Ashes of Ambition

The glass tower of Ace Enterprises sparkled in the morning sun, its mirrored windows reflecting light like a blade. It was a source of wealth and power. The glass blade of the Ace Enterprises tower glittered in the sunlight, its mirrored windows gleaming like a knife. To the city, it was a place of riches and power and career. To those who worked inside it was a temple. Mary Blake had always dreamed of working here even before graduating from the institution. She concluded her education and found her way through endless interviews. That morning, Mary Blake felt so uneasy during the bus drive to the office. As a smile glanced at the tower, she did not recognize herself while looking into one of the reflections. It was such a combination of feelings that filled her imagination. Mary was not a woman who felt at home in places such as Ace Enterprises, at least, not according to the voice that still sometimes whispered in her mind. The voice of her father, hateful, bitter, and drunk, who now and then reminded her she was never going to be productive. But she had worked too hard to listen to him. She had fought her way here, one sleepless night at a time, and when their mom passed away, Mary had kept the family intact cooking dinners, paying the bills, trying to keep her younger brother from following their father's footsteps. Money had always been tight, College was a dream she could barely afford. A scholarship had taken care of a portion, but the rest was buried under student loans that followed her like a shadow. For years, she had juggled cleaning jobs and unpaid internships, along with night classes, while watching her friends glide through life on family connections and trust funds. Each rejection email from firms she had applied to was a punch in my chest. But the offer from James Ace had changed everything. When she got the phone call, she sat in a stupor on her bed in her tiny apartment, staring aimlessly at the walls with the paint peeling away. A personal assistant to James Ace, the Billionaire CEO.A man whose name alone could open doors for anyone. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. And to be honest, she needed the paycheck. She hadn't paid rent in 5 months, her younger brother just lost his job, her loans were charging interest at an insane rate, and her ship was taking on water. Ace's salary offer was not only sincere it was a lifeline. She said to herself This is the opportunity to pull myself out of the hole I was born in, to tell a new story. To show I deserve and can attain better in life because I am worth it. It was her first day as James Ace's assistant. The air smelled slightly of polished marble and expensive cologne. The employees she walked by nodded politely and smiled but there were peculiar looks and glances that made her feel awkward. Ms. Blake? a woman came up to her smiling and in a fitted dress, “Mr Ace is expecting you, please follow me,Ma” This way please." Mary brushed her hair back, adjusted her blazer, and smiled with excitement. Mary was internally reflecting on her struggles "This is your shot". "Here we are," the woman said, pausing at the front door of Mr. James Ace. Suddenly, she pressed the door bell, and the door slightly opened. James Ace was taller than she thought, broad-shouldered, and dressed impeccably in a dark suit. His smile was dazzlingly charming and nearly perfect. "Mary Blake" he said politely and extended his hand forward for a handshake, "welcome to Ace Enterprise.... His handshake was warmer than she expected. A little shiver ran through her arm and she told herself to calm down, that she was overthinking the situation. "Thank you, Mr. Ace" she said with a tremor in her voice. "James" he interjected with a smile. "We are family here. okay". Family echoed in her brain sounding slightly off, regardless, she obliged and smiled. As the day proceeded James Ace introduced her to some crucial players, explained her role and responsibilities, and walked her through some of the systems she would be utilizing. His charisma combined with his high energy was simply charming. She settled into her desk outside of his office and her anxiety was beginning to dissipate until she overheard two women say, “Another one?” one of them whispered. "Poor girl, she has no idea," the other one murmured. “Shhh!! Keep it down, you know what happens when people talk too much, right…” The words sent a chill crawling over Mary's skin. When she walked inside to pick up some files, the women stopped talking, looked at each other, put on a fake polite smile and left. Mary tried to convince herself that she was being paranoid. New jobs always came with gossip and if they actually said something negative, it was easy to think that maybe it was not about her at all. Nonetheless, the look in their eyes haunted her all afternoon. Later that day, Mary stayed late to finish reports. She was trying to shut down her computer when she heard some laughter coming from her boss's office. Then she thought she heard a muffled sound. A woman's voice. The laugh changed, breaking off into silence. She felt her heart rate begin to rise and leaned back in her chair to hear better. The laugh changed, breaking off into silence. Mary's stomach was doing somersaults. She told herself to leave her boss alone, mind her own business, and move on… But her feet wouldn't cooperate. She was fixated on James’s closed door. Eventually, she compelled herself off the couch, gathered her bag, and walked towards the elevator. As the elevator doors began to close, Mary turned around one last time. The light in Jame's office was still on. She expected her ride home would let her clear her mind