Scarlett's POV.
I could barely sleep that night. I tossed and turned, my heart pounding in apprehension and excitement. I had mixed feelings, all too daunting to ignore. By the time it was 7:30am I'd gotten dressed in a corporate gown, the peach blending perfectly with my milky complexion. I managed to tame my full head of curls into a messy bun, appraising myself in the mirror before setting out.
The apartment was completely silent as I locked the door behind me. Layla was probably still snoring in bed, but we'd spent the previous night watching rom coms and pretending to cry at the sad parts.
The memory elicited a smile from me as I stepped out into the chilly morning. Then, I paused in my tracks, eyeing the Mercedes that looked all too familiar.
The driver's door was pushed open, and the familiar dimpled smile of Joshua Jung greeted me, an embarrassed blush coating his cheeks. I couldn't blame him though, this could be counted as stalking after all.
"Joshua, what a surprise? Are you here to see Layla?" I asked, trying to give him the benefit of doubt but his blush only deepened.
I couldn't lie, it was kind of adorable watching a grown man blush like that. He cleared his throat, albeit in hopes of appearing more masculine.
"Good morning, Scarlett. I wish I could say I did because this doesn't look very…"
"Cool?" I completed with a giggle and his cheeks flamed red again.
"Precisely." He managed a small laugh.
"But I just got here like five minutes ago. I was trying to reach Layla but it seems she hasn't gotten over her deep sleep."
"I don't think she ever will." I added with a laugh, hoping it'd ease his embarrassment.
"Let a man hope." He scoffed then paused, holding my gaze for a second before gesturing to the passenger seat.
"Well, I just hoped to make your journey to work a bit easier. It's unroute anyway. Shall we?" He pulled open the passenger door, sporting a more confident look than before.
A genuine smile spread across my face, my stomach slowly burning with sizzling heat.
"Thank you, Joshua. I really appreciate it." His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as his name passed my lips but I acted like I didn't notice, settling into the seat.
He joined me after closing the door, the engine hummed alive but he spent a few seconds fine tuning the radio before driving off.
Soft love songs filled the space between us, and at a point it felt almost as suffocating as smoke in an enclosed space.
I didn't know if he'd done it on purpose but I could tell he also felt awkward about it. We both remained silent and rigid as the car slowed to a stop in the parking lot.
I rushed for the door so much that before he could complain I was already out the door, sucking in a much needed deep breath.
He quickly got out, wearing a strained expression.
"Thanks again. I'll head up." I rushed through my words, hoping to speed walk to the elevator before he got there. His eyes darkened for a brief moment, before nodding wordlessly.
I turned, briskly making my way inside and to the elevator.
In the silence, I tried to shake off the awkwardness that had settled over Joshua and I in the car. His gesture of picking me up had been sweet, but it was starting to become obvious that it would be hard to ever see him as more than Layla's brother.
The elevator dinged open and I stepped out, and into what looked like another realm. In came wonder that took away any lingering thoughts I had left about Joshua.
Unlike the sharp, minimalist layout of the other floors I'd seen, the marketing department felt like stepping into a controlled storm of color and creativity. The walls were lined with mood boards, scattered product mockups, and sleek digital screens looping past campaigns.
Even the ceiling was a digital screen, displaying creative designs, logos and catchphrases.
A vinyl record player hummed softly in the background, drowning out the tap-tap of keyboards and low conversation. It was alive here. Less sterile, more instinctual. The kind of place where ideas were born over coffee-fueled debates.
"Miss. Scarlett Fox?" A petite lady in a white sleeves and a short black skirt made her way to me, her blonde ponytail swinging back and forth as she walked.
"Yes, that's me." I answered, my eyes still straying to admire what I'd stepped into.
"Welcome to Knightingale marketing department. I'm Evelyn, and I'll be your tour guide for today. Shall we?"
"Lead the way." I replied and dutifully, she took me through every nook and cranny of the floor which was much bigger than I'd even imagined.
The last place I was taken to was my work space, a smaller office right next to the office of the marketing director who wasn't in yet.
"This is your office." She pushed open the door, the space was small but it felt perfect. All of it was perfect.
"That leads directly to the Director's office." She pointed at a door at the side, a small window was next to it, revealing the much larger space of the office beside mine.
"Any questions?"
"None for now." I replied and she nodded, a warm smile in place.
"Once again, welcome to Knightingale. We're happy to have you here." She touched my elbow affectionately and I returned her warm smile.
"Thank you, Evelyn. It means a lot." I replied.
"Of course. If you need anything, I'm right down the hall. The marketing board of directors room. Feel free to stop by, we can even have lunch together." She offered and I nodded gratefully as she left, suddenly remembering my promise to have lunch with Joshua today. I didn't know if he was still up for it after our weird encounter this morning, but I knew I'd have to stay true to my word if he still wanted to.
I could worry about that later. I spent the next ten minutes taking pictures and videos of my office, forwarding them to Layla and Liam.
