Maya arrived at Carter Enterprises ten minutes early, gripping the strap of her handbag as she stepped inside. The cool blast of air conditioning greeted her, contrasting with the morning sun outside. Unlike the café, which carried the comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the office had an air of sleek efficiency.
She wasn't used to this world anymore.
As she made her way to her department, she reminded herself: You belong here. You earned this.
The Pressure Begins
Maya reached her desk to find a stack of documents waiting for her. A sticky note from Linda, her supervisor, was placed neatly on top:
"Sort these reports by noon. Double-check the data before submitting."
Maya inhaled deeply, nodding to herself. She could handle this.
She had barely started when a sharp voice interrupted her thoughts.
"You're Maya Evans, right?"
Maya turned to find a well-dressed woman standing beside her desk, arms crossed. Her name tag read SophiaGreen—Executive Assistant to the Vice President.
Maya immediately stood. "Yes, that's me."
Sophia scanned her as if assessing her worth. "I heard you're new." She placed another set of documents on Maya's desk. "Your reports are due by noon, but I need you to prioritize these first."
Maya hesitated. "But Linda asked me to—"
"I'll handle Linda." Sophia's tone left no room for discussion. "Just make sure this is done before lunch."
With that, she turned and walked away, her heels clicking against the polished floor.
Maya exhaled slowly. Office politics. Great.
She immediately got to work, pushing aside her frustration. The reports were complex, filled with financial data and scheduling requests, and she had to be extra careful not to make mistakes.
Time slipped away as she focused intently on her tasks. However, an overwhelming sense of anxiety crept in as she neared completion. With her fingers dancing over the keyboard, the weight of her responsibilities pressed down on her. She opened the spreadsheets one last time to ensure everything was in order when her eyes blurred.
Suddenly, a mistake lurked just beyond her fingertips—a glaring error in the budget projections that would throw off the entire quarter's reporting. Panic coursed through her; she had nearly submitted the document with incorrect figures.
Heart racing, she quickly corrected the data just before hitting the "submit" button. A sigh of relief escaped her as she looked up at the clock—11:58 AM. Just in time.
Tension in the Workplace
The afternoon was no easier. Linda stopped by her desk and frowned.
"You finished Sophia's work?"
Maya nodded. "Yes, she said it was urgent."
Linda sighed. "Of course, she did."
Maya hesitated before asking, "Is she always like this?"
Linda gave a small, knowing smile. "Let's just say, Sophia has a habit of 'evaluating' new hires. Some pass. Some… don't."
Maya straightened. "I'll pass."
Linda looked at her for a moment, then nodded approvingly. "Good attitude. Just don't let her push you around too much."
Maya appreciated the advice, but she already knew—standing her ground wouldn't be easy.
Aiden's Unexpected Visit
After finishing work, Maya barely had time to rest before heading to Lily's Café for her evening shift.
The familiar warmth of the café soothed her, but exhaustion was already creeping in. She pushed through, wiping down the counter as the evening rush began.
The door chimed, and Maya glanced up—only to freeze.
Aiden Carter.
Dressed in a dark suit, he exuded his usual air of quiet authority. He scanned the café before his gaze landed on her.
He made his way to the counter, stopping directly in front of her.
"Twice in two days, Mr. Carter?" she said lightly, masking her surprise. "People might think you like this place."
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Ido like this place, many unforgettable memories are there."
Maya hesitated, caught off guard by his straightforward answer and surprisingly felt a sad tone, and lost in thought.
He leaned slightly against the counter. "Long day?"
She snapped out and nodded before she could stop herself. "You could say that."
Aiden studied her. "You look tired."
"I'm fine," she replied quickly, a hint of defensiveness creeping into her voice.
Aiden didn't seem convinced, but instead of pressing, he simply said, "A black coffee, please."
Maya nodded and turned to prepare his order, trying to ignore the feeling that he was watching her too closely.
As she handed him the coffee, Aiden spoke again.
"You should take care of yourself, Maya."
She blinked. "I am."
His lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn't argue. Instead, he took his coffee and stepped back.
"Good night, Maya."
As he walked away, Maya felt something unfamiliar—an odd sense of being looked after.
She shook her head. No. It's nothing. Just a polite comment.
Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that Aiden Carter had started paying attention to her in a way he hadn't before.
And she wasn't sure how she felt about it.
---
In the days that followed, each morning at Carter Enterprises felt like an uphill battle. The pressure from Sophia loomed like a storm cloud, and while she was determined to prove herself, the palpable tension in the office made each task more daunting. During a particularly challenging day, Maya caught herself staring blankly at a spreadsheet, the columns of numbers melding together. Just as she felt the impact of fatigue settling in, Linda breezed by and noticed.
"Maya, are you okay?" Linda asked, her brow furrowed with concern.
Maya forced a smile, but inside, her heart felt heavy, the caffeine of the past few days beginning to wane. "Just a bit tired."
Linda approached her desk. "You're doing great, but don't forget to take breaks. It's vital in this environment."
Maya nodded, appreciating the encouragement but also feeling the urgency of her tasks. Each moment spent not maximizing productivity felt like another blow to her self-esteem. She pushed thoughts of Aiden from her mind, focusing instead on surviving each day.
In the evening, back at the café, when her shift became a whirlwind of orders and conversations, she found solace in the familiar routine. Yet, each time the door chimed and she saw a well-tailored suit approach the counter, her heart skipped a beat. Aiden always greet her regularly;and each time he visited, he bore his quiet scrutiny, often checking in on her well-being as if sensing her fatigue.
The confusion of emotions tugged at her—admiration, anxiety, curiosity. Aiden seemed to possess an awareness that she was still trying to navigate, and just when she thought she had compartmentalized her feelings, something about his genuine concern stirred a longing within her. But amid the chaos, she reminded herself—focus on the work, on getting through the day, and let the rest unfold as it should.
As the evening wound down and the café emptied, Maya sighed, wiping down the already clean counter. Perhaps she could face the next day with renewed determination, or at least muster up the courage to handle whatever curveballs came her way. After all, she was Maya Evans, and she was more than ready to leave a mark at Carter Enterprises, regardless of the challenges posed by Sophia Green or the allure of Aiden Carter.