Evie was at the door waiting for her.

"So what's up? Are you going to accept the offer or you want it passed down to me? I'd be glad to go in your stead." Evie grinned, tugging her dress.

"Go to your office, Evie. I need some space to think about it." She sighed.

"No need to think about it. I've moved your things outside and there's a cab waiting for you to take you to the HQ." Abruptly, Camila turned to her with a questioning look. "What! Don't worry, I paid for it."

"Evie, I need to at least find a place to move into before i even start going to that HQ! " She groaned, rolling her eyes at her.

"The thing is, everything has been made available for you."

"You're talking as if you participated in pushing me out of this place." Mila turned to her fully, folding her arms. She must have something to spill.

"Well, you can't say or tell so let's keep it that way. All you need to know is that, Mr Dante and I have made everything ready for you. Best of luck, sugar. I can have your office all to myself. " She twirled around, giggling.

"God knows what you guys have been doing behind my back." Camila muttered and proceed to her office. 

It was empty. Really empty. 

In just that space of time she went to meet Mr Dante, Evie had packed her things out. That silly coconut head of a girl.

"What should i do, God? Not ready for this big thing that just landed in my hands like a piece of chicken."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

ERIC

Eric watched the video Ad as it came to an end on his tablet, He removed his eyeglasses with gentle caution, placing them on the table before him and turned his attention to the lady who has been watching every of his moves with a lick of tongue. His secretary. He knew but chose to ignore. 

He doesn't give a shit about it. He would fuck her whenever he likes but now, he needs to watch her more often.

"How's the Ad sir?" Clara questioned, then proceed to drop the files in her hands. Her breast peeking for her flora short dress.

Eric looked briefly, "Yes, It's okay. Tell them I will not be around for the meeting. Josh will represent me." He took the files and opened. Then he smirked at the small picture glaring at him from the information file. "She's the one leading the project, right?"

"Yes, sir. I received a call that she's on her way already." Clara responded with a nod. Irritation appeared on her face as she glared at the picture Eric was smiling to. 

"Good. Set up a meeting with other new project members selected when she arrives. We have to move fast before the Luxoria takes any step. We are to be three times ahead of that goddamn company." He replied, waving his hand to dismiss her out of his office. 

Eric leaned back to his chair, his fingers drumming the hardwood table. His mind wandered off to the woman that seems to take another space in his every day thinking again. That week was not the first he'd met her. He'd seen her somewhere before. 

But where? 

His phone chimed, a message popped in and he read. After, his eyes caught his wallpaper on his phone, It was a picture of a dirty blonde lady in a white dress turning her back at him. Her face impossible to see. He sighed. He didn't know who she is and had no memory of how the picture got his screen but somehow, he didn't want to change it.

CAMILA

Camila groaned as she got out of the cab with her things packed neatly in a box. She stared at the building for the second time she's been here again. 

"Breathe, Camila. You've got this. All you have to do is to do your job and leave as soon as possible." She breathed in and out before moving forward. 

She'd been called by that annoying sounding if she was right secretary, that a meeting will be held as soon as she comes into the HQ. Mila walked further in, and the place seemed to part for her, security gates sliding back, elevators ready and waiting in hush.

She reached the elevators, feeling her heart calm, her stance set. Whatever waited above like deals, money, men who assumed power was a given especially her boss, she felt set for it.

Camila got to the lobby, her eyes wandering to see if she could find her new place and luckily, it was right ahead of her with the huge placard written 'Project lead office'. She quickly settled in. 

She gasped at how bigger it was than her former office. She could see the busy city from here. Okay, this is one great opportunity. Her phone chimed and that cut her office tour short. 

'The meeting is about to start. Come to the conference room.' She read aloud the first one.

The second one was from her mom, she sighed. Another number.

And a voicemail.

Against her better judgment, she played it.

"Camila, it's your mother. Again. Since you refuse to answer my calls like a respectful daughter, I'll leave a message. I need you to call me back about the money for the gala. And I spoke to Mrs. Henderson at the club, her son is a doctor. A real doctor, not a lab technician. I gave him your number. His name is Bradley. He'll call you. Try to be pleasant when he does, though I know that's difficult for you. And please, wear something flattering. He's seen your Instagram and apparently you need to update your photos. The ones from your father's funeral make you look dowdy. Anyway, call me back. Or don't. You're probably too busy with your little experiments to care about family. Bye."

The message ended. Camila deleted it.

