Page 47 of Chandelier Enthralled
And that danger he’d mentioned with Greyson felt all too real, because the man seemed to have a thousand sides to him, each one more unpredictable than the last.
On Friday morning, my new ID was waiting for me at Pulse360’s reception. I held it as I walked toward the elevator, considering whether to place it in my Dior purse since I wouldn’t be wearing it for long.
Today, I wore Violet Stroud, rocking a sleek pinstripe suit, a silk blouse, and a short skirt paired with heels—corporate vibes, but still me.
Not that any of that mattered now.
The weight of the world pressed in, and no matter how hard I tried to not let it affect me, everything around me felt like it was crumbling into chaos.
Not being able to stay here was heartbreaking.
One minute, I’d been chatting with a cute friend of Cameron’s in the kitchen, showing off my chess skills to Greyson, and in the next my brother had escorted me to a quiet corner and told me to quit the new job.
I stepped into the elevator and punched the button with the same anger I had felt in that moment.
Then I drew in a calming breath.
This wasn’t how I’d envisioned this week going. I’d played out how my life might look, and this embarrassing debacle wasn’t it. I’d literally interviewed here just yesterday, and now I would seem like a person who couldn’t make a good decision.
Cameron had insisted I couldn’t stay—no further discussion permitted.
The applicant from Yale would take my place.
With no official letter of an offer, and no evidence I had accepted the position, it would be a word-of-mouth situation. Still, hearing it from Jewel Hadley herself was a big deal.
If rumors circulated about how I had blown things up on my first day, I may never get another job.
When I reached my floor, the receptionist directed me to the staff room. I went in there, ready to give myself a few seconds to rally my courage to face HR. I felt uncomfortable, but I’d wanted to do this in person since I hoped to keep this under control and avoid having my name associated with this mess.
Inside the staffroom, a fancy dessert box sat on the lunch table—from Elysian Crust.
I placed my handbag on a chair.
Lifting the lid, I peered in at the indulgent cream pie that would melt in my mouth and let out a sigh, thinking how much fun it would be to share. This was going to be harder than I imagined.
A notecard was placed beside it.
I lifted the envelope, peeled it open and pulled out the gold embossed card:
Willa,
Welcome to Pulse360. We’re thrilled to have you on board!
—Jewel Hadley
I cringed at the warm welcome and felt the urge to burst into tears.
Why was this place so bad?
My gut told me that Cameron wanted me to work for Cole Tea, and me being here would distract from that in every conceivable way. Maybe they’d assumed I’d not get the job and had humored me when I scurried off for an interview.
It was so unfair.
A young woman appeared in the doorway and brightly told me to follow her.
That cake had thrown me off. Eating a slice now would be considered rude. Especially after I walked out the front door in ten minutes, never to return.
Grabbing my purse, I left the breakroom and followed her through the newsroom all the way to a cubicle. It was small but inviting, with soft lighting. Though cramped, it had a cozy, organized charm, offering just enough space to focus.
