The morning was calm but Emily's mind wasn't. Emily stepped out of her home, dressed in a sleek yet professional outfit, she blended into the city's rhythm - just another ambitious woman heading to work.
As she neared the towering glass building, her eyes flicked to the large silver logo at the entrance.
Velmonte Technologies.
She took a slow breath and stepped in.
The lobby was vast, the kind the made newcomers feel small.
She approached the reception desk, where a woman with neatly pinned hair glances up.
"Emily Wards," She said. "Today is my first day."
The receptionist scanned her screen, nodded and gestures toward the elevator. "Fourth floor, research and development, you'll be meeting with Mr Velmonte shortly."
She had met Alexander Velmonte once, during the interview. A man of few words, calculating eyes and an unsettling presence. She knew he wasn't someone to underestimate.
The doors slid open with soft chime. The fourth floor was different from the rest of the building - less corporate, more controlled. The walls were lined with high tech equipment, transparent cases displaying rare materials and workstations filled with complex designs. People in lab coats moved around her speaking in hushed tones.
A tall woman approached her, appearing to be Miss Nina, scanning her up and down. "You're Emily, right?"
" How did she forget who I was so quickly" Emily murmured to herself. She quickly straightened herself. " Yes."
" Follow me."
She led Emily through the department, giving her a brief overview of the work place.
Emily followed the woman down hallway lined with reinforced glass panels. Behind them, various artificial prototypes and blueprints were displayed - intricate designs embedded with technology she could only begin to understand.
" Your official role is Artifact Research specialist," the woman said, glancing at her tablet. " You'll be working directly under Mr Velmonte's supervision, assisting with artifact evaluations and technological integrations as well as the security of these artifacts. He likes efficiency, so don't waste his time with unnecessary questions."
Emily nodded. That was something she had already picked up from their first meeting. They took the elevator to the 28th floor and walked down the hallway. They stopped in front of a sleek black door. The woman knocked once before pushing it open.
Alexander Velmonte was at his desk, flipping through a file. He didn't look up immediately, his sharp eyes scanning the document as if every word was critical.
"Your new recruit, sir," the woman announced.
Emily stepped inside, resisting the urge to shift under his scrutiny. Alexander finally lifted his gaze.
"You're late."
Emily blinked. She wasn't. It was exactly 8:00AM.
She kept her voice steady. " I arrived on time."
Alexander leaned back, resting his elbow on the armrest of his chair. " On time means you should already be in position before I need you, not walking in when the clock strikes."
Emily clenched her fingers in her palm. She has a feeling he did this on purpose - to test how she'd react.
"I'll take note of that sir," she said simply.
For a moment there was silence. Then he tossed a document onto the desk. "Start with this. A recent acquisition, you'll be analysis its material composition and security vulnerabilities. I expect a report by the end of the day."
Emily stepped forward, picking up the file. It contained details of a rare artifact - one that had just been retrieved from a private collector.
" I'll get started."
She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her.
" Emily Wards."
She glanced back. His expression remained unreadable.
" Make sure your report is thorough. I don't like surprises."
Emily gave a small nod before exiting the office, her heart pounding just a little harder than before.
Emily took the lift back to the 4th floor.
Emily walked down the corridor, clutching the file Alexander had given her. Her mind raced, not just about the work ahead, but about the way he had looked at her: sharp, calculating, like he was already trying to piece her together.
She exhaled slowly. She could afford to make mistakes. Not now.
The research lab was a vast space filled with high tech equipment, scanning devices and artifact storage units locked behind glass cases. Engineers and researchers moved about, discussing various projects in hushed tones.
A man in his early thirties looked up as she entered. He had a neatly trimmed beard and an easy going expression, contrasting the stiff tension she had just left behind in Alexander's office.
" You must be the new recruit," he said. " Emily Wards,right?"
"Yes," she confirmed.
He extended a hand. " Nicholas Reid, Head of Artifact Security Research."
Emily shook his hand, noting the firm grip.
" First day, rough start ?" He asked with a smirk.
Emily hesitate before replying , " let's just say I got an early introduction to how things work around here."
Nicholas chuckled. " I assume you mean Mr Velmonte. He's not easier person to work with."
Emily gave a small, polite smile.
A voice came from behind.
"Ried."
Nicholas stiffened slightly before turning.
Alexander's expression didn't change. He stepped forward, picking up the file. His eyes moved over the details before he spoke again.
" We don't have time for slow progress. I need the first report by the noon."
Emily held back the urge to frown. He barely gave her enough time to analyze the artifact properly.
Nicholas, however, only nodded. " Understood"
Alexander's gaze settled on Emily again.
"No mistakes."
It wasn't a request.
Emily met his stare, refusing to back down, I don't make mistakes."
He said nothing as he turned and left.
The moment he was gone, Nicholas let out a breath. " Welcome to Velmonte Technologies."
Emily shook her head, already feeling the pressure settle on her shoulders. No mistakes. She needed to work fast.
As she stepped forward, a voice cut through the tense air.
