Bianca's POV
My first day at Montgomery Media started at eight in the morning, which was way too early for someone who used to work nights. I stood outside the glass building, staring up at it like it might eat me alive.
Forty seven floors of steel and windows. The Montgomery name in gold letters above the entrance. People in expensive suits walking past me like they belonged here, like they weren't terrified of screwing up and proving everyone right about them.
I took a deep breath. "You can do this. It's just a job. People have jobs all the time. Normal, regular people."
Except I wasn't normal or regular. I was the stripper playing dress up in a pencil skirt and blouse that Chloe had bought me. The impostor who didn't know the difference between a quarterly report and a phone book.
I pushed through the revolving doors.
The lobby was massive, all marble floors and modern art that probably cost more than my entire existence. A receptionist sat behind a sleek white desk, her hair pulled back so tight it looked painful.
"Can I help you?" she asked, not looking up from her computer.
"Um, yeah. I'm Bianca Hayes. It's my first day. I'm supposed to report to HR?"
She finally glanced at me, and I saw the flicker of judgment in her eyes. Like she could smell that I didn't belong here.
"Tenth floor. Elevators are to your left."
"Thanks."
The elevator ride felt like it lasted forever. Smooth jazz played overhead, and I watched the numbers climb, my stomach doing flips with each floor.
When the doors opened, a woman in her fifties was waiting with a clipboard and a practiced smile.
"Bianca Hayes?"
"That's me."
"I'm Margaret from Human Resources. Welcome to Montgomery Media." She shook my hand with the kind of grip that said she'd done this a thousand times before. "Follow me, and we'll get you all set up."
The next two hours were a blur of paperwork, ID badges, computer passwords, and policy manuals. Margaret talked fast, throwing around terms like synergy and vertical integration, and I just nodded and pretended I understood.
Finally, she led me to a cubicle on the fifteenth floor.
"This is your desk," she said. "You'll be assisting the admin team with data entry, filing, scheduling, basic office tasks. Nothing too complicated to start."
The cubicle was small and gray, with a computer that looked newer than anything I'd ever owned and a little plant that was definitely fake.
"Your supervisor is Richard. He'll be with you shortly to go over your assignments." Margaret handed me a stack of folders. "In the meantime, familiarize yourself with these department guidelines. Any questions?"
About a million, but I just shook my head. "No, ma'am. Thank you."
She left, and I sat down in my rolling chair, staring at the folders like they were written in a foreign language.
"First day?"
I looked up. A guy around my age leaned against my cubicle wall, holding a coffee mug that said World's Okayest Employee. He had messy brown hair and a friendly smile that actually reached his eyes.
"Is it that obvious?" I asked.
"Only because you look like you're about to throw up." He extended his hand. "I'm Josh. I work in the cubicle next to yours, so we're officially neighbors. Welcome to the land of fluorescent lighting and passive aggressive emails."
I laughed despite myself and shook his hand. "Bianca. And yeah, I might throw up. This is all kind of overwhelming."
"Don't worry, you'll get used to it. The trick is to look busy even when you have no idea what you're doing. Works for me about sixty percent of the time." He took a sip of his coffee. "So what brought you to Montgomery Media? Family connection?"
My smile faltered. "Something like that."
"Ah, say no more. Half the people here got in through nepotism. Nothing wrong with that. At least you're honest about it." He gestured to the folders. "Need help figuring out that mess?"
"Desperately."
For the next hour, Josh walked me through the basics. How to use the filing system, where the break room was, which elevator was fastest, who to avoid in the bathroom if I didn't want to hear about their weekend.
"And whatever you do," he said seriously, "never microwave fish in the break room. People have been fired for less."
"Noted."
He was funny and easy to talk to, and for the first time since I'd walked into this building, I felt like maybe I could actually do this.
Then Richard showed up.
He was tall, balding, and looked like he'd never smiled a day in his life. His eyes swept over me with the kind of disdain I'd seen a hundred times before.
"Miss Hayes," he said flatly. "I'm Richard Chen, your supervisor. I trust Margaret has oriented you?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. I've prepared your first assignment." He dropped a thick binder on my desk with a thud. "I need all of these client files digitized and uploaded to our database by end of day Friday. The instructions are in the front. Any questions?"
I flipped through the binder. It had to be at least three hundred pages.
"No, sir."
"Excellent. I expect precision and efficiency. We maintain very high standards here at Montgomery Media." His tone made it clear he didn't think I was capable of either. "Welcome aboard."
He walked away, and I stared at the massive binder in disbelief.
Josh whistled low. "Wow. He gave you the monster project on your first day. That's cold even for Richard."
"Is it always like this?"
"Only when he doesn't like someone." Josh patted my shoulder. "But hey, look on the bright side. If you survive this, everything else will seem easy."
I spent the rest of the day hunched over my computer, typing until my fingers cramped, trying to decipher handwritten notes and faded documents. My eyes burned. My back ached. But I kept going because I refused to give Richard or anyone else a reason to say I couldn't handle it.
By five o'clock, I'd barely made a dent.
Josh popped his head over the cubicle wall. "Hey, some of us are grabbing drinks after work. You want to come?"
I wanted to say yes. Wanted to feel normal, like a regular person with a regular job making regular friends.
But then I remembered I still had to go back to Chloe's house. Back to Vanessa's cold stares and Alexander's presence that made my skin feel too tight.
"Rain check?" I said. "I'm pretty wiped out."
"Sure thing. Offer stands whenever you're ready." He grabbed his jacket. "Don't stay too late. Richard's not worth the overtime."
After he left, I worked for another hour, then finally admitted defeat and packed up my things.
The drive back to the house felt too short. I sat in the car for a few extra minutes, dreading going inside.
When I finally walked through the door, I heard voices in the dining room. Chloe, Alexander, and Vanessa, having dinner without me.
I tried to sneak past, but Chloe spotted me.
"Bianca! There you are. How was your first day?"
I forced a smile and walked to the doorway. "It was good. Lots to learn."
Vanessa didn't look up from her plate. "I'm sure it must be quite the adjustment. From dancing on stage to sitting at a desk."
"Mother," Chloe warned.
"I'm simply asking about her day, darling." Vanessa's voice was sweet as poison. "No harm in that."
Alexander caught my eye, and I saw something there. Sympathy maybe. Or pity. I wasn't sure which was worse.
"I'm actually really tired," I said quickly. "Think I'll just grab something and head to bed."
"Are you sure?" Chloe stood up. "We have plenty. You should eat with us."
"Maybe tomorrow." I was already backing away. "Congratulations on making it through day one, right?"
I didn't wait for a response. Just grabbed an apple from the kitchen and escaped to my room.
I collapsed on the bed, still in my work clothes, and stared at the ceiling.
One day down. How many more until everything fell apart?
My phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number.
"Heard your first day was rough. You did good. Don't let Richard break you."
I frowned. How did this person know about Richard?
Then another text came through.
"It's Josh, by the way. Got your number from the company directory. Hope that's not weird."
I smiled despite my exhaustion and typed back.
"Not weird. Thanks for today. Seriously."
"Anytime, neighbor. See you tomorrow."
I set my phone down and closed my eyes.
Maybe, just maybe, I could survive this after all.
As long as nothing else went wrong.
And considering my luck lately, that was a pretty big if.