First day Jitters
The lobby of the Valerio Corporation was a monument to severe, minimalist power. Polished black marble reflected the cool, recessed lighting, and the only sound was the hushed click of expensive shoes on the floor. At the centre reception desk, a woman with a perfectly sculpted updo handed Elias a pristine white ID badge.
“Welcome to Valerio, Mr. Vance. Your orientation packet is in the conference room on the 48th floor. You’ll meet with your direct supervisor later this afternoon”. Her smile was professional, and her voice held the smooth, practiced tone of someone who never had to raise it. Elias swallowed, adjusting the knot of his brandnew tie. “Thank you. um, 48th floor”.
Ten minutes later, Elias was staring blankly at a complex, colour-coded org chart in the chilly conference room when his phone buzzed. It was a text from his college roommate, Matt. Who had secured a minor position in acquisition six months ago.
Matt(text): need coffee run stat. Welcome to the grind, fresh meat. Meet me on the ground floor outside the staff exit. I’ve got 5 min.
Elias quickly grabbed his jacket and hustled down. Matt was already leaning against the cool limestone wall outside, looking harried even in his custom-tailored suit.
“Man, you look like you just saw a ghost”, Elias said, trying to keep his voice light. Matt didn’t smile. He look the paper cup of black coffee Elias handed him and stared into it like it held his bleak future. “It’s worse than I thought El. The hours are insane, the workload is impossible, and the atmosphere.....it’s like living under permanent thunderclouds”, “come on its a six-figure starting salary, matt. It’s the Valerio Corporation. You knew it was intense”. Matt shook his head, running a hand through his already messy hair. “Intense is an understatement. You know what they call this building?” “The black citadel?” “No, that’s the investors. The staff, we call it The Cage.” Matt leaned in, his voice dropping to a theatrical whisper despite the noice of city traffic. “And the cage has an owner.” Elias frowned. “The CEO ? Old man Valerio?” “No. Not the old man. The one who actually runs everything.” Matt took a large, terrifying sip of his coffee. “You’ve done your research, right? You know who Adrian Valerio is?”
Elias shrugged, slightly annoyed by the sudden shift in his friends demeanour. “Yeah, the founder’s Grandson. The genius who expanded the energy division. He’s the main character on the company wikipedia page.”
Matt’s eyes usually sparkling with sarcasm, were dead serious. “He’s not a character El. He’s a force of nature. Listen to me, and listen good. You don’t see him in the eye. You don’t speak to him unless he speaks to you first. And if you’re ever in an elevator with him, you hold your breath and pretend you’re furniture.” “You’re being ridiculous,” Elias chuckled nervously. “Is he like verbally abusive or something?” Matt lowered his voice further, glancing anxiously towards the building’s entrance. “Worse. He’s quiet. He’s meticulous. And he doesn’t fire people- he erased them. One minute they’re here, the next minute their security badge doesn’t work, their access is revoked, and their whole department acts like they never existed.”
He pushed the empty coffee cup back into Elias’s hand. “Last week, a senior manager in Legal missed a comma in a contract. Just a comma. No one’s seen him since Tuesday. The rumour is Adrian found a mistake, walked into the office, and didn’t even speak. Just put a red pen on the desk and walked out. Five minutes later, security escorted the guy off the property.” Matt’s eyes were wide and pleading. “Don’t attract his attention, El. Stay in your lane, hit every deadline, and for god’s sake, make sure you double-check your expense report. Because I promise you, he won’t miss a single digit.”
A sharp, electronic chime sounded from matt’s watch. He flinched, straightened his tie and his nervous energy immediately returned to a state of rigid professionalism. “Times up. Gotta run. Good luck man. Try to survive the week.” Matt sprinted back towards the imposing black glass doors, leaving elias standing alone on the sidewalk. The city noise suddenly muted. It no longer looked like an opportunity. It looked like a glided inescapable trap. He clutched the empty coffee cup, feeling a chill that had nothing to do with the November air. The man he hadn’t even met was already the most terrifying person he knew.
