[Music Background: Patrice feat. Keziah Jones – Here again]
In the small office, Marie-Rose took three deep breaths, firm in her resolution to take Zoe's place for the day. It seemed as though the stars had aligned the moment she made the decision to inhabit Zoe's body, especially given that Zoe was currently working at the hospital. This situation was particularly advantageous, as it would enable Marie-Rose to keep a close eye on her own physical form.
Moreover, this presented a great opportunity for her to prepare for the impending birth of... Daniel's child, she suddenly realized, her heart sinking at the thought.
Her sudden encounter with Jayden served as a stark reminder of the first time they had met, and how their lives had remained entangled, much like her own and Zoe's.
As she dressed, preparing to enter the maternity ward, her mind was inundated with memories once again.
***
Yet another day in the toxic environment at work. Another day with Jayden's nameless presence lingering in her mind. She had yet to learn his name from their encounter on the train; he was just the boy from the train, nothing more.
Her gaze remained fixed on the papers strewn across the desk, the passage of time seeming to quicken with the increasing workload.
She found herself staring at the wall, as if Jayden's image were projected upon its white surface, memories replaying in her mind.
In retrospect, she realized she hadn't even been curious to inquire about his name. At that moment, she had held no expectations.
Some hours later, in the night, Marie-Rose had found herself warming up with a hot tea, wrapped in a thin fleece, in the comforting confines of her childhood home, her thoughts drifting back to the captivating boy on the train.
Regret washed over her as she realized they hadn't exchanged phone numbers.
She regretted not exchanging contacts with him as he offered his aid. It was curious how he earned her trust in mere moments. Confiding in a stranger proved far better than pleading with ungrateful friends, unwilling to assist in her time of need.
But how could he possibly help? She tried to recall his occupation but her mind drew a blank. Impossible—her memory never failed her so. More likely she had never asked, doubting he could assist with her peculiar plight. It required no special attention, merely to evade the petty torments of apish dullards.
The clearest memory that lingered was the moment she had explained to him the reason behind her tears. Her distress wasn't due to Alexandre, but rather a result of Daniel's constant monitoring. She had simplified the situation, informing Jayden that she had a stalker.
When the handsome boy offered his help, she was rendered momentarily speechless. How could he possibly assist her?
"I have a friend who's an expert in computers," he offered with a broad smile that seemed as though it could envelop her. "He's a white hat. Trust me with your IP, and he can trace the stalker for you."
He swiftly shifted the topic, as if the matter was of little significance. Upon reflection, she realized that perhaps his intention was to convey how easily someone could be tracked, emphasizing that it shouldn't be a cause for undue concern on her part.
On the other hand, he had asked her for an introduction.
"What's your name?" he inquired, his gentle smile unperturbed, still lighting up his face.
"Marie," she replied briskly, revealing only the first part of her name. Still traumatized by her stalker's persistence, she was careful not to divulge any sensitive information. She didn't want another stalker on her tail.
"Marie?" He seemed curious at the apparent coincidence. "Like my mother," he added with a smile.
"Well, the full name is Marie-Rose," she explained, suddenly finding herself trusting him without fully comprehending why.
The conversation transitioned into small talk, as is customary with strangers on trains.
However, there was something particularly pleasant about the manner of expression of this young man. He articulated his thoughts without encroaching upon others' freedom of thought.
While she learned various details about him, when she drew the bottom line she realized he hadn't divulged much about himself. He skillfully communicated without revealing too much, offering only superficial information. She never found out where he worked, but she supposed she wasn't particularly interested in those specifics.
As she sipped her tea in small gulps, a sudden realization dawned upon her: she didn't know his name either. She was so accustomed to respecting people's privacy that she refrained from asking basic questions, such as "What's yours?" in response to his simple inquiry.
Oh, how she must have appeared to him. Perhaps the influence of the nearby forest was to blame. Living on its edge, she carried its wild spirit within her to a certain extent.
To compound matters, he didn't give her his phone number, whilst assuring her that he would reach out once he established contact with his friend. Now, she found herself pondering how he would contact her without the number. The likelihood of their paths crossing again seemed bleak, the balance tipping further toward 'no' than 'yes.'
As she reminisced about the taste of the tea she had savored back then and contemplated fetching a fresh cup from the machine, she was abruptly jolted out of her reverie by voices echoing in the corridor outside the expansive Department space.
When she saw the boy from the train cross the threshold, she thought she must be dreaming. If it weren't for the strong urge to avoid making eye contact, she might have rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Why was he here? He was accompanied by their boss, a woman in her fifties, both talking in loud voice.
Hoping he wouldn't notice her, she observed him closely, recalling that she had mentioned her workplace during their encounter.
When he finally caught her in his sight, he smiled at her as if he was expecting to meet her here.
To her surprise, their boss announced, "Mr. Montigny is here with a special project, searching for volunteers." In a strange manner, the mention of his name caught her off guard, although it held a distinctive sonorous quality that resonated like music to her ears.
