Chapter Text
The early dawn broke through the clouds as Naomi Scott crawled out of bed. Her alarm was the siren call of hell reminding her that she was just another body in the system that wanted to continue moving despite the clunking and grinding of its gears. Being drained and tired was the new look, didn’t you hear? Luckily for Naomi the soft humming of her coffee machine reminder her that once again there were some small things to keep living for. It was a gift from her mother— a birthday present wrapped in corporate cardboard. Naomi rushed to get dressed, a plain white shirt, black blazer, and a slightly more comfortable pair of black pants with clunky black shoes. She checked herself over once in the mirror before grabbing her coffee mug, coat, and work bag and headed out the door. It would take Naomi roughly an hour to get to work.
The chill still settled over the cityscape as the remnants of winter crept back to where it came from. Naomi’s breath could still be seen as she hurried to the train station. As she moved through the morning rush, the black and gray stream hummed softly with chatter, she slipped past the gates and waited impatiently for her train to arrive. Despite her ill-tempered thoughts on her workplace she still needed to pay her bills. For Naomi, work was more of an inconvenience normalized by the Industrial revolution.
Work! Work! Work!
It made her insides sticky with unease.
Naomi scanned the platform and her eyes landed upon a uniquely dressed woman who could be no older than 21. She could only guess that she was right out of college and stepping into the corporate world for the first time. The light in her eyes hadn’t left her yet.
The whirring sound of wind caught Naomi’s attention and she settled in line waiting to board her train. However, the sound of papers and a woman gasping unusually loud pulled her attention back to the same woman she noticed. Naomi stared in mild amusement as the womans papers scattered from her hands and into the air. It looked like new years all over again, Naomi thought as she watched the woman struggle to pick up the papers.
Aloof was the first thing that popped into Naomi’s mind when she saw the woman fail to pick up the papers. Turning from the woman she boarded the train and slumped against the wall beside the door and tuned out everything until she got to her destination.
The large imposing structure of SherTech loomed over Naomi as she hurried up the stone staircase. The revolving door whirled round and round as employee after employee poured into the building. All the same dead looks plastered onto their faces. As Naomi stepped into the lobby of the building she checked herself in with her employee badge. She smiled to Tony, the morning security guard, before walking through the gates and towards the elevator. Tony waved at her before turning back to the newly installed monitors in front of him.
The elevator was no extraordinary ride up to the 12th floor. She looked down at her watch and realized she still had fifteen minutes before her shift started. She let out a long sigh and sipped her coffee.
“Rough morning?” A man spoke softly next to her. Naomi looked over and found Leonard smiling down at her.
“My morning was fine. Saw this woman lose her papers though at the train station.” Naomi mused softly with a light chuckle.
“Really? That’s unfortunate.” Leonard replied as he leaned back against the back wall of the elevator.
“It was kind of funny. I hope she makes it to work on time though.” Naomi lightened her mood as the elevator dinged for the 6th floor. The door opened and a few people poured out. Even fewer stepped in.
“What do you have on for today?” Leonard continued the conversation easily enough.
“I have an interview to host and then I get to sit at my desk for the remainder of the day. Projects are pouring in so the first half of second quarter will be distinguishing high priority from low. Fun stuff I tell ya.”
Leonard all but chuckled.
“What about you, anything better happening for you today?”
“Nothing but correcting an interns errors. I tell ya, this guy doesn’t know shit-all about code.” That made Naomi snort. It was rare for Leonard to swear so the intern much have really messed up.
“Well, good luck.”
The elevator dinged for the 10th floor and Leonard nodded to Naomi and exited. It was just her and one other fellow.
As Naomi exited the elevator she shrugged off her coat and headed towards her department section. Naomi was the recruitment officer for Human Resources. She along with three other woman were in charge of expanding the company by identifying staffing requirements, scouting and screening applications, and creating job descriptions. It was mundane work, but it suited Naomi’s lifestyle. As she walked down the hallway she spotted Sherry already sitting at her desk.
“Morning Sherry.” Naomi spoke with a hint of a smile.
“Good morning Naomi!” Sherry greeted happily. “Did you remember you have an interview at 9:30am today?”
