OWNED BY SILENCE

The Job Offer

Lois's POV

"Lois Callahan?" The voice on the other end is smooth, maybe too smooth, and there is a clear sense of power in it.

"Yes, this is Lois," I say, wiping my hands on my pants. I move around in my chair anxiously, wondering if it's a hoax or a false number.

"Good," he says again. "I'm calling from Wynn Global to let you know that we have an urgent position open." An aide to an extremely significant person. "We've looked over your resume and you fit the bill perfectly."

Wynn Global? Just hearing the name makes me feel nervous. Of course, I've heard of the place. Everyone has. A media mogul's empire is the kind of business where individuals work for years and never get to the top. "Wait," I stammer, "Are you sure you have the right person?" I don't have any experience as a personal assistant, let alone for someone at that level.

There is a pause, and then a small laugh. "Don't worry, Lois. We know exactly who you are. If you're willing to step up, the job is yours.

I blink. "I don't get it. "Why me?"

"Because you're exactly who he needs," the voice says in a bizarre way. "Come to the top floor at 11 AM today. A person of importance wants to see you.

Before I can say anything else, the call goes dead. I hold the receiver and look at it as if it could have a secret message. Wynn Global? A job I didn't ask for? That voice sounded like something from a movie: calm and calculated.

I look at myself in the window. I have dark brown hair that is pulled back into a sloppy ponytail, and I am wearing a faded blouse. This is not the kind of outfit that Wynn Global would want. But what more can I do?

I grab my luggage and feel the weight of the phone call on my chest. I want to call it off, but the part of me that has always wanted more than this pushes me to go.

I know a lot about business, but this? This is a whole other level. The tall glass windows and muted color scheme make the whole place appear like it was meant to scare people.

As I go up, a receptionist with nicely styled blonde hair and sharp eyes glances up. "How can I help you?"

I clear my throat. "I'm here for an interview." Lois Callahan."

"Follow me," she says in a calm voice, and then she stands up to show me the way through the glass-walled maze.

As we get closer to a door at the other end of the floor, my heart starts to race. She doesn't knock; she just opens the door without notice, showing a huge office. It has a clean, minimalist design with dark wood accents and a perspective of the whole city.

And then I saw him.

Alex Wynn. He stands near the window, and his massive shoulders block the entryway. He looks at me with piercing, calculating eyes. He doesn't grin. He stays still.

I take a small step forward, trying not to be scared of the man who owns this whole floor and empire. The dark fabric of his suit looks great on him and makes his beautiful blue eyes stand out. There's something about him that draws people in and makes them feel dangerous.

"Lois Callahan," he says in a quiet, measured, and powerful voice. "Please sit."

I hesitate before sitting down in the chair across from him. The stillness between us is getting longer, and I can't help but notice that he is watching me and that his stare never leaves me. I feel like I'm going to choke, and I wonder if he's already judging me.

"Tell me about yourself," he asks, seeming casual yet with an authority that makes my heart race.

I swallow hard and try to put my thoughts together. I've always been good at talking, but now? I'm utterly lost now.

"I'm, uh, Lois Callahan," I say, shuffling around in my seat. "I've been doing temporary work for a few months now, mostly office work like filing and answering phones." I know how to work with databases, deal with customers, and-

"That's not what I asked," Alex stops me off. His voice is silky as silk yet harsh as glass. He leans forward a little, and his eyes narrow with focus. "Who are you?" "Why should I hire you?"

I freeze, not expecting it. "I think I'm a fast learner." "I'm... organized, and I do well under pressure," I continue, my voice fading away. It feels empty.

Alex looks at me steadily, and his eyes see through the surface-level responses. His silence is so heavy that every second feels like an eternity. I don't know what he's searching for, but I feel like every word I say is being weighed and measured.

He leans back in his chair and keeps his eyes on mine. "Okay. But I didn't ask for your CV. "I asked for something real."

My palms are getting sweaty. Something about him-his presence, his quiet strength-makes me feel lost.

"I'm... "I'm just trying to make a living," I add, my voice shaking a little. "I've been through some tough times, but I'm working on making something for myself. I want to do something that counts.

Alex doesn't answer right away; he just watches me. You can feel the tension in the room.

Finally, he gets up. He is taller than I thought he would be, and his presence is astounding. He doesn't say anything, yet his silence says a lot.

"Sit," he says, pointing to the chair.

I do what I'm told without thinking. He hasn't actually asked me to do anything. Still, there's something about him that makes me do it.

He sits down across from me and smiles slightly, never taking his eyes off me.

"Welcome to Wynn Global, Lois," he says in a sweet voice.

I don't know why, but I get a chill down my spine when he talks. The way he says it... the sound of his voice... makes it feel like a promise. Or a sign.

I didn't ask for this job. I had no idea it was there. But here I am, sitting across from a man who has more power in his pinky than I ever thought I could have.

Alex leans forward a little as he changes his weight. "You've been chosen for a very special job, Lois. An assistant for you. His voice is low and powerful, but not cruel. "To me."

I blink and attempt to catch my breath, but I don't get it. "I'm sorry. I thought I was here for something different. You must be looking for someone else. I'm trying to find something, anything that will help me understand this.

He doesn't move. "I don't make mistakes." He pushes a folder across the desk toward me. In the delicate light, the gold-embossed Wynn Global logo shines. "This is what you're offering: three times your current salary." You will be reporting directly to me. Not a single question. No doubt. "Only efficiency."

The words hit me like a splash of cold water. Three times? I can't even begin to understand what that implies. I'm still shocked that I got a job offer for a position I didn't even know existed.

"But..." I stammer. "Why me?"

He leans back in his chair and has a small smile on his face. "Lois, I need someone like you." Someone who will do what they say they will do, no matter what.

His words weigh heavily on me, and his gaze makes every breath I take feel like a choice.

"I-I don't get it." Even though my throat is dry, I can't stop talking. "I haven't-"

"You've got potential," he says smoothly, his voice winding around me like a thread. "Take it or leave it," the offer says.

He passes the contract across the table before I can say anything. The ink seems like it's shining under the lights in the office. "Sign it," he says, and his tone is no longer kind but final. There's no room to talk things over or take a breath.

I look at the page in front of me. The words are hard to read, but I know what I need to do. I can't leave this behind, can I?

I tremble my hand as I reach for the pen. I realize this is a bad idea, but I'm already too far in. I touch the smooth surface of the contract with my fingers, and it seems like I'm giving up the last amount of control I had.

Alex's voice is piercing and cold as it cuts through the air: "You're mine now." He is staring at me, and I can feel the weight of his words in my chest.

I quickly sign the contract, and my signature flows out like an automatic motion. The pen feels like it weighs more than it should.

Alex doesn't seem shocked. He only nods, as if he knew what was coming. The air is tighter and the space feels colder all of a sudden.

"You are making the right choice," he replies, his voice almost too serene and pleasant. "But don't get this wrong. You will need to do more than just your job. "I will be in charge of everything about you."

I sit back, my breath shallow, and can't say anything. He hasn't moved, but I can sense him in every corner of the room. He feels like the air around me, making it hard to breathe and impossible to get away from.

He stands up, sleek and elegant. His tall body seems to take up the whole room. He doesn't say anything else and walks up to the window, with his back to me.

I don't know what's worse: the terror growing in my chest or the weird excitement that runs through me. No matter what, I can't get away from what just transpired.

And just like that, the door to my former life crashes shut behind me. You can't go back now.