Chapter 16: The New Colleague
After a week, Adrian hadn't expected to land the job. After months of rejection emails and awkward interviews, the offer from a mid-sized tech company in Ortigas felt almost unreal. The pay wasn't great, but it was steady, and for once he didn't have to worry about rent. More importantly, it gave him something normal to cling to — a mask to wear while the rest of his life spiraled into cultivation and danger.
The office was bright and modern, all glass walls and buzzing fluorescent lights. Adrian sat at his desk, trying to focus on onboarding documents, but the pendant under his shirt pulsed faintly, reminding him that normalcy was only an illusion. He forced himself to ignore it. He needed this job. He needed to blend in.
That's when she walked in.
"Hey," she said, stopping by his desk. "You're the new guy, right? Adrian?"
He looked up, startled. She was tall, with sharp eyes and a confident smile. Her ID badge read Leah Santos, Project Analyst. She carried herself with the kind of ease Adrian envied — like she belonged everywhere she went.
"Yeah," Adrian said, fumbling for words. "First week."
Leah grinned. "Welcome to the chaos. I'm Leah. We'll probably be working together a lot. Don't worry, I'll make sure you survive."
Adrian chuckled, the tension in his chest easing slightly. "Thanks. I'll need it."
Over the next few days, Leah became a constant presence. She explained processes, introduced him to colleagues, even dragged him out for lunch when he tried to hide behind his computer. Adrian found himself looking forward to her interruptions. She was sharp, witty, and had a way of making the office feel less suffocating.
But there was something else. Something he couldn't quite place.
One afternoon, as they walked back from lunch, the pendant pulsed suddenly, harder than usual. Adrian froze, heart pounding. Leah glanced at him, brow furrowing. "You okay?"
"Yeah," Adrian said quickly, forcing a smile. "Just… stomach cramps."
She didn't look convinced, but she let it go. Adrian's mind raced. The pendant had never reacted like that around a colleague before. Was it coincidence? Or was Leah more than she seemed?
That night, Adrian sat in his apartment, staring at the pendant. It glowed faintly, steady and calm. He thought about Leah — her confidence, her sharp eyes, the way the pendant had pulsed when she was near. He couldn't ignore it. The relic was reacting to her. But why?
The next day, he watched her more closely. Leah moved through the office with ease, chatting with coworkers, juggling tasks effortlessly. Nothing unusual. But every time she passed near him, the pendant warmed slightly, as if acknowledging her presence.
Adrian's chest tightened. He didn't know if it meant danger or something else entirely. He wanted to ask Elias, but Elias had warned him about trust. "Truth is a weapon. Once you give it, you can't take it back."
Still, Adrian couldn't shake the feeling that Leah wasn't ordinary.
That evening, as they left the office together, Leah glanced at him. "You're quiet today. Everything okay?"
Adrian hesitated. He wanted to tell her everything — about the pendant, the Qi, the hunters. But he couldn't. Not yet. Instead, he forced a smile. "Just tired. Long week."
Leah studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Fair enough. But if you ever need to talk, I'm around. Don't carry everything alone."
Her words hit harder than she knew. Adrian walked home, pendant pulsing faintly against his chest, mind racing. Leah was more than just a colleague. She was connected somehow. The relic had made that clear.
But was she an ally? Or another threat waiting to reveal itself?
Adrian clenched his fists, whispering to himself. "I'll find out. One way or another."
The pendant glowed softly, steady and calm.
And Adrian Reyes knew his ordinary life was about to collide with the extraordinary once again.