04. Job offer

Scarlett:

The cab driver kept flicking his gaze up at me in the rearview mirror. At first, I thought I was imagining it until the third time I caught him staring.

I frowned, unlocking my phone to distract myself. Then I saw my reflection in the dark screen.

Oh.

My lipstick was half gone, smeared at the corner of my mouth. My hair looked like it had survived a small hurricane. My mascara had smudged faintly under my eyes. And my dress… Well, no amount of pulling at the neckline was going to make it sit the way it had last night.

I looked like I’d just crawled out of a stranger’s bed. Which, technically, I had.

Heat crept up my neck. I shoved the phone into my bag and slouched lower in the seat until the city blurred past the windows.

By the time the cab pulled up to my building, my only thought was making it inside without running into my neighbors.

The universe was kind enough to grant me that at least. When I opened my apartment door, Hera was already there, perched on my couch like she’d been waiting for hours.

Our eyes locked and mine narrowed. Wasn't she supposed to be at some man's place by this time?

She took one look at me, her brows shot up, and a slow, dangerous smile spread across her face. “Oh… my… God.”

Hera was on her feet before I even dropped my bag, circling me like a detective at a crime scene.

“Look at you,” she whispered in mock horror, eyes dragging over my hair, my smudged makeup, the wrinkled hem of my dress. “Tell me everything.”

I groaned, kicking off my heels. “What are you doing here?”

“You know, I woke up after what I’d classify as one of my top three best nights and hurried off because I wanted to apologize to my best friend for ditching her last light. Only to get here and discover she isn’t home” She narrated, smirking mischievously. “And just when I'm about calling the police, she walks in looking...” She waved comically at me. “... beautifully wrecked — like she woke up in the devil's bed.”

Then she squealed like a teenage girl.

Embarrassment burned my cheeks. “Can you not...”

“I cannot. Because this—” she gestured up and down at me “is the first time I’ve seen you come home looking like you’ve been properly… appreciated in years.”

I threw her a look. “Hera.”

She gasped theatrically, gripping her chest. “You had sex.”

I rolled my eyes and made for my room. “Wow. What gave it away? My bed hair or the fact that you’re psychic?”

Hera followed, relentless. “Who is he? Was he hot? Was he hung? Oh my God, please tell me he was hung.”

I stood in front of my mirror, running a hand aimlessly through my messy hair. He was hung alright. The memory of how deep he went, how he stretched me, flashed in my mind, very vivid.

Damn.

“I’m not telling you anything.”

She narrowed her eyes, then grinned like a shark. “Which means yes, he was all of the above. And it was good.”

I looked away, refusing to confirm or deny. But my cheeks burned, and judging by Hera’s smug little smirk, I wasn’t fooling anyone.

Last night was not just good. It was great. Even as I tried to keep the thought at bay, it kept circling my mind. The man had touched me like my body was meant to be worshiped, not tolerated.

Years with Stephen and he had never touched me like that. Sex with him had been a chore—predictable, mechanical, always about him. Last night was different. It was… ruinous. The kind of thing that burned itself into your bones and wouldn’t leave.

It was a shame I didn’t know his name.

I caught myself as fast as the thought came. What would you even do with his name, Scarlett? You won’t see him again. Ever.

“I’m so proud of you, bestie!” Hera’s voice cut through my thoughts, filled with mock-sentiment as she clasped her hands like she was on the verge of tears.

I rolled my eyes at her antics, heading toward my bathroom. She continued. “Three months ago, you were stuck with Stephen's bland bedroom situation but look at you today, home after a blast of a night... I could cry in awe of this character development.”

God, how did I meet this woman? Right. At a fundraiser back in college where she’d insulted my dress, then handed me her earrings, saying, ‘I was too pretty to look boring’ — and never left me alone since.

“You’re so annoying.” I glared at her and she sniffled dramatically like a proud mother. A breath of laughter left me as I slammed the bathroom door in her face.

——

I exited the bathroom almost an hour later, my fingers wrinkled and my entire body steamed soft. And it wasn't because I was taking my time but because my hands went roaming, tracing the places he’d touched me.

I threw on shorts and a t-shirt and grabbed my laptop from the bedstand before heading out.

Hera was seated at the small dining area biting into an apple as she eyed me with suspiciously bright eyes. On the table, there was coffee, pancakes, scrambled eggs, and a small fruit bowl.

I blinked. That was a lot and Hera was no cook. The only thing she could manage was prepare coffee.

“Did you go out?” I asked, dropping into the chair.

“Nope. Justin dropped it off,” She poured me coffee. “Said you’d probably skip it again”

I nodded, a smile tugging at my lips. Justin was my little brother. Ever since I moved here after the divorce, he'd been showing up — dropping breakfast, stocking my fridge, fixing the faucet. Just being there. All in between his rotations at the hospital.

“Lucky for you, he left a few minutes before you walked in looking like an approved mess. Otherwise, your poor baby brother would be scarred for life knowing his big sister fucks.”

I huffed, she would never let me leave this down. Pulling my laptop closer, I brought the creamy coffee to my lips and took a sip.

Blessedly, Hera didn’t bring up last night again. We chatted about random things — her latest case at the firm, a trashy reality show she wanted me to watch.

My laptop was open the whole time.

I wasn’t expecting anything in my inbox. Mostly automated “we’ll keep your résumé on file” rejections and more job adverts. I was downcast but habit had me scrolling.

And then I saw it.

Eden Properties.

My eyes fluttered in disbelief. Surely I was imagining it.

The Eden interview was a month ago. They’d probably ghosted me, like most companies did these days.

Although, Eden Properties wasn’t just any company. They were THE company.

The billion-dollar company everyone in architecture dreamed of working for. The ones whose projects made magazine covers, whose staff were the best of the best, selected through grueling technical exams that made most people cry in the bathroom.

I had gone in thinking, at least I’ll know I tried and left certain I’d never hear from them again.

But the subject line burned into my eyes:

“Congratulations — Offer of Employment”

I clicked it open with shaky fingers.

And there it was. A letter confirming my employment, position, start date, and compensation, sealed by a neat signature and Eden's bold logo.

I read it once.

Twice.

A third time, just to make sure it wasn’t a fever dream.

“Scar?” Hera asked, frowning at my expression. “What has Stephen done this time?”

I looked up at her, mouth dry.

“I got the job,” I whispered.

“The job?”

“The Eden job.”

Her fork clattered against her plate. “Holy shit.”