The office buzzed with the familiar hum of phones ringing, keyboards clicking, and conversations blending into white noise. Elena Moore adjusted her glasses, her eyes scanning through lines of data on her screen. Another Monday, another stack of reports that needed her attention.
The fluorescent lights flickered slightly, casting a faint glow on the polished floors. Her workspace was neatly arranged—files stacked with precision, pens aligned in perfect order—a reflection of her meticulous nature.
"Elena," a voice broke her concentration. She looked up to find Rachel, her closest friend and fellow analyst, leaning against her cubicle wall with a grin that spoke of mischief. "Did you hear? We're getting a new Director of Operations."
Elena raised an eyebrow. "Another one? That's the third in two years."
Rachel shrugged, sliding into the empty chair beside her. "Maybe this one won't run screaming in six months. Apparently, he's a big shot from New York. Drew Carter. Ever heard of him?"
The name was unfamiliar, but Elena shook her head. "I guess we'll find out soon enough."
Rachel leaned in conspiratorially. "Rumor has it he's young. And hot."
Elena rolled her eyes, chuckling. "You're incorrigible."
"Just keeping things interesting." Rachel winked before pushing herself up from the chair. "Anyway, I better get back to my desk before Martin comes sniffing around. Drinks later?"
Elena nodded. "Definitely."
Rachel disappeared back into the maze of desks, and Elena returned to her screen, though her mind wandered slightly.
A new Director.
That usually meant restructuring, new policies, and a reshuffling of responsibilities. Not exactly something she was looking forward to.
She pushed the thought aside, burying herself in spreadsheets and analysis reports until the world outside her cubicle blurred into distant noise.
Hours passed, and the office thinned as people drifted out for lunch breaks and meetings. Elena barely noticed until the sharp click of heels approached her cubicle.
"Elena Moore?"
Elena looked up to see a woman dressed sharply in a tailored suit. Her expression was professional, businesslike. "Mr. Carter would like to meet with you in his office."
Elena's stomach flipped. "Me? Why?"
The woman's smile was tight. "He's meeting with all department leads. He'll explain."
Elena swallowed hard, nodding. "Right. Of course."
Gathering her notebook and pen, she followed the woman through the winding halls of the office.
She had walked this path a hundred times, but today the walls seemed taller, the corridors narrower. When they reached the corner office, the woman knocked twice before opening the door.
"Ms. Moore is here," she announced, stepping aside for Elena to enter.
Elena stepped inside, her breath catching slightly as she took in the man behind the desk. Tall, impeccably dressed, with sharp features and eyes that seemed to pierce right through her. Drew Carter stood to his feet, extending a hand. "Elena Moore, I presume?"
She hesitated for only a second before shaking his hand. "Yes. Nice to meet you, Mr. Carter."
"Drew is fine." His smile was warm but measured, like someone accustomed to control. He gestured to the chair across from him. "Please, sit."
Elena sank into the chair, her notebook balanced on her lap. Drew settled back into his chair, his eyes never leaving hers. "I wanted to get acquainted with my team," he began smoothly. "I've heard a lot about your work here."
Elena raised an eyebrow. "Good things, I hope."
Drew's smile widened. "Very good things."
The conversation flowed easily after that—discussions of targets, projections, goals for the quarter. But beneath the surface, Elena felt something else: a pull, an awareness she couldn't shake.
His gaze lingered a second too long, his smile a bit too genuine. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there.
When the meeting ended, Elena walked back to her desk with her mind spinning. She couldn't deny the feeling—an electric charge that buzzed through her veins.
She tried to shake it off, attributing it to nerves or maybe the excitement of a new supervisor.
But deep down, she knew it was more than that.
And it terrified her.