Chapter 6 – One Week Later

One week after the bar, Elise sat in a glass waiting room on the thirty-second floor of a downtown tower. She kept her back straight and her hands folded in her lap. The chair was firm. Every time she shifted her weight she felt a faint echo low in her body, a ghost of the stretch and the wet ache from that night. She pressed her knees together and stared at the opposite wall.

A woman with a neat blouse and a tablet walked out of a side office and stopped in front of her.

“Elizabeth Hart?”

“Yes.”

“I’m the recruiter. Come with me.”

Elise followed her into a smaller room with a table and two chairs. The recruiter sat first and opened a folder.

“I’ve read your file,” she said. “Your earlier experience is strong. Good references from the first three years. Then a gap and a termination that doesn’t have clean paperwork. Can you explain that?”

Elise kept her voice even. “I was accused of something I didn’t do. The company chose not to investigate fully. I left without a recommendation letter.”

“That’s a problem for a role at this level. We’re hiring for someone who will handle sensitive schedules and private information. Trust is the main requirement.”

“I understand. I’m willing to start with whatever checks you need. I need this job.”

The recruiter tapped her pen against the folder. “Why the gap after the termination? No other employment listed.”

“I took care of family medical issues. My sister is in the hospital. It’s ongoing.”

“And now you’re ready to return full-time?”

“Yes. I can work long hours. I learn fast. I don’t bring personal problems into the office.”

The recruiter studied her for a long moment. “You’re overqualified for the listed duties on paper. That sometimes means a person leaves quickly when something better appears. We don’t want turnover in this seat.”

“I won’t leave,” Elise said. “I need the stability more than I need a title.”

The recruiter closed the folder. “The position reports directly to the CEO. It’s not a regular secretary role. You’ll manage his calendar, travel, private correspondence, and anything else he assigns. The hours can be irregular. The pay is higher than standard for a reason.”

Elise’s fingers tightened slightly in her lap. “I can handle irregular hours.”

“There’s also a confidentiality agreement that covers more than the usual company information. Personal matters stay inside the office. If you sign, you stay silent about whatever you see or hear.”

“I’ll sign it.”

The recruiter stood. “Wait here. I need to check one more thing with the executive floor.”

She left the room. Elise stayed in the chair. She shifted once and felt that low phantom sensation again. The memory of his hands staying on the seat while she moved on him flashed through her mind. She pushed it away and stared at the glass wall.

Minutes passed. The door opened again. The recruiter returned with a shorter woman in a dark suit.

“This is the CEO’s assistant,” the recruiter said. “She’ll take you up.”

Elise rose and followed the new woman to a private elevator. They rode in silence. The elevator opened onto a quieter floor with thick carpet and closed doors. The assistant led her to a seating area outside a set of double glass doors and gestured to a chair.

“Wait here,” she said. “He’ll call you in when he’s ready.”

Elise sat. The chair was softer than the one downstairs. She kept her back straight and her hands still. The phantom ache returned when she crossed her ankles. She uncrossed them and focused on the wall.

The glass door opened.

“Ms. Hart,” the assistant said, “Mr. Kane will see you now.”