She walked out of the door, a woman had crossed her.

 "Dr. Camila?" A woman in her late thirties appeared at her office door. Perfectly styled auburn hair, designer glasses, professional smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

 "I'm Dr. Sarah Jenkins. I'll be your senior research associate on the project."

"Oh! Nice to meet you." Camila stood to shake her hand.

"I have to admit, I was... surprised when they brought in someone from regional." Sarah's smile tightened. "I've been with the project since its inception. Eight months of groundwork."

"I'm sure your work has been invaluable," Camila offered diplomatically.

"Mm." Sarah's gaze swept over Camila's office. "Well, I've prepared the latest reports for you. We have a lot to catch you up on."

"They didn't even let me rest." She mumbled as she grabbed her laptop that was still warm. She had at least wanted to present something when she has read about what the project would be and what have been done so far. She'd done little of her research, at least that would show she was a serious and worthy enough to be the Lead Biochemical Researcher.

ERIC

Earlier, 

From up here, glass bent the light, steel blurred at a distance, his eyes wandered to his tablet, then paused.

Someone had come through the revolving doors. It was Camila.

He leaned back a little and watched. Quite amazing.

She swept her gaze across the lobby.

That was different.

She dropped her pace near the living wall, just enough to register that tangle of plants managed with impossible precision. Oh God!

She stopped at the elevators, hands at both sides of two boxes on top of each other, just waiting. No phone, no twitchy movements, not looking for anything to do.

He let out a slow breath. The unsettled feeling of spotting someone who moved through the world at your own pace. He must be crazy at this point because he's not even supposed to be staring this long at her. 

What's special about her?

The elevator doors slid shut behind her.

He sat up straighter, the meeting ahead suddenly not so routine anymore.

For the first time that day, he felt fully awake.

And though he couldn't explain it yet, somehow knew the building wasn't the only thing she'd end up quietly controlling. Maybe him too. 

Damn! And.... she's...she's fucking beautiful. He grunted at his own admission. 

>>>>Present,

The moment the doors clicked shut, the noise in the conference room on the forty-eighth floor vanished. Glass walls, city skyline sprawling beyond them, and a table that seemed to stretch on for so long you could almost measure power in miles.

Eric sat at the head, jacket tossed aside, sleeves rolled up just far enough to show he meant business, not performance. The sunlight caught his skin, highlighting the faint veins beneath it. He ignored the other executives, eyes fixed on the empty chair to his right.

She will seat beside him. He'd let that happen for sure. 

An executive started, "She's on her way. Should we start the meeting now before........" 

"We'll wait." Without giving a glance at whoever dared to break the silence of the room.

The silence stretched. One second. Another.

The doors slid open.

CAMILA

Camila walked in, a laptop tucked under one arm, gaze already sweeping the room sizing everyone up, deciding who mattered. There was nothing anxious in her movements, just straight line confidence.

"Dr. Camila," a bald man announced, standing halfway. "Project's lead biochem."

Her eyes met with Eric. No real sign of being impressed.

"Let's just get this started with." She muttered under her breath but he heard her.

With a smirk, devilish one at that, "You're late," he said.

She set her laptop down. "Uhm.....I was double checking results, sir."

Chairs creaked as a few people shifted, uncomfortable.

Eric's attention tightened. He didn't look away.

"Good. Sit."

She dropped comfortably into the seat beside him (the one that usually stayed empty unless you'd earned it) but didn't matter right now, and plugged her laptop in. A network of molecular diagrams flickered across the glass wall.

She got right to it, "The compound is holding up. But pushing into Phase II this quarter? Too risky." She shook her head, glancing at him.

"That delay bleeds us out two hundred million," an executive said, voice pinched.

She didn't even acknowledge him. "I understand perfectly." Camila met his gaze. "I also understand what happens when we rush drug trials. People die." With a shrug.

Silence again, heavier this time.

Eric leaned back a little, weighing her words but seemed in no rush for conclusions.

"Explain."

She pulled up more molecular diagrams. "We're seeing anomalies in the binding affinity tests. Push to Phase II now, and we risk catastrophic failure. Or worse, approval with hidden side effects that surface in year five."

"Like the Baxton trial," someone murmured.

Camila nodded. Baxton Pharmaceuticals had rushed a cardiovascular drug to market five years ago. Thirty-seven patients died before the recall.

"Exactly like Baxton." She agreed.

Eric studied her. The entire room seemed to hold its breath.

