A Private Office

Susan

By the time I made it to Gerald’s office for the morning briefing, I had finally managed to shove the events of the gala into the recesses of my mind. Or so I thought. I stepped into his office with my notebook in hand, ready to discuss the day’s agenda.

"Good morning, Ms. Hart," Gerald greeted me with his usual professional tone.

"Morning, Gerald," I replied, taking a seat across from him. "What’s on the agenda today?"

He shuffled a few papers on his desk, adjusting his glasses. "Before we get into today’s work, I have some news."

I frowned. Gerald wasn’t the type to get off track, so this was unusual. "News?"

He nodded, clearing his throat. "Mr. Prescott has ordered that you be given a private office in the building."

My eyes widened, and I blinked at him. "A private office? Why?"

Gerald adjusted his glasses again, clearly uncomfortable with my reaction. "I assume it’s for efficiency and convenience, given your ongoing work with the company."

"Right," I said slowly, processing the unexpected information. "That’s… thoughtful of him, I guess."

Gerald hesitated, as though he wasn’t quite done delivering the news.

"There’s more?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," he said with a slight cough. "Your new office is located… close to Mr. Prescott’s."

"Close?" I repeated, leaning forward slightly.

"Adjacent, to be exact," Gerald clarified, avoiding my gaze.

I stared at him, unsure whether to laugh or groan. "Adjacent to his office?"

"Yes, Ms. Hart. The arrangements have already been made. The office will be ready for you to move in by this afternoon."

I opened my mouth, then closed it, completely at a loss for words. Why on earth would Elliot do this? The gala was awkward enough, but now he wanted to plant me right next to him? Was this some kind of power play? A way to assert control?

Or maybe, a cynical part of my brain whispered, he just wants to keep an eye on you.

"Is this a problem?" Gerald asked cautiously.

"No," I said quickly, forcing a polite smile. "Not a problem at all."

"Excellent," Gerald said, visibly relieved. "We’ll proceed with the briefing now."

But as Gerald launched into a summary of the day’s tasks, I couldn’t focus. My thoughts were a jumbled mess, bouncing between irritation, confusion, and a nagging sense of curiosity.

By the time the meeting ended, I wasn’t any closer to understanding Elliot’s motives. But one thing was certain: working this close to him was bound to make everything infinitely more complicated.

I gathered my things, heading out of Gerald’s office with a new goal for the day...figuring out what game Elliot Prescott was playing this time.

****

Elliot

I leaned back in my chair, a smirk curling on my lips as I watched the camera feed on my monitor. There she was...Susan Hart...standing in her new office, looking entirely thrown off. She glanced around the space, her fingers brushing the edge of the pristine desk, her lips pressed into a tight line.

She was trying to look unimpressed, but I caught the subtle way her brows knit together, the faint twitch of her lips. Confusion? Irritation? Maybe even curiosity. I couldn’t tell, but whatever it was, it fueled a sense of victory I couldn’t quite explain.

The moment Gerald had relayed her reaction to the office allocation, I knew I’d made the right call. Sure, I could have given her an office anywhere in the building. But this? A private office right near mine? It wasn’t just practical...it was strategic.

I watched as she walked to the window, taking in the view. The sunlight caught in her hair, and for a moment, I found myself staring longer than I should have.

Why does she always do that? Throw me off without even trying.

I shook the thought away, focusing back on the monitor. She turned suddenly, muttering something under her breath. I couldn’t hear it, but the way she flopped into the chair, spinning slightly as if testing its quality, was almost...amusing.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk. “Interesting,” I murmured to myself.

Why did I care so much about her reaction? Why did it matter if she was caught off guard or if she liked the office? It shouldn’t. This was business, and I was just ensuring she had the tools she needed to succeed.

At least, that’s what I told myself.

But deep down, I knew there was more to it. Maybe it was the way she always managed to challenge me without even realizing it. Maybe it was the unspoken tension that seemed to bubble up every time we were in the same room.

Or maybe it was the way she had walked out of my life ten years ago, and now, somehow, fate had brought her back, right within arm’s reach.

I sat back again, crossing my arms as the feed shifted back to the hallway.

“Things are about to get interesting,” I muttered, the smirk returning to my lips.

Whatever this was...whatever game we were playing...I wasn’t planning on losing. Not this time.