"Miss Wards"
She turned swiftly to find a tall man standing near glass wall, arms crossed over chest. Damian Carter. One of the senior research analysts. His sharp, assessing gaze flicked over her, unreadable.
" You'll be working under my supervision," he stated, no room for pleasantries. " There's no time for hesitation here. Follow me."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and strode down the lab. Damian led her to a workstation already set up for her. " Your access has been granted. You'll be working on artifact resonance tracking…"
But Mr Alexander gave me a... Emily interrupted.
" Since you already know what to do then do it why I'm I here then, " Damian said angrily before storming off.
Emily stared in confusion as to why has just happened.
She settled into her workstation, sitting behind her desk, Emily flipped open the file that Mr Alexander gave her earlier. The artifact in question was a small, metallic sphere embedded with what looked like an ancient script. Advanced scanners had picked up unshakable energy signatures from it, but it function still remained unknown.
Emily skimmed through the details, absorbing the information. The artifact had been retrieved from a private collection but something felt off.
Emily tapped the page thoughtfully. She could already tell this artifact was more than it seemed, she evaluated the document carefully, analyzing each and every detail and the possibility of its function as she cannot yet be provided with the pass to do a physical analysis of the artifact in question till her supervisor finds her fit now it was just analyzing of others reports.
She was finally done with the file on to the next task before going to submit the file to Mr Alexander, she wasn't prepared for another meeting with him just yet.
Emily was deep into reviewing the data when a sharp voice pulled her attention away.
" Miss Wards."
Alexander Velmonte stood at the entrance of the lab, hands in his pocket, his gaze cutting through her. The room, which had been filled with soft murmurs of discussion, fell silent. Even Damian Carter straightened at the sight of him.
Emily swallowed, quickly rising from her seat.
" Follow me. " he said, pointing towards Emily's direction.
It wasn't a request.
Emily stepped away from the desk and follows him out of the lab. He led her through the hallway, passed several glass- enclosed offices, before stepping inside a conference room. The walls were lined with dark wood panels, the windows tinted. The room felt colder than the rest of the building.
Alexander turned to face her, his expression unreadable.
" Explain why you changed the sequencing parameters on the artifacts parameters on the artifact analysis report."
Emily blinked. " The parameters were outdated. The system was running on an older model of resonance direction. I updated it based on-"
"You updated it," Alexander repeated flatly. " Without consulting anyone?"
She frowned slightly. " The update improves efficiency. The previous model wasn't capturing the full data range - "
" Do you thing you know better than the ten that designed the system?" His voice remained calm.
Emily felt a flicker of frustration. " No, but I assumed efficiency was the priority. The modification-"
" You don't assume anything here."
The way he said it made her jaw tighten. There was no hint of irritation in his voice - just cold finality.
She took a breath, keeping her posture straight. " Understood."
Alexander studied her for a moment before turning slightly, his fingers tapping once on the polished surface of the table. He was about to speak again when his phone buzzed.
A brief glance at the screen and his expression shifted - just slightly , but enough for Emily to notice.
He answered.
"What is it?" His tone was clipped.
A woman's voice - soft yet firm - filtered through the speaker. " You haven't yet retuned my calls, Alexander."
Emily looked away, feigning disinterest, but her ears caught every word.
"I've been busy, " he replied coolly.
There was a pause. Emily couldn't hear a word anymore. She moved closer, shifting as if she were being pushed forward, trying to catch the faint murmur of the voice on the other end. But the words were muffled, distorted by the quiet him of the air conditioning.
Alexander's jaw tightened. " Not now."
Silence stretched between them. The atmosphere in the room shifted.
Emily could see the change in his demeanor - the tension in his shoulders, the way his fingers curled tightly against the table. But as quickly as it appeared, it was gone.
I'll call you later," he said, then ended the call without waiting for a response.
For a moment, the room was utterly still. Then Alexander turned back to Emily, his cold composure fully restored.
" Get back to work," he ordered.
Emily placed the file on the table before walking out .
Emily returned to the research lab, her mind still replaying the conversation he she had just witnessed. She knew better than to dwell on it, but there was something unsettling about Alexander Velmonte.
She exhaled sharply and focused on her workstation. No distractions. Just work.
The rest of the morning passed in a blur of data analysis, equipment testing and quiet tension among the researchers. By noon, Emily has gotten a clearer picture of how the lab operated.
As she reviewed a new batch of analysis reports, Damian leaned in slightly. " Word of advice - next time, don't change the system without asking."
Emily glanced at him. " It was outdated."
" I know, but around here, you don't touch things unless Mr Alexander himself approved it."
Emily sighed and went on with her work.
The following days were grueling. The pressure within my the Velmonte Technologyes had doubled. Emily made sure to blend in, keeping her head down and her work flawless. The last thing she needed was to attract attention.
Her interactions with Alexander remained limited, but whenever they crossed paths, his sharp gaze lingered on her longer than necessary. He wasn't one to overlook details and she knew it was only a matter of time before he started connecting dots.
By Friday, exhaustion weighed on her shoulders. She has spent the entire week immersed in research.