Finally, "We delay six months. Dr. Camila runs additional trials." He stood. "Meeting adjourned."

As the executives filed out, Sarah paused at Camila's elbow. "Interesting first day," she said quietly. "Making enemies already."

"I'm here to save lives, not make friends."

Sarah's smiled. "How noble."

***************************************************************************************

Ten minutes later, the meeting wrapped and one by one, the executives slipped out. Eric stayed back and watched closely as she snapped her laptop shut. 

Silence hung in the air for a while.

Then, he suddenly closed the space between them and stared deep into her eyes. 

No, her soul. Looking at him was like staring into waves you know will pull you under, and letting them. 

"Have i seen you before?" He questioned again.

Camila met his stare. "I don't think so." Where else would she..... "Except the last time at the reception."

"No, Not that. I swear i've seen you somewhere. Never mind, it doesn't matter. This project is worth billions. I don't accept failure." His eyes held hers. "Understand?" A threat wrapped in professional language. Somehow more terrifying than if he'd shouted.

"It was against my choice to be the project lead so i don't think......" He cuts her off.

Typical. Everything has to be his way.

"Just make the project successful." She nods and stepped back away from the weird heat she was feeling already. His closeness sends distracting signals to her body cells. 

His phone lit on the table. Eric lifted it, and for a split second. Just a heartbeat. Camila's eyes caught the screen.

Her breath stopped.

The wallpaper. A woman in a white dress, back turned, hair catching sunlight.

The world tilted. Hospital. White sheets. The smell of antiseptic. A dress she couldn't remember putting on.

>>> 

"Ms. Camila? Can you hear me?"

A doctor's face swam into view. Kind eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses.

"Where...?" Her voice cracked. Throat raw, tongue thick.

"You're at Mount Sinai. Do you remember anything?"

She tried to think. Tried to grasp at anything. But her mind was a blank room, echoing and empty.

"What... what day is it?"

"April 6th. Wednesday."

April 6th. But the last thing she remembered was... was...

"March," she whispered. "It was March. The 15th. I was... I was at work. I wanted to meet with..." Who? She couldn't remember.

The doctor's expression shifted. Concern. He glanced at someone else in the room.

"Ms. Camila, you have three weeks loss of memory."

Three weeks?! Like One, two, three weeks?!

"What happened to me?"

"We're not entirely sure. You were found unconscious on floor in a road accident. A woman in a white dress, the witness said. You'd been drugged too. Rohypnol, most likely, mixed with something else. The combination caused severe retrograde amnesia." He explained.

"The dress I was wearing... where is it?"

"With your belongings. Though..." The doctor hesitated. "It's very expensive. Designer. The police think you may have attended some kind of event."

Who was she during that time?

And why couldn't she remember any of it?

Later, a nurse brought her the dress in a clear plastic bag. Camila stared at it. White silk. Elegant. Beautiful. But completely unfamiliar.

CAMILA

"Dr. Camila?"

Camila jerked back to the present. Eric was watching her, his phone still in his hand, that wallpaper glowing between them.

"Are you alright?" His voice was different. Concerned, not cold.

"I'm fine." Her voice sounded far away. "I just... I need some air."

But as she walked out of the conference room, her hands were shaking.

That dress. That white dress from the hospital.

It looked exactly like the one in his wallpaper.

Why?

>>>>>>At her office,

Her hands shaking slightly as she set down her laptop. The meeting had gone well better than expected but Eric's question haunted her.

"Have I seen you before?" He asked her twice already.

She'd been asking herself the same thing since the hospital. Three weeks. Gone. The doctors said it was the drug, whatever they'd slipped into her drink one night. Rohypnol, maybe. Something that erased her like she'd never existed in that time.

She pulled out her journal, the one her therapist insisted she keep. Dates, notes, fragments of what others told her happened.

March 15: Worked late on cardiovascular trials

March 16: ???

March 17-April 5: Nothing

April 6: Woke up in hospital. No memory. No explanation.

She sighed.

And that wallpaper on Eric's phone. The woman in white, turning away.

Why did it feel like looking in a mirror?

Her phone rang and she picked after glancing at the caller.

"Hey girl! How have you been doing over there? How's your first day?" Evie said over the phone. Her voice mixed with happiness. She must be really happy that she kicked her out of her comfort zone.

"Where do you want me to sleep, Evie? I will be done with work and I've never done anything impromptu like this. Just finished with a meeting earlier to meet the rest of the members. All looking like i shouldn't be there with them in the first place." She replied, standing at the glass that shows the buzzling city. So lovely.

