Page 52 of The Secretary Volume II

I rubmy thumb across the rim of my glass, pretending it has the power to steady my shaking hands.“At first my injuries appeared mostly superficial.But then the headaches started.Vertigo.Severe ringing in my ears.A head injury they called post-concussive syndrome.Eventually, my grades slipped…and I had to quit.And then?—”

I pause, the words sticking in my throat for a moment.

“I tried to start something else, something I thought I could do, even though there were a lot of days I couldn’t even get out of bed.I started a grooming business.It wasn’t much.But it was mine.I thought it’d be enough until I could finish school.”

Ellis watches me, his eyes calculating.He doesn’t interrupt.Just studies me, like he’s looking for the cracks.

“But you didn’t finish.”

“No.It’s a long story.”

He glances at his watch, then shrugs casually.“I have time.”

30

Lena

“Three weeks,” I say.“That’s how long my business lasted.”

Ellis doesn’t speak.He doesn’t need to.

“I’d just opened my first physical location.Finally had a storefront.A sign on the window.I thought I was starting over.”

I laugh once, but it’s hollow.

“Then COVID hit,” I say, with a sigh.“Three weeks after I opened the doors.Just like that, there was no business.Figuratively and literally.I lost everything.My savings.My dignity.”

I bite the inside of my cheek.“Now I’m just trying to find something that doesn’t fall apart.”

“I see.”His voice is soft, almost clinical, but there’s an edge to it.“And your husband?How did he handle all this?”

I hesitate.The silence stretches, taut and unforgiving.“He didn’t,” I say finally.“He finished vet school.”

Ellis leans in.“That must’ve been hard.Watching him succeed while you struggled.”

I nod, even though I don’t want to.“It’s not his fault,” I say quickly.“But yeah.It was hard.”

“So he found someone else.Something easier.”

“That’s one way to put it.We grew apart.It wasn’t dramatic.”

“Interesting.”He drums his fingers on the edge of his glass.“Not many people lose everything in a freak accident and claw their way back.”

His eyes pin me.“But you did.”

His words hit harder than I expect.

“Although,” he adds, “that’s not why you’re here, is it?”

“I’m here because you asked.I’m here because you’re my boss.”

Ellis shakes his head.“You’re here because you want more than to be someone’s secretary.”

“Wow.”I drain my glass.“You’ve really got me pegged.”

“I know how tempting better can look,” he says.His tone is mild, but the undertone isn’t.“You’re still young.There’s so much you could do.So much you could become.”He leans forward.“And I could show you how.”

It’s both a promise and a trap.I open my mouth to answer, but he’s already moving the goalposts.