A knock brought me out of my in-text conversation with Liam. I looked up to see a man that seemed to be in his mid-thirties. His beard was perfectly trimmed and hair immaculately cut. His caramel skin had an ethereal glow and his light brown eyes appraised me with curiosity.
"Good morning, sir." I rushed up from my seat, unsure who he was.
"Good morning. Are you my new assistant?" He asked and I gasped. I had expected the managing director to be an old man with a huge belly, not a supermodel.
"You're the managing director?" The question came out before I could stop myself and he smiled at the evident shock on my face. He stepped into my office, crossing his arms over his chest, his wedding band glinting off his fingers.
"Yes, I am. Why are you so surprised?" He asked, a smirk in place.
"Well, you just look so young. You must've started working here when you were quite young."
"Indeed. I've been working here for about 15 years. I've earned my place and I hope you will too. Welcome miss…" He reached out his hand to shake mine
"Miss. Scarlett Fox." I completed, shaking his hand with a firm grip.
He smiled.
"I'm Mr. Evan Gibbs. A pleasure to meet you. Now let's get to work."
I spent the next hour in Mr. Gibbs' office. He patiently relayed what exactly my job was and answered as many questions as I threw at him.
"This campaign we're planning towards will be the biggest campaign we've done in years. I need the market research data so why don't you get started on that? And it's fine if you can't finish up today. I'll need you for other things but at least by Friday you should've gotten a hang of most things." He explained and I nodded.
"I've sent all the information to the laptop in your office. Get started."
"Yes, sir." I replied, going to my office and settled into the soft cushion chair with a satisfied sigh.
"We got this." I whispered to myself, cracking my fingers and throwing myself into work.
By the time I was done with the task I'd been given it was 11:30am. I smiled, satisfied with the speed of my work. I couldn't wait to see Mr. Gibbs' expression when he found out how fast and well I'd done.
I hit print and the sound of paper printing by the corner filled the room.
All of a sudden the murmuring in the corridor increased. Two girls in short skirts and high heels rushed past my open door and my eyebrows rose.
'What's happening?' I thought to myself as the murmurs grew even louder.
The opening of Mr. Gibbs' office alerted me and I listened intently.
"Good morning, sir. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Mr. Gibbs greeted and I watched the marble tiles reflecting his office so intently that I noticed the sliding of his chair back as he got up and shook the figure that had emerged.
"Good morning, Evan. How's work going?" The stranger's voice was so deep that it reverberated through me. My interest peaked.
Who was it?
"Great. Much better now that I've finally found a replacement for my previous assistant."
"Good to hear that. I expect much speedy work since you're not working alone. Especially now that the campaign has been shifted."
"Shifted?" Mr. Gibbs questioned.
"Yes. The campaign will happen in about 3 weeks, a month at most. When the board finalizes the details the information will be passed to you."
"Wow, that's such short notice." Mr. Gibbs sounded nervous, like he didn't believe we could pull everything off before then.
"And how come Mrs. Everett didn't come instead?"
By now I'd gotten that this man was a much more important member than Mr. Gibbs. Maybe a board member?
"She called in sick and yes, it is short notice. So I'm in need of the market research data? Is it ready?"
"Well, si-sir, you see. I haven't…"
Before he could complete his words I reached for the printed paper and pushed open the door leading directly into his office.
My steps halted as my eyes met his. My body seemed to pump with a new found force. This man held himself with a stoic grace, his shoulders high, not in pride but in self assuredness.
And more than anything, he was devilishly handsome. His jagged jaws, blue eyes and midnight black hair. Each feature too perfect to be real.
"Um- good morning sir." My mouth felt dry as I greeted him but his expression seemed…troubled as he turned to me.
He nodded at my greeting stiffly.
Something about him felt like a cold splash of déjà vu I couldn't explain. Something in the way he carried himself made my skin prickle. Like his energy was too palpable to contain. And why did he look so familiar?
Right! He's the CEO. I'd seen him when I'd been doing research about the company.
"Mr. Knight, this is my new assistant, Scarlett Fox. Scarlett, this is Mr. Knight, the CEO of the company." Mr. Gibbs introduced us and I nodded with a polite smile.
"It's a pleasure to meet you sir. I'm honored to be an employee of your company." He nodded again, his eyes focused on Mr. Gibbs instead.
"Sir, about the research data. I just handed that to Scarlett. She won't be done yet—"
"Actually…" I interrupted. "I finished it."
Both men turned.
Mr. Knight's gaze locked with mine and I felt like I'd stepped into ice.
His fingers grazed mine as he took the file, and for a moment, I forgot to breathe.
Something about him; his scent, his presence, pulled at the edges of my mind like a fading memory.
He held the file a beat too long. His jaw tightened just slightly before he turned to Mr. Gibbs.
"I'll review this. Good work," he said, eyes never returning to mine.
As he walked away, my pulse hammered.
Where had I seen him before?
Or… who did he remind me of?