She stalks past me, the scent of her perfume lingering in her wake like a reminder that I’m in way over my head, and I follow her down the corridor, taking in the modern design of the building.Floor-to-ceiling windows offer stunning views of the city, the kind of backdrop that would make any yacht buyer feel like they’re already living the lifestyle the company is selling.
“Digital and Content is over there,” she says, gesturing dismissively to the right as we exit the conference room.“They handle the website, social media, and all digital marketing.Veronica runs a tight ship.”
“She looks like she eats interns for breakfast.”
Eve almost smiles.Almost.The corner of her mouth twitches in a way that makes me want to see what a real smile from her looks like these days.“Only the ones who use Comic Sans in their presentations.Last week she made a new guy cry because he used a stock photo with the watermark still on it.”
We continue down the hallway, passing various departments.Eve points out key facilities, her tone clipped and professional.She’s giving me the standard tour, nothing more, nothing less.
“And that’s the break room,” she says, indicating a sleek space with a fancy coffee machine and comfortable seating.“Wellness Wednesdays are mandatory.Gary from Accounting brings his homemade kombucha and everyone pretends it doesn’t taste like fermented sock water.”
“Sounds delightful.”
“It’s a bonding experience.Nothing unites a company like collective suffering.”
I chuckle despite myself, and she shoots me a look that suggests I’m not allowed to find her amusing.
As we pass by Iris’s office, I notice her inside engaged in what appears to be a heated discussion with a tall, well-dressed man.He’s leaning over her desk, his body language aggressive.Iris looks upset, her usual composure fractured.As we watch, the man throws up his hands and storms out, brushing past us without acknowledgment.
“Who was that?”I ask Eve.
She presses her lips together.“Richard.Iris’s fiancé.”
Before she can elaborate, I notice a familiar young blonde woman with a sweet smile efficiently organizing papers at a nearby desk.She looks up, offering a polite nod.
“That’s Holly Pearson,” Eve explains, following my gaze.“Iris’s assistant.Don’t let the innocent look fool you.She runs this place with an iron fist in a velvet glove.Nothing happens in Marketing that Holly doesn’t know about.”Holly blushes slightly at the description but doesn’t deny it.
Before we can continue, Flora appears beside us, her hamster-printed caftan fluttering around her.
“Oh, dear,” she sighs, looking after the retreating man.“Poor Iris.Richard’s been after that head of finance position for months.The last one didn’t work out—just got fired last week.Richard thought he was a shoe-in, but Ethan wants someone with more experience.”She lowers her voice.“Richard thinks Iris isn’t pushing hard enough for him.”
Eve’s expression hardens.“She shouldn’t have to.He’s not qualified.”
Flora pats Eve’s arm.“Not everyone has your fire, dear.Some people need a little boost.”She turns to me with a conspiratorial smile.
“Flora,” Eve warns.
“Just making conversation,” Flora replies innocently.“Come now, we should get back.Joshua texted.He’s bringing lunch for everyone.Well, he’s bringing lunch for himself, but he bought enough for an army.”
Eve rolls her eyes, but there’s fondness beneath the exasperation.“Let me just finish showing our new team member around.I’ll be right there.”
After Flora leaves, Eve turns to me.“The roof is this way.Great view of the river.Also a convenient place to dispose of bodies, just FYI.”
“Duly noted,” I reply dryly.“Planning my demise already?”
“I like to be prepared,” she fires back without missing a beat.
I watch her pick up her coat.“So tell me about the Serastra 70,” I prod.“I’ve heard it was quite the comeback story.”
Eve’s eyes light up despite herself.This is clearly a project she cares about.The passion transforms her face, and for a second, I glimpse the woman beneath the armor—someone who genuinely loves what she does.
“It was Thalvyn’s flagship for years.Old money, old world luxury.Think mahogany and brass, not carbon fiber and LED lighting.But the previous management let it languish while chasing trendier designs.”
We step out onto the rooftop, and the cold January wind ruffles Eve’s hair, sending a few strands dancing across her face.She tucks them behind her ear with an impatient gesture, pulling her coat tighter around herself against the winter chill.The view is indeed spectacular—the river gleaming in the distance, the city sprawling around us like a concrete jungle under the pale winter sky.
“We had a perfect relaunch campaign ready,” she continues, leaning against the railing despite the cold.“Market research, target demographic analysis, event planning—the works.And then, the night before implementation, one of our competitors launched the exact same campaign.Word for word, image for image.”
“And you think someone on your team leaked it.”
