Page 9 of The Secretary Volume II (The After Hours #2)

8

Lena

I follow Andra back through the glass-walled corridors, my heels clicking against the cold marble floors. She stops outside the office she briefly showed me this morning and gestures inside.

“As you know, this is yours.”

The space is pristine. Too clean. Too empty. Like someone wiped it down, not just of dust, but of existence. The only trace of its former occupant is a single desk, a monitor blinking patiently, and the note I found earlier. It feels heavy in my pocket. Waiting. Daring me to pretend it’s not there.

The paper is worn at the edges, like it’s been held too long, too tightly. Just thinking about it, my stomach twists.

Andra watches me closely. “Do you have any questions?”

I shake my head.

“Good,” she says, smoothing down her blouse. “Mr. Harrison will expect your reports by end of day.”

I have no idea what she’s talking about. “Reports?”

She just smiles. “You’ll figure it out.”

Her smile is the kind people wear when they already know the punchline.

I’m not sure if that was reassurance or a warning.

She closes the office door behind her and I exhale.

The city sprawls below, people moving like ants, blissfully unaware of whatever the hell is happening up here.

My computer chimes. One new email.

From: Andra

Subject: Reports

Mr. Harrison’s pending contracts are attached. They need formatting before end of day. P.S. Don’t work too late. The cleaning staff gets nervous when people stay after hours. Especially in that office.

As if on cue, the lights flicker. Just once.

But enough to make me jump.

“Welcome to Shergar Corp,” says the ceiling voice, though it’s 2:17 PM. “Where every day is a new opportunity.”

I can’t shake the feeling that the opportunity it’s referring to might be my funeral.

Maybe I really should have purchased that life insurance from the temp agency. Maybe SecureLife was onto something.

Marjorie would be thrilled to know she was right. Hell, maybe I should’ve let her sign me up for the one with funeral coverage.