Lost In The Gaze

The sharp ring of her alarm jolted LILY out of a dream she couldn’t quite remember. For a second, she just lay there, tangled in her blankets, staring at the ceiling as if the world outside her room was moving too fast for her to catch up. The light streaming through the curtains seemed too bright, like it had been waiting to break through her sleepy haze.

She groaned and rubbed her eyes, pushing herself up, suddenly aware of the time. FIRST DAY, she reminded herself. The words felt both exciting and terrifying, a mix of possibility and pressure that made her stomach flutter.

The bathroom mirror greeted her with the usual reflection—disheveled hair, sleepy eyes—but today, it felt different. She was stepping into something new, something bigger than just another Monday.

With a deep breath, she splashed cold water on her face, the chill pushing away the remnants of her dream and replacing them with the clarity of the day ahead.

"Okay," she whispered to herself, glancing at the clock again. "Let's do this."

Lily stood in front of her closet, eyes flicking between the rows of clothes as her mind drifted back to the years it took to get here. JAMES ENTERPRISE . The name alone still made her heart race with excitement. It was the dream. The one she'd imagined as a child while scribbling in notebooks—her future self, walking confidently through glass doors into a sleek corporate building.

She had spent years building toward this moment. After finishing her MBA at Yale School of Management, a place that had sharpened her mind and expanded her network, it seemed like the world was finally aligning in her favor. Her professors had recognized her drive early on, pushing her to lead in group projects and challenge herself beyond the textbook. Her peers had seen her as the kind of person who was always a step ahead, always ready with an answer, a plan, a solution. The kind of person who didn't settle.

And yet, no matter how much she achieved—no matter how many accolades she collected along the way—there was something about today that felt more real than anything she had ever done.

Her childhood dream was now no longer a distant thought. It was happening. She was about to step into the world she’d always imagined, the one filled with high-stakes meetings, innovation, and maybe even a little bit of the corporate drama she'd always secretly wanted to be part of.

The pressure to live up to her potential—and to the expectations that had always followed her—hung in the air. But for the first time in a long time, she wasn’t scared. She was ready.

Lily's childhood was marked by hardship, as her mother passed away when she was just 13 years old. Despite the overwhelming grief, she refused to let it derail her ambitions. Determined to honor her mother's memory, Lily threw herself into her studies, consistently earning straight A's across all subjects. She dreamed of getting into Yale University and landing a prestigious job at a top company—goals she and her mother had once envisioned together.

Lily's family consisted of her younger sister, RUBY, who was five years younger than her. After their mother's death, Lily stepped into the role of caregiver, supporting her little sister in every way she could. Ruby, now preparing to attend the Tisch School of the Arts, aspired to follow in their mother's footsteps as a dancer. Their mother had been a trained ballet dancer, and Ruby had inherited not only her passion but also her grace and dedication.

Their father, who owned a small but popular restaurant, struggled deeply after the loss of his wife—the love of his life. His grief was compounded by the pressure to work longer hours to support his daughters' education. Before her passing, their mother had helped with the family finances by teaching dance to children, but now it fell on him to manage both the restaurant and the financial burden. It was in those dance classes, taught by their mother, that Ruby found her own calling.

While Lily's ambition drove her to focus on academics, Ruby's heart and soul were drawn to the rhythm of dance, keeping their mother's spirit alive with every movement she made.

Lily stood before the mirror, adjusting her blazer as she prepared for her first day at work. The nervous excitement bubbled within her, but she reminded herself that this was a huge step toward her dreams. As an intern, she was eager to prove herself, just as she had done throughout her academic career.

Once at the office, she joined the other new interns in the conference hall, who had joined the company, each with their own ambition, but today, all eyes were on the impressive gathering ahead. They were introduced to the company's key members, and then, the moment Lily had unknowingly been anticipating arrived.

The CEO of the group, Henry James Brown, walked onto the stage, commanding attention effortlessly. Henry was the only son of James Brown, the man who had turned a bankrupt company into one of the most successful in the country. Like his father, Henry exuded confidence, charisma, and an undeniable business acumen. But what set him apart, in Lily’s eyes, was his undeniable allure.

Henry’s sharp jawline, dark, tousled hair, and piercing blue eyes could stop anyone in their tracks. His smile was effortlessly charming, and his tall, athletic frame held an air of confidence that made the room seem smaller. He had the kind of looks that belonged on a cover of a magazine—handsome in an almost unreal way, with every feature seemingly crafted to perfection. His voice, smooth and assured, carried effortlessly across the room as he began his speech.

Lily found herself mesmerized. His words became a blur as her mind seemed to drift with every glance at him. She couldn’t focus on what he was saying; instead, she was captivated by his magnetic presence. His eyes, sharp yet inviting, swept across the room and suddenly, they locked with hers. For a moment, time seemed to stretch. Neither of them looked away. Lily’s heart raced in her chest, and she realized just how long she had been staring at him—lost in his gaze.

Henry, too, seemed to hold her gaze, a flicker of recognition crossing his features, as if he knew her from somewhere but couldn’t quite place where. The room around them faded away, and all that remained was the intense connection between them.

Just as the silence grew thick, the rest of the room erupted into applause, snapping Lily back to reality. The spell was broken, and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. What was I doing? She had been staring at him for far too long. Her face reddened, and she quickly tapped her head, muttering to herself, "Focus, Lily." She could feel the heat of her own mortification, hoping no one had noticed her lost-in-thought moment.

Henry, however, stole one last glance at her before turning to leave the stage. His expression was unreadable, though his gaze lingered just a beat too long as he exited the conference hall.

After the speech, the interns were given a brief overview of their roles and responsibilities before being escorted to their desks. As Lily made her way to hers, she couldn’t shake the image of Henry from her mind, nor the inexplicable feeling that something had passed between them.

However, despite Henry's undeniable charm, there was something cold about him...........

[ TO BE CONTINUED ;)........ ]

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