Chapter 1
Amelia
My alarm startled me awake. I rolled over, searching for my phone buried under my blanket, and finally found its hard case. I pulled it out and pressed the button, silencing the deafening tone. My head plopped back into my feathery pillows as I groaned and ran my hands down my face. I had never been a morning person, but today was my first day at my new job.
Before today, I'd worked as a bartender at Joe’s, a bar down the street from my tiny apartment, while I worked my way through college. It had taken me several more months after I graduated with my business degree to finally land a job as an administrative assistant at Global Services. I wouldn't be making much more than I had at Joe’s, but I hoped I could climb the so-called 'ladder' and finally make a life for myself.
I rolled myself off my bed, catching myself on my rickety nightstand, cluttered with knick-knacks and cups of water I never seemed to pick up, and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. I lathered up my long, wavy brunette hair, savoring the scalding water on my shoulders. After I dried off, I wrapped my hair in a towel and started my makeup.
I usually went with heavy liner and dark shadow, but I knew I had to mix it up and go for a professional look. I applied a light pink shadow with a brown accent around my eyes, along with a thin line of liner topped with my mascara and lip gloss. Looking at myself in the mirror, I was pleased with the result. I let my long locks down and grabbed my hair dryer, blowing out my hair before fixing it up in a chignon.
I moved to my closet and looked at the few options I had bought last week. I was trading in my tight-fitting jeans and tank tops for pencil skirts and blouses. I grabbed a black skirt and paired it with a satin blue floral blouse. Slipping on my black heels, I headed to the kitchen, grabbed a chipped bowl from my cabinet, and filled it with cereal. With coffee and breakfast in hand, I ate at my small table and turned on the news.
My attention piqued when the CEO of Global Services came on the screen. I had seen a picture of him a few times before. He was considered one of the city's most eligible bachelors, with his tall, muscular form and piercing blue eyes. His finely styled black hair and tightly trimmed beard highlighted his sharp features. I was so mesmerized by his plump lips moving that I completely missed what he was announcing.
I sighed when they moved on to the next report, realizing I should have paid closer attention to what was happening at my new company. I grabbed my phone off the table and searched the company. A headline popped up that the company was taking a step towards lowering its carbon footprint by opening two new environmentally conscious factories to lessen the need for transportation, as well as shifting to vehicles that use renewable synthetic fuels.
The company's environmental pledge was one of the key things that drew me to them in the first place. Wolfe Stalk Enterprises acquired them three years ago and has been taking steps to lessen Global Services' environmental impact ever since. Gabriel Wolfe, the mouth-watering CEO who had graced my television screen, had been making waves in the business world with his aggressive approach.
Scrolling through my phone, I looked at my clock on the wall.
“Shit,” I called out, realizing I had lost track of time.
I tossed my dirty dishes into the sink, grabbed my sweater and car keys, and rushed out the door. My old ’99 silver Subaru Forester was parked a block away. I cursed when I saw the bright yellow paper sticking out from under my windshield wiper. Normally, I could find a spot on my street where I had a permit to park, but with the lack of spots the night before, I tried my luck on the next street over. The permit that hung from my rearview mirror looked somewhat similar to the ones used on this street. I could usually get away with parking here, but today I had no luck.
I found a parking lot a few blocks from the towering skyscraper that housed Global Services and nearly ran to make it on time. I pushed through the double glass door and stepped into the extravagant modern lobby. Sleek white walls and floors reflected the sunlight that came through the floor-to-ceiling windows. A black ceiling with a large modern light fixture stood overhead. Several seating areas of black leather sofas and matching chairs were separated by tall potted trees.
I walked up to the white security desk in the center. Three imposingly large men sat behind the counter and looked up at me as I approached, their faces flat and emotionless.
“Hi, I’m Amelia Hart. I’m starting as an administrative assistant today,” I explained, attempting to imbue confidence.
Without uttering a word to me, one of the men began typing on the computer in front of him. The other two men never took their eyes off of me, watching me as if I were some kind of criminal trying to break in. I forced a smile, but their hard stares never faltered.
“Look at the camera,” the security guard who had been typing said, pulling my attention back to him.
He pointed at a small orb on the top of his monitor. As soon as I looked at it, it flashed, startling me. A small machine next to him began making noise, and I watched as an ID fell from it. He passed it to me.
“You will use this to access the elevators as well as the parking garage. You will report to Ms. Marsh on floor twenty.”
“Ah, thanks,” I said, taking the card.
I groaned as I looked down at the horrid picture of myself as I walked towards the elevator. I wondered if there was a way to retake your picture. I wasn’t sure it was worth it if I had to go through the ice brigade again. You would think that they would have more welcoming people at the desk.
Two more built security guards stood flanking the elevator lobby. They stood perfectly still, hands clasped in front of them, staring straight into the lobby. Where did they even find these types of guards? Usually, you found older men or retired police officers working the security desks in downtown buildings. These guys looked more like mercenaries than security men.
When the elevator door opened, I slipped in with several other people, all dressed in chic business attire. Each person scanned their card on the black panel before pressing their floor. I did the same, pressed the twenty button, and took a slow, deep breath, readying myself for what came next.
