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Eleanor didn’t expect to get the job.
Not really.
So when the call came the next day, a brisk voice informing her she’d been selected and that her start date was Monday, she stood in her tiny kitchen, staring at the kettle, forgetting she had just boiled water for tea.
She hung up, heart pounding. Her first instinct was to call Lea, to shout or scream or something. But instead, she found herself quietly walking to Leo’s room, standing in the doorway as he lay on the carpet surrounded by action figures and half-built blocks.
His head snapped up. “Mommy?”
She smiled, tight-lipped. “I got a new job, baby.”
“Do they have snacks?”
She laughed despite herself and nodded. “I’m sure they do.”
But it wasn’t just a job. It was his company. His world. And on Monday morning, she would walk right back into it, maskless and trembling under the weight of a truth he didn’t know he was breathing in.
The phone call came late the next afternoon, Lea’s voice a triumphant squeal on the other end. “El! You got the job! I knew you would!”
Eleanor, who had been oscillating between hopeful anticipation and a deep-seated feeling of ‘what have I done?’, felt a surge of relief mixed with a fresh wave of nerves. This was really happening. She was going back to the city, back into the orbit of Marcus Sterling.
Her first day at Sterling Enterprises was a whirlwind. The sheer scale of the operation was initially overwhelming. Sleek, modern offices stretched as far as the eye could see, populated by an army of focused individuals tapping away at keyboards or engaged in hushed phone conversations. Eleanor was given a comprehensive tour by the battery-powered smiling woman from the lobby, introduced to various departments, and briefed on the intricate protocols and procedures that governed the smooth running of the corporate giant.
Finally, she was shown to her own spacious office, situated just outside the CEO’s imposing corner suite. The desk was state-of-the-art, equipped with more technology than Eleanor currently possessed in her entire apartment. A large window offered its own impressive view of the city, a constant reminder of the fast-paced world she was now a part of.
Shortly after settling in, a buzzer on her desk announced that Mr. Sterling was ready to see her. Taking another deep breath, Eleanor grabbed her notepad and pen and walked into his office.
Marcus Sterling was seated behind his large, uncluttered desk, the city skyline providing a dramatic backdrop. He looked every bit the demanding CEO – his sharp suit impeccably tailored, his dark hair neatly styled, his gaze intense and focused. He was currently reviewing a document, his brow slightly furrowed in concentration.
He acknowledged her presence with a curt nod, not looking up. “Ms. Evans, let’s go over my schedule for the week.” His voice was even more resonant up close, each word clipped and precise, conveying an air of no-nonsense efficiency.
Eleanor opened her notepad, her professional training kicking in, overriding the nervous flutter in her stomach. She outlined his appointments for Monday – a strategy meeting with the board, followed by a lunch with a potential investor, and an afternoon conference call with their European division. Marcus listened intently, occasionally interjecting with a brief, direct question. His communication style was indeed clipped and efficient, conveying a brilliant mind constantly processing information. There was no room for pleasantries or small talk. He was all business.
As Eleanor moved on to Tuesday’s schedule – a series of internal meetings and a presentation to a key client – Marcus suddenly paused mid-sentence, his gaze lifting from the document he had been reviewing. He frowned slightly, a flicker of something unreadable in his violet-blue eyes.
He looked directly at Eleanor, his focus suddenly and unexpectedly personal. “What is that perfume you’re wearing?” he asked, the question hanging in the air, almost as if he were speaking to himself.
Eleanor’s heart skipped a beat. Of all the things he could have commented on – her competence, her efficiency, her slightly too-tight dress – it was her perfume. The same custom blend Lea had given her years ago, the one she had worn to the masquerade ball.
She tried to keep her voice even, her expression neutral. “It’s a custom scent, Mr. Sterling.”
He continued to look at her, his brow still furrowed, his eyes searching. “It’s… familiar,” he murmured, his gaze drifting off as if he were trying to grasp a fleeting memory. A muscle twitched in his jaw. “Unpleasantly so, for some reason.”
A wave of anxiety washed over Eleanor. He didn’t recognize her, not exactly, but the scent had clearly triggered something within him, a faint echo of a night he couldn’t quite place. She fought the urge to fidget, to reveal any sign of her inner turmoil.
“I apologize if it’s offensive, Mr. Sterling,” she said, keeping her tone professional and detached. “I can refrain from wearing it in the future.”
He shook his head slightly, a dismissive gesture. “No, no, that’s not necessary.” But his gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, a hint of confusion and irritation clouding his striking eyes. He then abruptly refocused on his schedule, the moment seemingly dismissed.
“Right,” he continued, his tone once again crisp and businesslike. “Let’s move on to Wednesday…”
Eleanor continued outlining his week, her mind racing. The perfume. He remembered the perfume. It was a small detail, seemingly insignificant, yet it felt like a loose thread in the carefully woven tapestry of her secret. He didn’t know why the scent bothered him, didn’t connect it to the masked woman from five years ago, but the fact that it had elicited such a visceral reaction sent a shiver of unease down Eleanor’s spine. Her first day was a success, professionally. But the subtle flicker of recognition in her new boss’s eyes, triggered by a familiar fragrance, was a stark reminder that the past, no matter how carefully buried, had a way of resurfacing in the most unexpected ways.
