Maya woke up that morning feeling heavier than usual. It was not just tiredness. It was the feeling she had carried home the day before, the one she could not explain no matter how much she tried. She sat on her bed for a few seconds before standing up, already knowing she could not avoid going back because she needed the job and that was the only thing that mattered.
By the time she arrived at work, she had already pushed everything else to the back of her mind. She walked in quietly and went straight to her desk without looking around. She did not want to notice anything or feel anything. She just wanted to work.
At first, things were normal, or at least they looked normal. Files were placed on her desk, and she started working like she always did. Her movements were steady, and her focus was controlled. She kept her head down and avoided eye contact with anyone around her.
But it did not stay that way for long.
Halfway through the morning, the same woman appeared again. This time, she did not stand at a distance. She walked directly to Maya's desk. Maya noticed her shadow first, then slowly looked up. The woman was already looking at her.
She said Maya was still there, and her tone was calm but did not sound like a compliment. Maya sat up straight and answered yes. The woman's eyes moved across the files on the desk before she said Maya was getting used to the place.
Maya did not respond immediately because she did not know what to say. After a moment, she said she was just doing her work. The woman gave a small smile and said that was what everyone said at the beginning.
Maya's fingers tightened slightly, but she stayed quiet. She did not like the way the woman spoke, like she already knew how things would end.
The woman picked up one of the files without asking and flipped through it. She said it was not bad, but not good either. Maya felt the words settle heavily, but she did not speak.
The woman closed the file and placed it back on the table before telling her she should try harder. Maya nodded slowly and said she would.
For a moment, it seemed like the conversation was over, but the woman did not move. Instead, she leaned slightly closer and said she would give her advice. Maya looked at her.
She said this place was not for everyone.
The words were soft, but they carried meaning.
Maya understood.
She just chose not to respond.
She said she would keep working.
The woman straightened and looked at her for a second longer before stepping back and telling her to make sure she did. Then she walked away.
Maya stayed still for a moment after she left. Her chest felt tight again, not because she was afraid, but because she did not understand why this was happening. She had done nothing. She had stayed quiet and followed every rule, but it still was not enough.
She lowered her eyes and returned to her work, but her focus was no longer steady. The words stayed in her mind, repeating quietly.
Across the room, Kai had been watching everything. He stepped closer to Caspian and said quietly that the woman was crossing the line. Caspian's gaze was already fixed on Maya's desk, and he said he knew. Kai asked if he wanted to stop it now.
This time, Caspian said yes.
That was all.
Kai nodded and moved away immediately.
A few minutes later, one of the senior staff approached Maya's desk and took some of the files away, saying they were no longer hers. Maya looked up, confused, and before she could say anything, the woman told her she had been reassigned for the rest of the day to smaller tasks.
The files in front of her were replaced with lighter ones, simpler and easier. Maya stared at them for a moment because she did not understand. She had not asked for help and had not complained, so she did not know why this was happening.
She looked around briefly, but no one was paying attention to her directly. Everything looked normal, but it did not feel normal. She lowered her eyes and continued working without asking questions.
She did not know she had just been pulled out of something.
From a distance, Caspian watched. His expression did not change, and he did not step forward or speak, but the decision had already been made.
Maya, however, knew nothing about it.
To her, it felt like something else, like she had been reduced and was no longer trusted with bigger work. Her grip on the pen tightened slightly. She did not like it, but she said nothing.
The rest of the day passed quietly. No one approached her again, and the woman did not come back. Everything seemed calm, but Maya did not feel calm.
By the time the day ended, she packed her things slowly. Her movements were controlled, but her thoughts were not. She stood up and walked out.
Outside, she stopped for a moment.
Her chest felt heavy again.
This time, it was not confusion.
It was frustration.
She did not understand what she had done wrong or why things were changing around her without explanation. She did not understand him.
Caspian Vane-Auber.
To her, he was still the same.
Cold, distant, and unfair.
She took a slow breath and started walking again. She told herself it did not matter and that she would keep going, but deep down, something had already shifted.
And this time, it was not just pressure.
It was something personal.