The executive floor
742 Words
The elevator ride felt longer than it should have. I stood there quietly, watching the numbers climb one after the other, my reflection staring back at me from the metal doors.
Ding.
The doors slid open, and I stepped out into a quieter floor—nothing like the busy lobby downstairs. The noise here was softer, more controlled. Conversations were low, and the occasional click of heels echoed lightly against the polished floor.
I glanced at the sign. Executive Floor.
For a moment, I just stood there, letting it sink in.
Then I adjusted my bag slightly and started walking, careful with my steps, trying not to look like I didn’t know where I was going.
A woman at the front desk looked up as I approached.
“Good morning,” she said politely.
“Good morning,” I replied, forcing a small smile. “I’m Winter Grant. I’m… new.”
She typed something quickly, then nodded. “Yes, we’ve been expecting you.”
That alone made my heart skip.
“Please, have a seat. Someone will attend to you shortly.”
“Thank you,” I said, stepping aside.
I sat down, placing my bag beside me, trying to keep my breathing steady.
A few minutes passed.
Then I heard footsteps approaching.
I looked up—and froze.
It was him.
The same man from yesterday.
For a brief second, something like recognition flickered in his eyes… then disappeared.
“Winter Grant?” he said.
I nodded. “Yes.”
“I’m Silas Walker. Follow me.”
I stood quickly, grabbed my bag, and followed him. His steps were steady against the floor, unhurried, confident.
He stopped after a short walk and gestured ahead.
“This is where you’ll be working,” he said. “You’ll be assisting on executive-level architectural projects.”
I nodded, taking everything in—the desks, the people, the quiet focus in the room.
A few people glanced up briefly before returning to their work.
“These are your colleagues,” he added. “You’ll be working closely with them, and occasionally… directly with the CEO.”
My stomach tightened slightly.
Silas turned to face me fully.
“If you need anything, ask,” he said. “But try to keep up.”
There was no harshness in his tone.
Just expectation.
I shifted my weight slightly, still taking everything in, when one of the women nearby glanced up from her desk.
She hesitated for a second, then smiled.
“You must be the new one,” she said.
I let out a small breath, relieved someone finally spoke. “Yeah… that obvious?”
A soft laugh came from another desk.
“Don’t worry,” a guy said, leaning back slightly in his chair. “We all looked like that on our first day.”
“Speak for yourself,” the woman replied, rolling her eyes lightly. Then she turned back to me. “I’m Victoria—senior project architect.”
“Winter,” I said, nodding. “Executive architectural consultant.”
Her brows lifted slightly, just for a second. “Straight to executive level? That’s… impressive.”
Before I could respond, the guy stood up and walked over.
“I’m Daniel,” he said. “Project manager. I make sure people like her”—he nodded toward Victoria—“don’t completely ignore deadlines.”
“I don’t ignore deadlines,” Victoria said calmly. “I just don’t rush brilliance.”
I couldn’t help but smile a little.
Daniel gestured toward an empty desk nearby. “That’s yours.”
I walked over and placed my bag down, pulling the chair back and sitting carefully.
Victoria turned her chair slightly to face me. “So, first day and already working this close to the top. Not bad.”
I let out a small laugh. “Honestly, I’m still trying to figure out how that happened.”
“Hmm,” she hummed, studying me briefly. “Well, around here, that usually means one of two things.”
“Let me guess,” Daniel cut in. “Either you’re very good… or someone important thinks you are.”
I shook my head quickly. “Hopefully the first one.”
“Good answer,” Victoria said with a faint smile.
Daniel nodded once. “We’ll see how you handle your first assignment.”
There was no pressure in his voice.
But somehow… it still felt like a test.
- Writer