The room buzzed with speculation as everyone turned their attention to the duo. Instructing everyone to gather closer, the boss and the guest remained by the desk nearest to the entrance.
As she passed by, he winked at her, a gesture not lost on Matthieu, her diligent subordinate. Matthieu, personally hired by Marie-Rose, was a part of her team of specialists in neglected children. His father was a famous politician that she personally knew, but Matthieu got hired based on merit. Despite his young age, his intelligence and out-of-the-box thinking made him a valuable asset to the team.
"Someone likes you," he teased, initiating what would become the foundation of their enduring friendship, eventually evolving into more than just a professional relationship.
"Who?'" she feigned ignorance, taking a seat near their superior's desk. His response dripped with sarcasm.
"I suppose our next month's workload will double with this new project."
"Oh, really? Smart mouth, how do you know that the project will be assigned to our team?" she countered, matching his tone.
"Well, the way that guy looked at you..." he hinted.
"How did he look at me?" she retorted, a tinge of irritation lacing her words.
"He seemed to know you," Matthieu stated, putting an end to his teasing. Marie-Rose had anticipated further jests about his interest in her, ready to respond in kind.
Standing, the man commenced his presentation: "My name is Jayden Montigny," he introduced himself.
'Jayden, Jayden,' she repeated his name in her mind, the resonance striking a harmonious chord within her. She instantly fell in love with the name, finding it perfectly suited to the handsome man before her. "I work in the army," he continued, stunning her with this revelation. 'Wow, what?' She couldn't have guessed. If he had claimed he was working with a modeling agency, she would have found it easier to believe.
"We need your cooperation for an initiative we've developed. Our department aims to collaborate with yours," he explained, casting his gaze upon her, as if expressing his anticipation for their future collaboration. The perceptive eye of Matthieu was not mistaken.
"As you may already know, our neighbors are at war," he continued, his calm voice captivating the audience. "There are numerous orphaned children in need of international support. We are seeking families to provide them with homes. Your department is the perfect match for us," he concluded, prompting a wave of laughter. Some of the female coworkers giggled, charmed by his presence as he spoke.
Instantly irritated, Marie-Rose wondered what the commotion was about. He was just a man, albeit an extraordinary one. The fact that he possessed light hair and deep green eyes didn't make him any less human.
"We need to assemble a team of specialists to expedite the adoption process," he continued with his presentation for another minute. However, Marie-Rose found it difficult to focus on his words, given the attention he was garnering.
When he fell silent, awaiting questions, his gaze settled upon her, prompting a blush to creep onto her cheeks.
"Will you be the one to work with us?" one of the girls inquired, all eyes fixated on him as if he were the last drop of water in a desert.
For some reason, she didn't find this amusing. Normally, she would have joked about it with Cathy, but this time, she remained silent. She glanced at both Cathy and Matthieu, attempting to gauge their reactions and ascertain if their expressions betrayed any admiration for the man's beauty.
Observing their impassive demeanors, she felt some relief. She eagerly anticipated her escape from this embarrassing situation. Placing ice cubes on her cheeks was the only thought that brought her solace, hoping to quell the blush that had inexplicably chosen this particular moment to make an appearance.
When the end of the meeting was announced, he followed her with his gaze as she departed, yet she dared not engage in conversation with him in the presence of her boss. Hastening her steps, she maintained a forward gaze, as though his presence were a commonplace occurrence.
Several female coworkers swarmed around him, bombarding him with questions as if he were a superstar signing autographs. Once the queries subsided, he and their boss departed the room, leaving everyone to return to their respective desks, where gossip flourished.
"Did you see his buttocks? He had such nice, round butt cheeks," a brunette girl exclaimed.
Marie-Rose was taken aback by Mimosa's observation. Her blush intensified at the remark; how could these women notice such a detail? She hadn't even considered looking at his rear.
She was further surprised when the blonde woman, Barbara, chimed in, "Did you see his pectorals? He must work out a lot in the army. Imagine his body without clothes." Their comments ignited an inappropriate conversation that only served to exacerbate her annoyance.
'If the next topic is the length of his manhood, I swear I'm going to kill myself.'
The incessant chatter continued, much to her dismay.
'Ladies!!' she fumed internally, angered by their discussion about her crush.
She was already aware of her infatuation with him. His recent action had only intensified it. Hearing these women talk lasciviously about him, she wished she could tell them to shut up. Although threatening to strangle them would be an empty threat, she felt she could go to such extremes just to silence their lewd comments about the striking green-eyed boy.
He had such expressive eyes; how had they failed to notice that, too?
Lost in her ruminations, she was suddenly pulled from her thoughts as her boss entered the room and called her name. Her face fell in unison with the other women in the room. Her blush deepened, painting her face a vivid shade of red. Heat radiated from her embarrassed cheeks.
"Marie-Rose, please come to my office," she instructed.