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“I love you, Lina. So, so, much.”

“Me too, Mommy.”

I give her a kiss, and then I give Bear, her teddy bear, a kiss too.

Five minutes later, I’m outside her room standing with Patty and trying my best not to say fuck it and stay home.

“You are both going to be okay, Lila. And I'll make sure Lina and I have a fun day. You need to go, dear. You can’t be late on your first day.”

Right. My new job.

I remember coming across the job listing while still in Fair Haven. It felt like a long shot, yet with nothing to lose, I polished my resume and sent it in.

To my surprise, I passed the initial screening a day later and was invited to a remote interview with the hiring manager. The interview was straightforward to say the least—basic questions about my skills, experience, and why I wanted the job.

I tried to answer everything the best I could without getting my hopes up. Yet a week later, I received the offer letter. No second round, no drawn-out process. Just like that, I got the job!

Today is my first official day, and the fact that I was hired quickly when most companies take weeks to make a decision still baffles me. But it’s like they say, never look a gift horse in the mouth. Most especially when I need this job.

Standing on the pavement, I stare up at the thirty-something-story skyscraper looming above me, blocking out the morning sun. The words H INDUSTRIES are branded across the building in bold, black letters. Something about them makes my stomach clench uneasily.

I can do this though.

There were what? Hundreds of people who must have applied for this job?

And yet out of all of them, I nailed the interview and got the job. The manager had actually looked impressed, like he hadn’t expected me to be as good as I was. My ability toorganize complex reports effortlessly, spot patterns other people overlooked, and think quickly on my feet seemed to catch his attention. I’d spent the last five years sharpening those skills, and now I need to prove to everyone and myself that I earned this.

Holding my purse tight and my head high, my nerves are thrumming wildly beneath my skin. I take a deep breath and step forward through the revolving glass doors.

If I thought the outside of the building was impressive, the inside is breathtaking.

The vast lobby stretches in front of me, making me feel minuscule. Above me, the dramatic recessed lighting casts a golden glow over the polished marble floors—floors so pristine I can see my own nervous reflection staring back at me.

A few feet ahead, a massive onyx reception desk sits like a fortress, staffed by a team of impeccably dressed receptionists. They answer calls every few minutes, barely breaking a sweat.

Above them, the company’s neon name and logo glow, but this time, there’s something new…an intricately carved silver wolf’s head embedded against textured black granite.

The sight alone makes something in my chest tighten.

The symbol of what the silver wolf means doesn’t escape me. It screams power and dominance.

I smooth my blouse, suddenly feeling underdressed and unprepared.

Pushing past the unease, I stride toward the reception desk. One of the women, a stunning blonde with high cheekbones and a killer smile, lifts her gaze and slowly looks me over. Pity flickers in her expression before she masks it with a faux smile.

“You must be Lila Winter, the new secretary?”

I clear my throat, nodding. “Yes.”

“Just a moment.”

She barely spares me another glance as she types something on her keyboard.

A minute later, she slides a sleek company badge across the polished surface.

“Miss Lila Winter, welcome to H Industries. You’ll go straight ahead, take the first elevator, and it will take you directly to the executive floor. Your boss is expecting you.”

Ooh.