2: THE NEW RECRUIT

Monday morning arrived faster than I expected. I spent the weekend mentally preparing, telling myself over and over that I was more than ready to face Ethan King again. After all, I’d walked out of his office on Friday with the upper hand—something I’d been waiting years to have. Now, it was time to follow through.

I stepped out of the cab in front of King Enterprises, the sun casting a golden glow on the towering glass structure. The building seemed even more intimidating than before, but I wasn’t going to let it rattle me. Not today.

I walked through the grand lobby, the sound of my heels clicking against the marble floors echoing in the vast space. I could feel the eyes of the other employees as they passed by, but I didn’t falter. I kept my head high and made my way to the elevator, determined to make my presence known without saying a word.

As I waited for the elevator, the soft chime signaling its arrival, I couldn’t help but think of what Ethan must be feeling now. He’d tried to get rid of me, to deny me the job, but here I was, about to start working under his nose.

I stepped into the elevator, my finger hovering over the button for the floor where my new office awaited. Just as the doors began to close, I heard his voice behind me.

“Madison!”

I froze, my heart rate spiking at the sound of my name on his lips. I quickly pressed the button to close the doors, but nothing happened. They stayed open, mocking my attempt at escape.

“Hold it!” he called out, his footsteps quickening as he made his way down the hall toward me. I kept jabbing the button, willing the doors to close, but the elevator seemed to have other ideas.

Of course.

Ethan slid into the elevator just as the doors finally started to close, his presence filling the small space. He was wearing another impeccably tailored suit, and I could feel his gaze on me, but I refused to look at him. Instead, I kept my eyes straight ahead, willing the ride to be over as quickly as possible.

“Good morning, Miss Taylor,” he said, his voice dripping with forced politeness. There was an edge to it, though—a hint of frustration that he couldn’t quite hide.

I didn’t reply.

I could feel the tension between us thickening with every second that passed. He had wanted me gone, and yet here I was, standing beside him, the silent reminder that he no longer had control over me.

“I see you didn’t waste any time getting comfortable,” he continued when I didn’t respond, his tone sharper now.

I finally turned to look at him, meeting his piercing green eyes with an unwavering stare. “I told you I’d see you on Monday,” I said coolly.

His jaw clenched. “Don’t get too comfortable, Madison. This isn’t high school anymore. I’m not the same person you used to know.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Neither am I.”

For a moment, we simply stood there, locked in a silent battle of wills. The tension in the small space was palpable, and I could sense the anger simmering just beneath the surface of his calm exterior.

The elevator dinged as it reached my floor, the doors sliding open with a soft hiss. I stepped forward without a word, determined not to let him get the last one.

But just as I was about to walk out, his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist gently but firmly.

“Madison,” he said, his voice low, his eyes searching mine. “I just wanted to say.....you look....beautiful ” he stammered, forcing a smile

I looked down at his hand, then back up at him, my expression unreadable. “Thanks” I replied softly.

I pulled my wrist free and walked out of the elevator, my heart racing but my steps steady.

Ethan followed closely behind me till we got into the conference room, his footsteps a constant reminder of his presence. I could feel his eyes on my back, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of turning around. The room was already filled with staff members seated around the long, polished table. As soon as we entered, the low hum of conversation quieted, and all eyes shifted toward us.

The blonde woman from Friday—his secretary or assistant, I assumed—was seated in the chair directly beside his. Her grin was wide, a little too eager, as she adjusted her scarf to reveal more of her chest. I suppressed a groan. She was clearly playing up her role, attempting to garner his attention in a way that made my skin crawl.

Without hesitation, I moved to an empty seat at the far end of the table, as far from Ethan and his sycophantic assistant as possible. I sat down, keeping my posture straight and my expression neutral, but inside, I could feel the tension building.

Ethan made his way to his seat at the head of the table, murmuring a low “Good morning” to the room. The staff responded in unison, though the energy in the air was stiff, almost robotic. His presence clearly commanded the room, whether by respect or fear, I wasn’t sure.

He cleared his throat, signaling the start of the meeting. “I’d like to begin with the financial report for this month.”

The blonde woman, wasting no time, darted up from her seat, practically lunging toward the documents held by the woman seated next to me. She grabbed them in a rush, her movements exaggerated as if trying to impress everyone with her eagerness. I rolled my eyes, watching her bounce back toward Ethan, her high heels clicking sharply on the floor.

