2. The first day

I carefully pressed the buzzer outside the building, and someone inside helped me open the main entry. The zigzag corridor led me to the lift, which carried me to the third floor.

The HR lady greeted me warmly by the open kitchen area, where most people seemed to linger over cups of tea or coffee. She handed me a bag with a laptop and some brochures.

"Here's what you'll need for today," she said with a smile. "I’ll walk you through the basics now. You can log in with your new account and get everything set up."

She guided me through the necessary websites and seemed satisfied when I successfully accessed them.

“Perfect. Would you mind waiting here for a bit? Someone will come and see you shortly.”

I shifted the bag on my shoulder, trying to absorb the moment. First day. One chance to make a good impression.

Curious, I logged into my account for annual leave applications.

Line manager: Daniel Ross.

Of course.

“Hello, you must be Maggie!”

I turned to see a woman approaching. Her hair was loosely tied back into a ponytail, and her warm smile made her instantly approachable.

“I’m Eva,” she said, offering her hand. “You’ll be working with me today.”

I shook her hand, falling into step beside her as she led me down the corridor toward the lab. Eva walked fast, but it wasn’t the kind of speed that screamed stress—more like someone who naturally moved at their own rhythm.

After switching into a lab coat, I followed her through the double doors.

And that’s when I saw him.

At the far end of the lab, Daniel Ross was standing over a counter, deep in conversation with another girl.

My stomach flipped. There he was.

His dark curls were slightly disheveled, and he looked exactly as he had during the interview—focused, serious, academic.

Even from across the room, I could feel his presence. He adjusted his goggles as Olivia handed him a falcon tube, frowning slightly at the labeling.

Eva noticed my lingering stare.

“You’ve met Daniel, right?” she asked casually. “The nerdiest guy here.”

I quickly forced a smile, looking away. “Umm. He seems… a bit scary to me.”

Eva laughed softly. “Scary? Daniel?” She nudged me with her elbow. “He’s fine. You’ll get used to him. Come on.”

I followed her as she led me to the area where Daniel and Olivia were working. Both of them glanced up.

Before I could even say anything, Daniel greeted me.

“You’re finally here,” he said, pushing his goggles up slightly. “I’m not introducing myself again, though.”

“This is Olivia,” Eva added, gesturing to the woman next to Daniel. Olivia looked just a little older than me, with that professional, polished air I envied. She nodded politely but didn’t say much.

Even without words, I could tell they were all comfortable with each other—the kind of bond that came from long hours spent working side by side.

Eventually, Eva led me to a workstation near the main lab where a guy in a flannel shirt was carefully separating plasma from a spun blood sample.

“Liam, this is Maggie,” Eva said. “She’ll be shadowing you for a bit. Maybe show her how to handle the measurement system and make reagents. I’ve got a meeting.”

Liam glanced up and gave me a quick smile. “Welcome, Maggie. Busy day, but nothing too crazy.”

I smiled back. Finally, someone who didn’t make me feel like I was about to be evaluated.

“You okay? You seem a little nervous,” Liam said, raising an eyebrow.

“Ahh, I’m good, thank you,” I replied quickly. “I just traveled from Cambridge to Oxford last night. I probably just need more sleep.”

Liam chuckled. “Yeah, the first day can feel like a lot. You’ll settle in.”

He carefully walked me through the measurement system, explaining each step with ease. I tried to focus, but by mid-morning, I already felt a little worn out. Luckily, Liam didn’t push me.

“I’ll go check in with Olivia about the next steps,” he said after a while. “I’ll be back in a few.”

I nodded, grateful for the break.

I was halfway through calculating reagents when I felt it.

That odd sensation.

You know when someone walks into a room, and you can just feel their presence?

I didn’t need to turn around to know it was him.

“How’s it going? Having fun yet?”

I jumped slightly, nearly spilling buffer across the table. Daniel.

I fumbled to steady my hand, blinking as I scrambled for a response. “Ahh… Good. I think it’s working fine.”

Daniel’s eyes flicked to the tube in my hand. “Is it contaminated?”

“What?” I frowned, unsure if I heard him right.

“If your background goes over 100 today,” he said, his tone impossibly calm, “you’re fired.”

I froze.

My brain short-circuited for a second. Was he serious?

Daniel stared at me with the same neutral, academic look he always wore.

I blinked at him. “Wait, what?”

He tapped the edge of the desk lightly with his finger, that faint flicker of amusement barely visible. “Relax. I’m kidding. Don’t look so horrified.”

I exhaled sharply, realizing too late that I’d been holding my breath.

“I’m not scared of you,” I blurted, though it sounded more like a question.

Daniel’s smirk deepened. “I didn’t say you were.”

He walked off before I could formulate a comeback, leaving me standing there—reagents in hand, cheeks burning.