Chapter 4

Ilana stood frozen as the seconds trickled by, her mind working overtime.

Calix Meyers could be fundamental to her mission. Getting close to him would be easier compared to Adam Meyers.

She already had access to him and she knew from that brief introduction in the bar that he'd be easy to manipulate.

Adam Meyers, on the other hand, would be a hassle. He was much much older than Ilana. He was a businessman with a shiny reputation. She still hadn't formed a strategy on how she could get close to him.

All the pros pointed at the same thing; using Calix to get to his mother.

But Ilana couldn't move. 

She had been unable to stop thinking about the mysterious man in the club. He had kept her up late at night, invading all her fantasies.

There was something about him. Something so uniquely charming, something so warm she couldn't think of using him for something as trivial as a mission.

She deserved to keep some good parts of her life completely to herself. She was tired of finding light in the strangest of places only to lose it all for a mission. 

She realized with a jolt that Helene didn’t know about Calix. She hadn't considered him useful when she had found out he lived abroad.

She didn't need to know now. Ilana would keep him to herself, her secret.

And maybe, just maybe, today was only a one time occurrence. Izumi had said that Calix had never come to the office before. Maybe he won't again.

She hoped he wouldn't. She really didn't want Helene to find out about him.

She looked up, her decision made. He hadn't even taken three steps forward and Ilana seized the opportunity, whirling around so that her back was to him.

She rushed inside the analyst section of the office as fast as she could without breaking into a run. She needed to make sure he didn't see her.

She closed the door behind her but everything was too exposed. 

How could she ever hide properly behind walls of glass?

She slowly walked over to the cubicle Izumi had pointed out as hers. She finally noticed the small space properly.

Plain white walls with a computer screen took up most of the space. There was a pen holder with pens of different colors which only left a limited space empty.

She wondered if she would cover the empty space with plants or fake photographs this time.

She sat down and at least the chair was comfortable.

She didn't wanted to but her eyes drifted towards Calix, who still stood in the center of the room.

The frustration from earlier was gone from his face. He looked a lot like the guy from the bar now, an easy smile on his face as he greeted people.

“Rosie,” a voice hissed next to her and she looked up to see Izumi's dark eyes staring intently at her.

“Yes?”

“Come on. I’ll get you to meet the youngest Meyer."

Ilana's heart dropped. That was the last thing she wanted to do.

“I… no, Izumi, I can't. Look at the crowd around him. I'll just freak out. And I already feel too nervous to function. Maybe some other time?”

“Are you sure? A good relationship with him could really help you in the long run,” Izumi said and Ilana almost scoffed at the irony of the sentence.

“Yeah, I'm sure.”

“Okay,” she shrugged and walked away. Ilana felt herself breathing a little easier.

She stole a glance at him once more but the crowd was so thick now, she couldn't spot him.

She sighed, turning back to her computer screen. She turned it on but someone interrupted her.

A guy with soft blond curls and droopy features.

“You're Rosie Mason?” He asked and Ilana nodded.

“Mrs. Morrison wants to see you,” he said, tilting his head towards the only closed off cabin inside the glass walls of the analyst area.

“Okay, thank you,” she said, pulling her file from her bag before she walked towards the office.

She knocked twice and a voice came, allowing her inside.

Mrs. Morrison was a lady in her forties with sharp cut features that immediately gave her that aristocratic look.

But Ilana knew she didn't come from money. There was a calmness about her that made Ilana feel like Mrs. Morrison knew what struggle looked like.

“Rosie Mason, am I right?” She asked and Ilana nodded, a small smile on her face.

Her jaw was starting to hurt from all the smiling.

“I hope your first day hasn't been too tiring,” she said, a kind smile on her face.

“Oh, not at all. I was quite enjoying the tour. The floor is lovely.”

“Thank you. It definitely is…” she paused and Ilana saw a look of disdain cross her face. “Unique.”

She could have snorted at the obvious dislike in her voice.

But Rosie was naive. She didn't hear the real meaning behind simple words or understood things until they were spoken directly to her.

Honestly, Ilana found Rosie a little too annoying.

But she smiled and nodded enthusiastically at Mrs. Morrison's apparent praise.

“I'm Olivia Morrison, Head of this department. And I'll be your boss.”

Ilana nodded, her giddy expressions transforming into one of awe and a little fear.

“Don't worry,” Mrs. Morrison said quickly. “I'm not scary. And I just wanted to welcome you properly into our department.”

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Morrison. I really appreciate it.”

“Oh, please, call me Olivia,” she said, blue eyes warm.

“And if you need anything or if you're feeling confused, please come to me. I'll be very happy to guide you.”

“Thank you. I'll keep that in mind,” she said, getting tired of this conversation.

Did bosses do this to every single one of their employees? She hadn't received this special treatment in any of her undercover corporate jobs.

She silently chided herself at her thoughts. Someone was being caring and she was filled with negative thoughts only.

“You can go now,” she said.

Ilana muttered another quiet thank you before she left her office.

She got out just in time to see Calix disappear in his office.

As the door closed behind him, the once light blue, translucent office became dark green and completely opaque, hiding all human activity within. 

A little gasp escaped her lips as she realized she wouldn't be able to sneak into Adam's office like she had planned if the office was going to bloody change colors once someone stepped inside.

What the f*ck was she going to do now?