The tall glass front of Grayson Corp shone like a mirror in the early sun, mirroring the busy city beneath it. Lena stopped at the door, screwing up her eyes to look at the tower's extreme height. It was not the dimly lit, slightly scruffy café that she had grown fond of. "Breathe, Lena," she told herself, clutching her handbag a little too hard.
She stepped ahead, her boots made a clicking sound on the shiny marble floor of the lobby. The furniture and the design of the interior were new and chic, and the workers in smart suits were either moving with the purpose or were talking with their noses very close. She was like a piece of thread in a loom that was just being unified.
The receptionist gave her a polite but detached smile in response to her greeting. "Do you have an appointment?"
"Yes, with Mr. Grayson," murmured Lena, her voice barely audible beyond her own ears. She forced her vocal cords into action and replied again. "Ethan Grayson."
The receptionist's eyebrows raised a little at the sound of his name. "Oh, sure. Please use the lift to go to the 18th floor. His assistant will be there to assist you."
Lena acknowledged only by nodding her head and whispered a short thank you. She went to the elevator with her heart in her mouth. Really, why was she even here? How had Ethan Grayson—the Ethan Grayson—decided to send for her?
While the elevator was moving up, she revisited the events of the last few days in her head. The mishap, the blood, the ambulance... and now this. It was illogical. She was not well-acquainted with Ethan Grayson, apart from the media and the odd rumors in the café, that marked him as a mighty and mysteriously unapproachable CEO. This is not a man who usually called regular citizens to chat over his intentions.
He's more likely the man who makes headlines with his company's profits and new profit-seeking strategies. He's a high-flyer out there and a go-getter in the boardroom. Hence, it was pretty hard to bring about a picture of interactions for someone of his stature. Just because he had money did not automatically mean that he was up to some sort of trite bond between a rich man and a broke woman.
Without a sound, the elevator doors opened which gave a sight of a wide, stylishly designed office floor. The scent of leather and expensive cologne was faintly lingering in the air. The polished woman with a bob haircut who came near her was remarkable.
"Ms. Mitchell?" the woman asked. She was calm but at the same time firm in her tone.
"Yes, that's me."
"This way, please. Mr. Grayson is expecting you."
Lena walked behind her along the long corridor decorated with abstract paintings, with her heart beating increasingly louder every time. They halted in front of the bold wooden doors. The assistant gave a knock and then opened the doors.
"Ms. Mitchell is here," she said and moved out of the way.
Lena was entering the room when suddenly she was unable to breathe properly. The office was big and the walls were made of windows from top to bottom through which the whole city skyline was visible. Ethan Grayson was seated behind a polished black desk.
Ethan looked nothing like the wounded guy he was in the alley. Disheveled and stained with blood, Ethan was no longer what he used to be. He turned into the mirror of power and control with his well-fitted suit. His eyes were coldly analytical but they pierced her with the force that she could perceive his gaze within her.
"Ms. Mitchell," he said, getting up from his chair and extending his hand. "It's good to see you again."
Lena faltered a bit before she got his hand. His grip was firm but it was not overwhelming.
"Mr. Grayson," she replied, with a cord of steadiness in her voice, although the questions were like a tornado in her mind.
"Please sit down," he told the girl and pointed at one of the chairs in front of his desk.
Lena sat down, clinging to her bag in her lap. Ethan reclined in his chair, scrutinizing her with an unfathomable expression.
"I owe you my life," he opened, his tone was calm but sincere.
"If it weren't for your quick thinking that night, I might not be here today."
Lena's eyes flickered for a moment at the rapidness of his thanks, then she blinked them away and said, "I just… did what anyone else would have done."
"Not everyone would have stopped," was the response, and then he just looked without blinking his eye. "Most people would have walked away. You didn't, that tells a lot about faultless character."
The young woman felt awkward under his stare. "I'm just glad you're okay."
A faint grin played around his lips before he nodded. "Which brings me to why you're here."
I've searched for the truth of your past, Ms. Mitchell.
Her abdomen contracted. "You've... been looking into me?"
His sneaky voice, he moved a little closer. "I need a new personal assistant, and I believe you're the right person for the job."
The air of those words was heavy with the unspoken. Lena looked at him doubtfully, not sure whether he really said it. "Me? But I don't have any experience as an assistant."
"That is not a concern, since you have the kinds of talents and skills that I am seeking. The rest of the knowledge is teachable," Ethan replied with co...
Lena stood partway between going to work for someone like Ethan Grayson and running away from such a mental calamity. But why her? Why now?
"I don't know..." she paused in response, but he interrupted.
"Think of it as an opportunity," he reaffirmed his point with a soft yet unbeaten tone. "A chance to change your life. The salary is impose handsomely, the perks are very good, and you will earn experiences which aren't otherwise available to yo...
Her practical side couldn't hold back from the allurement of it all. She was, after all, a girl with a pretty low income. The job would take care of a lot of her concerns. Nevertheless, she could still notice a particular way of him glancing at her which was so intense, almost as if he knew something she wasn't implied she became worried.
"Because it doesn't make sense," she finished. "Of all people, why hire someone you don't really know very well?"
Ethan his gaze, for a brief period, it felt as though she had witnessed the defiance of his ego. "Because I believe in you, he said bluntly. "It is not something made up either."
Lena felt as if the words had escaped her. Looking out the window, it seemed like the busy city which was sprawling down seemed to be a bit more compact. It was an opportunity, a window to the universe she had thought was beyond her reach. But it also came with a challenge – stepping into the unknown.
With that, she finally looked back at him. "Okay," she said, her tone firm. "I will go."
Ethan grinned and for the first time, it the smile reached his eyes. "Good, I would like to officially say welcome to Grayson Corp, Ms. Mitchell."
Excitement and nervousness combined filled her feelings as she walked out of his office. She had no clue what she may have just signed up for, but one thing was clear, life for her was about to turn crazy in ways she would have never envisioned.