Chapter 8 Closed quarters

Aria had expected to be fired after that little altercation with Lucien but she was surprised when she was told to arrive earlier the following day. Or was he planning to fire her in front of everyone? The look he gave her, the hatred he had in his eyes, was he planning something? But she was ready to take chances because the salary was what mattered to her most.

The second day at Blackwood Industries arrived quietly, slipping into Aria's life like a shadow. It was strange, how quickly routines formed in the chaos of change. Her mornings were now an orchestrated rhythm of sweeping, wiping, scrubbing symphony of silence and bleach that led her up to the very top floor where only one man resided.

Lucien Blackwood.

The office was so different from the rest of the building. Where others buzzed with clacking keyboards, ringing phones, and muffled chatter, his floor was a mausoleum of luxury and precision. Wide black marble tiles stretched across the floor, spotless and reflective. Glass panels divided the space with icy perfection, and the air always smelled faintly of cedar and something darker-something like smoke and secrets.

Her tasks were simple on paper. Clean the corridor, his office, and his private washroom. But the simplicity was a deception. There was something about moving through that silence, past the towering double doors with his name etched in silver, that made her feel like she was trespassing on something sacred.

That morning, she arrived earlier than usual. The bus had been ahead of schedule, and she wasn't ready to face the break room's empty glances and hushed whispers, so she climbed to the top floor and let herself in. Her ID badge, with its tiny orange "T" in the corner, granted her access.

She started in the corridor, as always. She moved quietly, her bucket resting by the wall as she swept the sleek floor. She wiped down the baseboards with her gloves on, her hands used to the sting of industrial chemicals now. She never made noise. It was the one rule she'd made for herself.

She was halfway done when the sound of approaching footsteps echoed against the glass and marble. Aria froze, straightening quickly. Lucien wasn't supposed to be here yet.

But there he was. How was he managing to come to the office this early?

He didn't look at her immediately. His gaze was on his phone, his free hand adjusting the cuffs of his black suit. His presence swallowed the space, even without a word. When he did lift his eyes, they met hers. Something in her breath caught. Just for a moment.

He said nothing. Neither did she. Aria bent her head quickly and stepped aside, murmuring, "Good morning, sir."

He passed without acknowledging the greeting. He ignored it completely like he had not heard her. The scent of him lingered after he walked by dark spice, cologne, and something uniquely his.

By the time she reached his office, he was seated at his desk, already immersed in some report. She had hesitated at the door, afraid that he would coldly dismiss her and tell her to leave his office, but she finally managed to gather the courage and got in. She didn't look directly at him. Just dipped her mop into the bucket and began in the far corner. The office was large but not excessive. Dark wood, gold fixtures, and a single orchid in a white vase by the window.

As she bent down to wipe beneath the edge of his bookshelf, she noticed a cup-ceramic, delicate, with a single lipstick stain. It wasn't hers. Her hand paused. Then she picked it up, gently wiped the rim, and placed it aside. Then suddenly Lucien spoke.

"Don't move that."

She froze again. Had he been watching her as she cleaned? His voice wasn't raised. But it was sharp, like broken glass.

She turned slowly, still crouched. "I... didn't mean to. I was just cleaning."

His eyes met hers again, unreadable.

"Just Leave it." He said looking at her with sharp eyes. She nodded and turned back to her work. It felt like she was working in a cage, with cold glances from Lucien after every inch she made. It made her uncomfortable, but she had to bear with it. This was her only hope, and she had worked in far, much worse places than this, so it was something that she could bear with.

That night, Aria was the last to leave the floor. She was supposed to clean in the morning and in the evening after work, those were the instructions she had been given. The sky outside had darkened to charcoal, and the rest of the building had quieted. She was finishing up in the washroom when she heard a faint voice.

She stepped out of the door quietly, not meaning to eavesdrop. His office door was slightly ajar.

"I tried," he was saying. "You know I did."

A pause.

"That wasn't my fault. She wasn't supposed to be there that night...and she brought herself to me, she willingly did, it's like she threw herself to me...you know what I mean?"

His voice cracked slightly on the last word. Aria didn't breathe. She stepped back into the shadows, heart thudding.

A silence followed, then the sound of a call ending.

She waited a moment longer before stepping in to empty his trash bin.

He was standing by the window, hands in his pockets, jaw tight. The city lights painted his silhouette in harsh white and gold.

She moved quickly, quietly. As she turned to leave, he said her name.

"Aria."

She stopped mid-step. He hadn't called her that since she started.

"Yes, sir?" He turned halfway, his gaze heavy.

"You missed a paper." He pointed at the paper Her face burned.

She nodded bending down to pick the piece of paper that was on the floor next to his desk.

" oh.... hadn't seen it...Sorry." She said, collecting it, but he didn't look away.

She waited. One heartbeat. Two. He finally turned back to the window."That'll be all."

She left, pulse racing, unsure if it was fear, confusion, or something far more dangerous that curled in her chest as the elevator doors closed behind her. She had promised herself to forget everything that had happened that night. And she wouldn't think of it ever.