As Ethan flipped through the report, the blonde hovered over him, too close for comfort. I saw her lean in, her chest brushing against his shoulder with each subtle shift of her body. My stomach twisted in disgust as I glanced around the room, wondering if anyone else noticed. But no one seemed fazed. It was as though they were used to this kind of behavior.

Ethan, however, seemed indifferent. His face remained stoic, focused on the report in front of him. After a few moments, he looked up and shot her a stern glance.

“Take your seat,” he ordered, his voice firm but controlled.

Her face flushed as she quickly retreated to her chair, clearly embarrassed but trying to mask it with a forced smile. The room fell into an awkward silence, but it was soon broken when Ethan spoke again—this time addressing me.

“Madison,” he said, his voice cutting through the quiet. My name on his lips sent a jolt of surprise through me, and I looked up, meeting his eyes.

“Yes Sir?” I responded, my tone sharper than intended, but I wasn’t about to let him catch me off guard.

“Stand up,” he instructed calmly.

A wave of tension rolled through the room, and I could feel the weight of everyone’s gaze shift toward me. My heart raced, but I stood slowly, refusing to show any sign of nerves.

“What is it?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Ethan leaned back in his chair, his eyes assessing me carefully. “I’d like you to introduce yourself to the rest of the team”

My brows furrowed. I hadn’t expected this. Why was he putting me on the spot like this? And more importantly, what was he trying to accomplish?

I cleared my throat, pushing down the knot of anxiety rising in my chest. "My name is Madison Taylor. I’ve worked with top firms and helped them streamline operations and improve profitability. I’m here to bring that expertise to King Enterprises.”

Ethan nodded, but there was a flicker of something in his expression—a challenge, perhaps, or maybe a hint of amusement. “Good,” he said, leaning forward slightly. “Madison will be heading our regional operations from now on ”

His words were carefully chosen, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was some kind of game to him. A way to test me, to see if I would crack under the pressure.

The blonde woman, now seated and glaring at me with thinly veiled disdain, shifted in her chair, clearly irritated that I was being given attention that she clearly craved.

“Anything else?” I asked, raising an eyebrow, meeting Ethan’s gaze head-on.

He smiled faintly, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yes. Samantha, please switch seats with Ms Taylor” he said turning his attention to the blonde lady who now looked like she had seen a ghost.

"I'm perfectly fine here" I intercepted.

"You belong here with the other managers" he said firmly.

I nodded and packed up my things before heading to my new seat.

Samantha glared at me, her anger visible. After much hesitation, she stood up and grumbled as she made her way to the back.

"Welcome aboard Madison" the man seated beside me said with a smile.

I smiled and mouthed a small thank you.

The meeting swung into full action and Ethan began to address the issues with the company's finances.

The meeting stretched for several long hours and due to lack of briefing, I began to feel lost and my frustration became quite visible.

"Madison" Ethan said, tapping the desk.

I looked up at him.

"You look confused" he said coldly.

"Not really" I muttered.

"Good" he said, "I was beginning to doubt if you could handle the position".

My heart dropped.

Was his plan to berate me in front of his staff.

"I am fine Mr King" I said firmly.

He scoffed and turned back to the document he had in his hands.

After several long painful hours, the meeting finally came to an end.

Once Ethan was out, everyone else hurriedly packed up to return to their offices.

I stayed behind, carefully navigating the piles of documents Ethan had assigned to me.

"Maddy the Mouse" a feminine voice said behind me.

I turned around and found Samantha starring over my shoulder.

"What did you call me?" I asked.

"You haven't changed one bit. Still the same pathetic quivering mouse you have always been" she spat.

"Excuse me?" I asked, my voice rising in anger.

"You will never be able to come between Ethan and I. We've been together since high school, we're meant for each other" she said, inching closer to me.

It finally struck me. She was Samantha Smith. The head cheerleader and meanest girl ever.

"I promise you, I am only here to work. I don't want Ethan" I said, turning back to my work.

She spun my chair around and stepped closer to me. Her perfume filled my nostrils and the air was so dense I could hardly breathe.

"If I ever find out you're messing with him, trust me, you wouldn't live to tell the story" she whispered in my ear before dumping more files on my lap and walking away....