"So did you meet him? The boss." Ignoring her question.

"Yes, I did. So the house, don't skip my question."

"Okay! Your apartment isn't ready yet. So......"

" Wait what? You don't expect me to sleep in my office or something and I'm not going to a goddamn hotel." She tried to shook off that idea of going to an hotel, that idea has always cringe her and make her feel weird and uncomfortable. She doesn't know why, how it started but maybe her body remembers whatever happens that doesn't want her near hotels.

"Don't worry, Mila. Mr Dante will get everything settled for you. I'm in charge too so don't worry. So, guess what?" She could picture Evie's grin.

"What? You finally dumped that merlin of a guy?"

"Wow! You really must hate Colton. Really. I will forgive you on that, don't worry. So, I'm in New York right now." She spilled, giggling afterwards. "Just landed to come and see you, Mila and to settle your housing which is 20% reason."

"What's the 80%?" She yawned, returning to her desk and sits on it.

"There's a party in town, and I'm invited and to also bring a friend which is you."

"I'm not partying this night. I have a lot of things to do. Come settle my housing stuffs and go back to wherever party you're going. Count me out."

"It's a billionaires' party!"

"How'd you get invited to a billionaires' party?" Camila asked suspiciously.

Evie hesitated for just a second. "Family connections. Don't worry about it." Evie squealed, obviously dancing around wherever she is.

"I'm not coming. Wait ....I thought you had Colton. Does he know?"

"There's nothing wrong in having little fun outside of a relationship girl. You know why i'm dating him anyways so it shouldn't surprise you. Girl, I'm outside your office. Get down here and come change into this sexy gown for me and lets go party. I fucking promise, your apartment will be ready till then."

Camila groaned, her hands over face as she reluctantly stepped out of the office with her work bag. She got out of the building and saw Evie waving happily at her with a bag dangling around her arm.

"Baby girl, Let's go party." She drew her closer.

"I never said I'm going."

"Whatever it is, I'm dragging you there, my love." She pushed her towards the waiting cab.

ERIC

 Eric was playing with his phone. A message popped into his screen and he opened it to read.

"Eric, you need to come to this damn party tonight. Lots of girls are here. Beautiful ones and just the way you like them, dude. Don't be a dick! We need to celebrate Stephen's birthday." He read and rolled his eyes.

Nolan. That fool.

True, he almost forgot about it.

He got to his bedroom and Watson, his golden retriever, nosed his hand. "Yeah, buddy. I know." He scratched the dog's ears. "You want to go for a walk, but I've got this damn party." The room was spotless. Expensive. Empty. His eyes caught the photo on his desk. His parents on their wedding day. His father's hand on his mother's waist. Both of them smiling like they'd found the secret to happiness. They'd died ten years ago. And Eric had been running ever since.

He sat in his bed and begin dial Nolan's contact.

"Good evening, my king." Nolan teased, before bursting into laughter. "King of the jungle." He laughed again.

"Fuck you! Where the hell are you?"

"Your majesty, you didn't see my message? I think that's enough to tell you my location." The noise background causing him to raise his voice loud like they were in the same noisy room. Well, fuck that.

"Okay."

"My king, are you coming? Step......."

"Call me my king again, I will come over there and cut off your fucking dick." He interrupted.

"Yes your highness." He never listens. There's no point correcting him.

 "I'm coming over there. I need to see Stephen, text me the location. Will you?"

"Okay man. Send it to you in a second."

The call ended and almost immediately, a message popped in with the location details.

>>>>>>>>>

CAMILA

   "You going to get late for this damn party if you don't change fast! This is the opportunity to see rich fucking men! Oh my! I'm going to take home a dude." Evie squealed.

"I never wanted to go in the first place. So, don't fucking rush me and let me do my thing." Camila retorted, struggling with her dress. "And aren't you supposed to help me with this tight dress you got me. I don't think this is even my size." She stood firmly at the mirror and looked at her reflection.

The orange dress had pushed her boobs out, almost spilling from its comfort place. The length of it stopping at her thighs and made her felt exposed looking at her legs to feet wearing silver sandals. Her hair tied up in a messy bun.

Okay, this is perfect, I think. She thought.

"Oops! Let me help you." Evie helped with the zip and all set. They walked out of the small clothing store that had allowed them to change into their outfits and boarded the cab.