The second week at Casa Thorn began quietly,nothing dramatic happened,no sudden chaos, no big announcements.
Just the steady rhythm of work slowly settling into me. I arrived earlier now, walked with more confidence, spoke with less second-guessing. I knew which meetings always ran late, which desks buzzed with ideas, and when the office slipped into that calm, focused silence everyone worked best in.
On the surface, I felt steady again.
Whatever tension had followed me through my first week,i told myself it was gone. Alexander thorn was the CEO,i was an employee.
The space between those titles was wide enough to keep things professional,controlled and simple.
Or at least, that's what I wanted to believe.
The calendar notification appeared just after ten.
Madatory Executive Campaign Strategy
I stared at the screen for a moment, reading it twice just to be sure it was real. No one had mentioned an executive meeting this week.
I checked the sender, the time, the list of attendees.Senior brand directors,creative leads,strategy heads.
And then his name.
Something in my chest tightened.
I stood, smoothed my blazer, and picked up my tablet. Hesitation had never helped me get anywhere, and I wasn't about to let it start now. The executive floor greeted me with its familiar stillness, the kind that made you straighten your shoulders before you even spoke.
The conference room was already half full when I walked in.
Conversations softened as I took a seat near the middle of the table. At the head of the room, Alexander Thorn sat with an ease that came from ownership. His jacket was off, sleeves rolled up, posture relaxed in a way that suggested nothing ever truly caught him off guard.
He looked up.
His gaze found me immediately and didn't move.
There was no greeting, no polite nod. Just a quiet, purposeful look that slowed my steps for half a second before I forced myself forward.
Then he looked away, as if nothing had happened.
The meeting moved quickly. Campaign goals,projections,brand tone. I listened closely, paying attention not just to what was said, but how it was said, who spoke with confidence and who hesitated. When the conversation stalled,when no one seemed quite sure how to balance exclusivity with reach,I spoke.
Not loudly,not nervously.
I suggested shifting the focus toward, letting the brand invite people in rather than intimidate them. The room went quiet for a brief moment.
Alexander leaned back slightly in his chair.
"Continue" he said.
So I did.
The discussion picked up again, stronger this time,Ideas built on mine, refined and sharpened by the room.
I kept my attention on the table, refusing to look toward the head of it, even though I could feel his gaze return, heavier now.
When the meeting ended, I gathered my things and left without lingering.
The office felt different when I got back.
Not unfriendly,not warm,Just… aware.
Conversations paused as I passed.
Monica glanced up from her screen, curiosity clear on her face.
"Executive meeting already?" she asked lightly.
"It seems so" I replied.
Her eyebrows lifted. "That didn't take long"
Daniel leaned back in his chair nearby, studying me. "Guess first impressions really do count"
I smiled politely and kept moving, though the attention made me uneasy. It wasn't admiration I felt,it was visibility. And visibility at Casa Thorn came with weight.
Back in my office, I closed the door and let out a slow breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. I crossed the room and stood in front of the glass wall, studying my reflection. Same calm expression. Same professional posture.
But something underneath had shifted.
This job had been about growth,focus, stability.
Not the way one man could quietly tilt my sense of balance without saying a single word.
My laptop chimed,an email,
from Alex.
I hesitated before opening it,then finally did.
You handled yourself well today.
That was it.
No greeting,no signatureno explanation.
I stared at the words longer than I meant to. It was nothing, I told myself,just a professional acknowledgment. A CEO recognizing competence. Still, my heartbeat refused to slow.
I closed the laptop gently, as if the message might linger if I didn't.
Around me, the office carried on,phones ringing, keyboards clicking, ideas turning into action. I sat back down and returned to my work, forcing my focus where it belonged.
Yet even as I typed, one thought stayed with me.
My calm hadn't vanished.
It had cracked.
Not loudly,not all at once.
Just enough to let something new seep in.
And deep down, I had the unsettling feeling that Alexander Thorn knew it.