A deafening boom echoed through the room when Liam desperately tried to push the massive double doors open. They would not budge. Not even a centimeter. His breathing became more strained as he pulled on the handles, his heart pounding further with each failed attempt.
"Damn," he swore, stepping back, staring at the stuck doors as if ordering them to be opened.
His gaze shot to the windows—his last hope. But a simple tug on the latches showed futility. Locked. Bolted. No escape.
A heavy sensation had crept into his chest. This was not some bizarre prank or a top-security measure. He was being kept hostage. His mind went back to the events of the day. The stranger is fainting at the airport. The unusual smile of the receptionist—once, twice. And this. Being held captive in a room in a firm that could have someone abducted and never be seen again.
His fists clenched. His gasps were brief and shallow. Panic was rising up his throat like a beast ready to devour him.
Why? Why him? Had it been an error? Maybe he'd been pulled into something much bigger than he'd ever have dreamed. Maybe they'd confused him with someone else. Or maybe—
His blood ran cold at the thought—they were going to kill him.
Before he could spin around some more, the hidden speaker crackled to life.
"Liam."
His whole body froze.
The voice was smooth, calm, almost playful. But it wasn't the effortless way that it spoke that sent shivers down his spine—it was because it used his name.
Liam's stomach twisted in pain. "How do you know my name?" he asked, his voice trembling.
A soft chuckle filled the room. "You'd be surprised what a little information digging can uncover."
They had investigated him. That single realization sent a fresh wave of dread washing over him. Someone had gone through the effort to look into his life—who he was, where he worked, possibly even where he lived.
His heart thumped in his ears. "What do you want from me?" he snarled, the harshness of his voice cutting with fury and fear. "I've never done anything to you or to this company!"
The voice didn't waver, its tone shifting into something oddly soothing. "Calm yourself, Liam. There is no need for fear. This is simply. necessary."
"Necessary?" Liam snorted, his chest rising and falling rapidly. "Trapping someone in an office is 'necessary' to you?"
The voice sighed, like a parent tired of a stubborn child. "If I hadn't done that, you would've freaked out worse. Just breathe, Liam. You'll realize that no harm will come to you."
No harm? How did he think it? For all he knew, he was to be a subject of some kind. Maybe they had put something in his coffee at the reception, and he was already breathing some hallucinatory gas. Or maybe they were stalling—hanging on to see if he cracked first before doing whatever it was they had planned for him.
Liam filled his lungs with air, forcing it in. His hands were still trembling at his sides, but the voice's unnerving serenity was soothing him into a grudging calm.
"Good," the voice said commendatorily. "Now, sit."
Liam looked at the CEO's couch on the far side of the room, but before he could move towards it, the voice said, "Not there. The CEO's chair."
His body stiffened. "You're kidding me.".
"If you'd like to leave this room at some point in the foreseeable future, yes."
Gritting his teeth, Liam walked over to the massive desk and perched reluctantly in the chair. It was horribly comfortable. Annoyingly so.
A soft laugh emanated from the speakers. "How obedient."
Liam glared. "So what do I do now?"
"Open the top drawer," the voice ordered.
Liam hesitated, but then reached out, pulling open the drawer. A glittering earpiece was inside. He picked it up, looking at it in his hands. "What's this for?"
"Put it on."
Sighing, he put the earpiece into his ear. As soon as he did, the speaker became quiet, and the voice now whispered into his ear.
"Better," it thought. "Now, remove your delivery uniform."
Liam leapt. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
He twisted his face in raw confusion. "And for what on earth would I do that?"
"Because," the voice said bluntly, "you won't need it anymore."
A shiver crawled its way down his spine, but something in the sound of the voice led him to believe he wouldn't be getting any real answers. Not yet, anyway. Huffing, he took off the uniform, standing now in his white shirt and jeans.
"Go on into the back room."
Liam's stomach roiled. The back room? His eyes flicked at the door beside the bookcase. He'd assumed it was storage, but now unease gnawed in his belly.
Squaring his shoulders against his fear, he pushed on the door—only to face an entirely different reality.
Inside was a lavish, walk-in closet, filled with row after row of neatly arranged suits, dress shirts, and shined shoes. It resembled more of a suite for a private individual than an office storage space.
He stroked the surface of a gleaming black suit. He paused as he glanced back in the direction of the main office. "This… This is the CEO's, isn't it?"
The voice hummed. "Yes."
Liam clenched his teeth. "Isn't this. I don't know. trespassing?"
The voice chuckled. "Don't worry. The CEO won't mind."
He had no clue what that was meant to imply, but now that he was here, arguing about it seemed pointless. Grumbling, he removed the suit from the rack and put it on. It fit like a glove.
As he stepped back into the office, the voice said softly, "Much better."
Liam adjusted the cuffs, frowning at the empty room. "So we're done with this crazy dress-up thing, or—"
The voice broke in. "Not quite."
A chill skittered down him. "What now?"
"Now," declared the voice, its tone oozing amusement, "we play a game."
Liam bristled. "What game?"
Before he could get an answer, the huge doors creaked. Then they slowly creaked open.
Two men in suits stepped inside. They were tall and imposing, their expressions unreadable. But what made Liam's blood run cold was the way they smiled at him.
"Good afternoon, sir," one of them greeted. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
Liam blinked. "What?"
The other man nodded respectfully. "We've been expecting you, CEO."
His entire world tilted.
And the voice whispered in his ear, "A game of pretend CEO."
Liam's stomach churned. What kind of twisted game was this? He attempted to open his mouth in protest, but then a new thought shot into his mind like a flash of lightning.
What if this wasn't a game at all?