First Day in The Office

Adrian POV

My first day working under Victor Falcone started with silence. It’s not normal silence but the kind where everyone pretends to work while secretly watching you.

I could feel their eyes the moment I walked into the office floor. Some people whispered and some looked confused.

One woman openly stared at me as if I had walked into the wrong building, maybe I had. Luca led me to a desk near the glass wall.

He said with a serious tone “This is your table.”

The desk looked new.  A laptop waited in the center like it had been placed there minutes ago. I pulled out the chair and sat on it.

For some time I hesitate then I asked quitely “Do people always stare like this?” 

Hearing it, Luca smiled a little and answered “No.”

I raised an eyebrow and said with caution, “Good to know.”

He continued, “They’re staring because he hires you.”

I paused and narrowed one of my eyes and asked “Meaning?”

Luca leaned slightly against the desk and said with a teasing voice “Mr. Falcone never hires people personally.”

I raised one of my eyes and said “And now he did.”

He nodded “Yes.”

Then he straightened again and said “That makes everyone curious.”

Great, exactly what I wanted! The last thing I want is everyone’s attention.

I didn’t say anything to him anymore, just sat down and opened the laptop. Numbers filled the screen.

These were financial reports and investment charts.

I frowned. This wasn’t simple data. It looked complicated.

Luca watched my reaction and asked “Problem?”

I shook my head and said “No.”

I leaned back slightly and said “Just surprised.”

Hearing it, his one eyebrow raised and he asked “Why?”

I said with a casual tone “This looks like work for someone with ten years of experience.”

He chuckled softly and said “Maybe that’s the point.”

Of course, Victor wasn’t giving me a job. He wanted me to fail his test.

I cracked my knuckles and started reading.

Fine, let’s see who gets tired first.

Three hours passed. Most of the office had already gone quiet. People are now focused on their own work. They finally stopped staring.

I leaned closer to the screen, rechecking the numbers. Something felt wrong. One column didn’t match the others. The profits looked too high.  It was very Suspicious.

My eyes narrowed and I murmured, “Wait,”

I scrolled back through the data. Then forward again. There was a small manipulation.

It was not illegal but risky. Someone had adjusted the numbers to invest look safer than it really was.

My fingers stopped moving on the keyboard. Was this another test or a trap?

A shadow fell across my desk. I looked up.

Victor stood there. His expression was calm and his hands were in his pockets.

He asked with his deep voice “Enjoying your work?”

My back straightened slightly.  Hearing his deep voice a shiver ran down my spine. But I calmed myself down and said  “It’s interesting.”

His eyes moved to the screen and he asked “What have you found so far?”

I hesitated for some time. If this were his company’s report, then pointing out a problem might be insulting. But hiding it would be wrong.

I exhaled and said quietly “There’s a mistake.”

Hearing me, one of his eyebrows lifted and he said: “Show me.”

I turned the laptop slightly toward him and said “This section.”

He leaned closer. His shoulder almost touched mine. And I tried very hard not to notice. 

My finger pointed to the numbers and I said “These profits are adjusted.”

He narrowed one of his eyes and asked: “Adjusted?”

I answered immediately “To make the investment look safer.”

He didn’t speak for a few seconds, then he straightened and said “And?”

I continued, “It’s dangerous.”

His gaze returned to me and he asked “Why?”

I replied “If the market shifts even a little, this investment will collapse.”

There was a silence. Then, slowly, a smile appeared on his face.

It was not mocking or cruel. It was a natural smile. And I must say he had the most beautiful smile. 

I snapped back to reality after hearing his deep voice, “Good.”

I blinked, then shook my head. What the hell! Why was I looking at his smile like that? I never even thought Isabella’s smile was beautiful. I mean, she was beautiful but I never noticed her smile like that, so why the hell was I noticing my girlfriend’s father’s smile? What’s wrong with me? 

I heard his cold voice again, “That’s it?”

I nodded and answered “That’s it.”

Looking at him, I frowned and asked “You’re not angry?”

He looked at me with his cold eyes and asked “Why would I be?”

I said with hesitation “Because I just criticized your company’s report.”

He shook his head slightly and said “You did your job.”

He turned to leave, but then he stopped and said “One more thing.”

I looked up and said “Yes?”

His eyes held mine for a moment, then he said in a low voice “You were the only one who noticed.”

And then he walked away.

My heart didn’t calm down for several minutes. Why did that feel like a victory?

Or maybe approval. I shook my head and returned to the laptop. I need to focus on my work, and not the dangerous mafia king who apparently enjoyed testing my patience.

Later that evening I left the building. The sky was already dark. Streetlights flickered along the sidewalk. I loosened my tie as I walked. My brain felt exhausted.

I was too tired.  But at least I survived day one.

I turned the corner toward the subway and heard footsteps echoing behind me.

It was too fast and too close.

Before I could react, someone grabbed my shoulder. I spun around. Three men stood there. None of them looked friendly.

One stepped closer and asked “Are you, Adrian Vale?”

My stomach tightened and I replied “Yes.”

A smirk appeared on his face and he said “Boss wants to talk.”

Boss! Is it my future father-in-law again? What’s wrong with him? I worked hard for him the whole day and he still wanted to beat me? 

I calmed myself down and asked “Which boss?”

His smile widened and he said with a mysterious tone “You’ll find out.”

Third Person POV

From across the street, a black car waited quietly. Inside, Luca watched the scene.

He spoke into his phone “They found him.”

A calm voice answered on the other side of the phone “Let them.”

Luca glanced at the men surrounding Adrian and asked with hesitation “Are you sure? He is just a kid. And he doesn't know anything about our world.”

For some time, there was silence, and after some time, the other person said with a calming tone “Yes, I want to see how he handles the pressure.”

Inside the car, Luca sighed softly and said “Understood, Boss.”