THE RULES OF THE GAME
562 Words
EPISODE 7
Eve’s first day at OrionTech began with a mixture of excitement and nerves. She arrived early, dressed in a crisp navy blouse and tailored black skirt, hair pulled back neatly. Her laptop bag swung across her shoulder like a shield.
Nick’s words from the café echoed in her mind: “Don’t let rich men intimidate you.”
Easier said than done.
As she stepped onto the floor, the polished offices seemed almost alive, humming with quiet energy. Colleagues greeted her politely, some with curious smiles, others with subtle nods of judgment.
And then, Alexander Voss appeared.
He didn’t walk—he glided. Each step measured, eyes scanning the floor like a hawk. When he passed her, his gaze lingered just long enough for her to feel it in her chest.
Eve swallowed. Focus. Work. Survive.
Her workstation was small but functional, tucked near the back. She set up her laptop and tried to ignore the faint sense of being watched.
Hours passed. Meetings, introductions, software overviews. Eve answered questions confidently, her mind sharp, but every so often, she felt Alexander’s presence behind her. A shadow of authority, a subtle intimidation that made her pulse quicken.
Lunch came, and Eve found herself in the cafeteria. She was grateful for Nick and Nicki—they had insisted on coming to “train her in surviving corporate life.”
“You have to watch him,” Nick whispered, sliding a tray across. “One wrong step, and you’ll be on his bad list forever.”
“I’m fine,” Eve replied calmly.
Nicki smirked. “Sure. Until you see the look he gives Mira when she talks about you.”
Eve froze. “Mira?”
Nick rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on! She’s his eight-year-old daughter. Loves you already. Creepy, right?”
Eve frowned. Why would a little girl care?
The next meeting made things more complicated. Alexander called her into his office, the same cold intensity in his gaze.
“You are competent,” he said flatly. “But this company doesn’t tolerate mistakes. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” Eve replied firmly.
“Good.” He paused, eyes narrowing slightly. “And remember—stay out of my personal life. My daughter is off-limits.”
Eve’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I don’t plan to interfere.”
Alexander’s expression didn’t change, but a flicker of something—possessiveness, perhaps, or curiosity—crossed his eyes.
As she left the office, Eve couldn’t shake the feeling that nothing about this job was ordinary.
Mira appeared from the corner, hiding behind a potted plant. Her small face peeked out, eyes wide and curious.
Eve smiled gently. “Hi there, Mira. I’m Eve.”
The little girl blinked, then slowly grinned. “I like you,” she whispered.
Alexander appeared behind Mira, his lips tight, jaw clenched. “She’s not to be spoiled,” he said coldly.
Mira ran to Eve’s side, ignoring him.
Eve’s heart softened. She wasn’t here just to work. Somehow, she was already becoming a part of a family she didn’t expect to touch.
But one thing was clear:
Alexander Voss didn’t like her.
Mira adored her.
And in the delicate balance of power and affection, Eve realized that her life at OrionTech had just begun—and the rules of this game were far from simple.
- Writer
