Bound To The Shadow

As I struggled to get out of bed, rays of sunlight poured into the room. My body protested, craving more sleep, but I knew I couldn’t afford to rest any longer—I needed to find a job urgently. My week had been consumed with applications and interviews, yet none had yielded positive results.

Seated on the edge of the bed, I stared blankly at the wall, replaying my blunders in various interviews in my mind. It was finally Friday, and I was out of options; I had tried everything and, sadly, none of it turned out well.

Suddenly, the rich aroma of coffee wafted through the air, bringing back memories. I turned to see Samantha offering me a cup, her makeup smudged on her face. Clearly, she had been too worn out to remove it before collapsing in bed.

I burst out laughing. “You should see yourself; you look like a hungover clown!” I teased, playfully pointing at her between giggles.

“Very funny!” she shot back sarcastically, rolling her eyes and plopping down on my bed.

Samantha often attended her wild parties to unwind, though I found that kind of stress relief more overwhelming than liberating. She had invited me to one of her get-togethers that evening, but I was too exhausted to even reply. All I could think about was getting some sleep, especially since I was the kind of person who preferred hitting the sack early.

“Looks like no job offers today, aside from this high-end home design company looking for a receptionist,” Samantha said, staring at the ceiling and waving her hands dramatically. “I doubt they’ll take you, though; those posh companies can be so picky. You’d probably have some spoiled rich kid bossing you around.”

I glanced at the floor, feeling the weight of potential disappointment piling on. But I knew I had to take that chance; this could be my lucky break.

I sat there for a moment, shaking off my drowsiness while contemplating how the day would unfold. Samantha had already drifted to sleep, snuggled up like a carefree child, and I envied her ease.

I gulped down the now-cold coffee and quickly picked up the papers on the wooden table beside my bed, scanning through them.

“Well done again, Samantha Wilder,” I muttered to myself before standing up to recite my morning mantra: “It’s time to run the race, Everly Blossom!” I stretched and headed to the bathroom for a shower.

***

Moments later, I sat nervously in front of a large door, biting my nails—a habit I struggled to control. To distract myself, I admired the elegance of the building, taken in by its impressive design meant to lure customers.

The ceiling was adorned with a stunning chandelier, casting soft light across the room with its shimmering crystals in hues of white, gold, cream, and blue. Everything sparkled—floors, walls, stairs—indicating that the cleaners must have been top-notch.

Upon entering the building, a tall Asian woman, likely Chinese, had greeted me and directed me to the appointment area. There, I was informed that I needed to engage with some children, presumably clients’ kids—an interaction I hoped to handle well. Afterward, I was told to wait.

Five minutes passed before the same woman returned and, after a nod, rang the bell on the door. “Come in!” a commanding voice called from inside.

She entered and soon reappeared with a warm smile, revealing her striking green eyes and sharp nose.

“You can go in now,” she said, gesturing toward the door.

“Thank you,” I replied, smiling back as I stepped inside. The door clicked shut behind me.

I remained beside the door, hesitant to move. A blonde man sat across the room, facing a glass wall. How cliché, I thought to myself while standing awkwardly.

The room was minimalistic—just a large table and a small shelf with a dim lamp flickering.

“Take a seat; I don’t bite,” a voice interrupted my thoughts, startling me back to reality.

Realizing I had been frozen in place, I quickly walked to the chair in front of the desk and sat down.

When the man turned to face me, I noticed his striking features. He likely held a top position within the company—someone many could easily swoon over. But I had sworn off dating years ago, so I was indifferent to his appeal.

His intense gaze felt like it was probing my soul, and the silence felt unnaturally awkward. I usually enjoyed silence, but this was different—like he was uncovering my darkest secrets.

I adjusted in my seat and cleared my throat.

“Okay, I don’t want to waste time, so let’s get to the point,” he said, leaning back in his chair, his voice smooth yet resonant. I nodded in agreement.

“I saw how you interacted with those children, and I liked it, so you can have the job,” he said, a smirk playing on his lips.

That smirk rubbed me the wrong way, and yet my heart was racing with excitement. I finally got a job after what felt like endless disappointment!

“Thank you, sir,” I said, sitting up straighter, a big smile on my face.

“I would suggest you start tomorrow, but since it’s the weekend, you’ll begin on Monday at 8 PM sharp. Don’t be late!” he said, casually flicking a pen in his hand.

“Yes, sir,” I replied, nodding. I couldn’t discern much about his appearance, except that he had a strong presence—comfortably tall and sturdy.

“Alright, see you later, Miss Blossom,” he said as I forced a smile in reply.

Standing up, I headed toward the door.

“Oh, and come straight to my office,” his deep voice echoed around the room.

“Yes, sir!” my voice squeaked in response, sounding comically high—a baby chipmunk who had tried swallowing something too large.

As I exited, I spotted the Chinese woman waiting outside.

“Did you get the job?” she asked eagerly as I shut the door behind me.

“Yes, I did! Thank you!” I exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

She smiled widely, placing her slender fingers on my shoulder. “Call me Mia,” she said.

“I’m Blossom,” I replied, following her toward the exit. “See you later, Blossom!” she called out as I left the building. I nodded in agreement.

Taking a deep breath of the refreshing air, I felt a rush of joy as I waited for a taxi, beaming like I had just hit the jackpot.