sophie walked away.
Maya looked at the office door.
“Interesting.”
She turned back to her computer.
She had a feeling she was about to find out exactly what everyone was talking about.
---
An hour later, the office door opened.
Alexander stepped out.
The entire atmosphere seemed to change.
Maya looked up.
He walked toward her desk without saying a word.
She immediately stood.
“Yes, sir?”
He placed a file on her desk.
“I need these documents arranged before twelve.”
Maya looked at the file.
“Okay.”
“And reschedule my two o'clock meeting.”
She nodded.
“Sure.”
He turned to leave.
Maya looked down at the file.
Then back at him.
“Mr. Harrison?”
He stopped.
“Yes?”
“The two o'clock meeting is with Mr. Collins, right?”
“Yes.”
“He specifically requested two o'clock because he's flying out this afternoon.”
Alexander looked at her.
“And?”
Maya blinked.
“And if I reschedule it, he won't be available until next week.”
A brief silence.
Alexander's expression didn't change.
“Then find another time.”
Maya frowned.
“Another time today?”
“Yes.”
“But his assistant said—”
“I didn't ask what his assistant said.”
His tone was calm.
Too calm.
Maya stared at him.
“Right.”
Alexander turned away.
Then stopped.
“Anything else?”
Maya hesitated.
She could have simply said no.
But something about the way he had spoken to her irritated her.
“Yes.”
He looked back.
“If you want me to manage your schedule properly, I need you to actually tell me what you want instead of expecting me to guess.”
Silence.
A few people nearby suddenly became very interested in their computer screens.
Alexander looked at her for a long moment.
Maya could feel her heart beating.
She wasn't trying to be disrespectful.
She simply didn't like being spoken to as though she were incompetent.
Finally, Alexander nodded.
“Fair enough.”
He walked back into his office.
Maya sat down.
Sophie, who had been watching from across the room, slowly raised her eyebrows.
Maya looked at her.
“What?”
Sophie shook her head.
“Nothing.”
“You're doing that face again.”
Sophie smiled.
“You just told Alexander Harrison how to communicate.”
Maya shrugged.
“He asked.”
Sophie laughed quietly.
“You're brave.”
Maya smiled.
“Or stupid.”
“Maybe both.”
At twelve thirty, Maya finally finished organizing the documents.
She leaned back in her chair and sighed.
Her phone vibrated.
She looked down.
Mum calling…
A smile immediately appeared on her face.
She answered.
“Hello?”
“Good afternoon, my baby.”
Maya smiled.
“Hi, Mum.”
“How are you?”
“I'm good.”
“How is the job?”
Maya looked toward Alexander's office.
She lowered her voice.
“Interesting.”
Her mother laughed.
“Interesting how?”
“It's just different.”
“Are they treating you well?”
“Yes.”
She paused.
“Mostly.”
Her mother went quiet.
“What does mostly mean?”
“Nothing, Mum.”
“Maya.”
She laughed.
“I'm fine.”
“Have you eaten?”
Maya looked at the clock.
She hadn't.
“I'm about to.”
“You said that yesterday.”
“I know.”
“And the day before.”
“Mum…”
“You need to take care of yourself.”
“I will.”
Her mother's voice softened.
“I just worry about you.”
Maya smiled.
“I know.”
“You're so far away.”
“I'll be okay.”
“I know you're brave.”
Maya's smile faded slightly.
“But being brave doesn't mean you have to do everything alone.”
Maya swallowed.
“I know, Mum.”
“Call me later.”
“I will.”
“And Maya?”
“Yes?”
“I'm proud of you.”
Maya looked down.
Her eyes suddenly burned.
“Thanks, Mum.”
They ended the call.
Maya sat quietly for a moment.
Then she wiped the corner of her eye.
She missed home.
More than she wanted to admit.
---
“Everything okay?”
Maya looked up.
Sophie was standing beside her desk.
“Yeah.”
“You looked sad.”
Maya smiled.
“Just my mum.”
“Ah.”
Sophie nodded knowingly.
“Mothers have a way of doing that.”
“You have siblings?”
“One younger sister.”
“Lucky.”
Sophie laughed.
“You?”
“I'm an only child.”
“That explains everything.”
Maya frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“You're clearly spoiled.”
Maya gasped.
“I am not.”
Sophie laughed.
“I knew you'd say that.”
Maya couldn't help laughing too.
And somehow, within a few minutes, talking to Sophie felt easy.
They talked about work.
Then food.
Then New York.
Then how expensive everything was.
By the time lunch was over, Maya realized she had spent almost an hour talking to someone she'd only met that morning.
It felt nice.
Maybe she had found a friend.
---
Later that afternoon, Jerry called.
Maya smiled when she saw his name.
“Hello?”
“Hey, New Yorker.”
She laughed.
“Don't call me that.”
“How's your first day?”
“Busy.”
“That's good.”
“Is it?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because it means they haven't fired you.”
Maya laughed.
“Very funny.”
“You settling in?”
“Yeah.”
“Apartment okay?”
“Perfect.”
“Eating?”
Maya paused.
Jerry laughed.
“You're not.”
“I am!”
“Liar.”
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?”
“Because you forget.”
Maya smiled.
“I'm fine, Jerry.”
“Good.”
There was a brief silence.
“Seriously, Maya. How are you?”
She looked around her desk.
At the unfamiliar office.
The strange city outside the window.
The life she had chosen.
“I'm okay.”
“Okay?”
She smiled.
“I'm figuring it out.”
Jerry's voice softened.
“That's all you need to do.”
“Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
They ended the call.
Maya placed her phone down.
For the first time that day, she felt completely at ease.
She wasn't alone.
She had her parents.
She had Jerry.
And maybe she had Sophie now too.
Maybe this new life wasn't going to be as frightening as she'd imagined.
---
At exactly five-thirty, Maya gathered her things.
She stood up and glanced toward Alexander's office.
The door was still closed.
She considered saying goodbye.
Then decided against it.
He hadn't said she needed to.
She was halfway to the elevator when she heard her name.
“Maya.”
She turned.
Alexander stood outside his office.
“Yes?”
“You're leaving?”
She glanced at the clock.
“It's five-thirty.”
“I can see that.”
She frowned.
“Then yes.”
His expression remained unreadable.
“There's a meeting tomorrow at eight.”
Maya nodded.
“I'll be here.”
“Good.”
He turned and walked back into his office.
Maya stood there for a second.
That was it?
No thank you
No good evening.
Nothing.
She shook her head.
“Cold.”
She stepped into the elevator.
As the doors closed, she looked at her reflection.
She smiled.
It had been a long day.
But she had survived.
Tomorrow would probably be harder.
But Maya wasn't afraid of difficult things.
She had left home.
Driven six hours into a city she'd barely known.
Started a new job.
And stood up to a CEO on her first day.
She could handle whatever came next.
At least, that's what she told herself.
Her phone buzzed.
Maya looked down.
Her smile disappeared.
Unknown: You're getting too close to people you know nothing about.
She stared at the message.
Another one appeared.
Unknown: Especially him.
Maya's heart began to race.
She looked toward the elevator doors.
Then back at her phone.
Whoever was behind these messages knew something.
Something she didn't.
And suddenly, the excitement she had felt about her new life didn't seem quite innocent anymore.
Maya slipped her phone into her bag.
She stepped out of the elevator and walked toward the street.
She didn't know who was watching.
She didn't know who she could trust.
But she knew one thing.
She wasn't going to let anyone scare her out of the life she had worked so hard to build.
Not even a stranger hiding behind an unknown number.
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