“Yes, I remember. One Ms. Mary Osgood.” Naomi speaks as she sets her coat on the rack. “I’m not super thrilled for this interview since she barely passes requirements but she’s the only one that applied for the position. The rest was fodder.” Naomi rattled on as she walked over to her desk and booted up her computer. “Some kid, barely out of high school even applied. I was half attempted to hire the kid because he had better criteria than Ms. Osgood but his mom wouldn’t allow him to miss out on his final year of high school.” Naomi let out a short easy laugh. SherTech was growing, but the market wasn’t yet caught up.
Sherry let out a curt laugh as she typed away at her computer. “Well, good luck with the interview. Hopefully she’s more capable than she let on in her resume.”
Naomi scoffs and sits at her desk to prepare some questions for the interview. She wasn’t sure what to think quite yet of Ms. Osgood but she hoped that the woman would impress her in the interview.
When 9:15 rolled around the corner Naomi was already in the conference room, enclosed by glass walls and newly installed black leather chairs, setting up the room making sure it was neat when the new applicant arrived. Glass cups and a water jug set in the middle of the sleek black conference table when Naomi heard a knock at the door. It was Sadie.
“Your interviewee just arrived.” Sadie spoke with a glint in her eye like she had just seen the most interesting scene ever. Naomi raise a brow and set down her notes at the end of the table and walked out to meet Ms. Osgood. Sadie followed after Naomi with a barely contained smile on her face.
“You wouldn’t believe what had happened just as she walked into the room. Poor girl spilled her cappuccino all over Director Harry’s new suit. He was not impressed.” Sadie loved to gossip. That much was clear to Naomi when she first started however, when she had stepped into her position as recruitment officer she couldn’t help but be a little grateful. Sadie’s gossiping often helped Naomi pick and choose the better candidates. First impressions were imperative after all. Especially now with the company gunning for first. As Naomi entered into the foyer of the 12th floor she heard panicked chattering. She turned her head back to Sadie who all but hid a snicker into her coffee cup. This was going to be an interesting video. Walking through the clouded glass windows Naomi greeted Lucille, the thin blond secretary, as she wiped down Director Harry who was quietly cursing under his breath. From behind him a panicked individual kept repeating apology after apology. When Naomi got a good look at the woman she was to be interviewing in less than five minutes her face dropped.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Naomi was less shocked than she should have been, but everything that she had hoped for the woman before was just thrown out the door.
“What is it, do you know her?” Sadie pushed for more information and Naomi couldn’t help but turn to Sadie with a dreadful look. “Oh no, is it that girl from the train station?” Sadie amended with quiet amusement.
Naomi frowned at Sadie and wondered how she would have known. “Wait, how’d you know about her?”
“I heard from Stacy in Accounting, who heard it from Mark in Maintenance cause you know how those two have a thing right…” Sadie paused to take a breath, “anyways Mark had happened to overhear Leonard mutter about it as he was fixing that one interns coding mistake.” Sadie rambled on. “Also, Leonard is pissed, Mark swore he heard the man swear like three times all in the span of ten minutes when he was replacing the fax machine.”
Naomi just nodded in understanding. Filling away that last bit of information for later.
Nothing ever went unheard in this building.
“Right, well now I have to interview her now.” Naomi grumbled softly as she stood straighter and looked around the room as if looking for the one person who wasn’t the center of attention.
“Ms. Mary Osgood, is there a Ms. Mary Osgood in the room?” The room went silent as everyone looked around the room curiously.
“Um, that would be—“ Before Ms. Osgood could answer the elevator dinged and the doors rolled open. Naomi’s eyes watched with slight surprise. It was like the air had chilled as everyone stood much straighter than before. Director Harry turned from Lucille and gawked as he tried to hide his stain on his shirt.
“Director, I expect you have another shirt on hand.” The chill voice of the CEO of SherTech spoke with that sort of lethal grace that could only be found in movies. Mr. Sheridan didn’t even stop to look at Director Harry before walking through those cloudy glass doors and towards his office.
“I-I, yes I do Mr Sheridan.” Director Harry sputtered out as he immediately turned and walked after the CEO.
Sadie turned to Naomi and whispered into her ear, “And let the day begin. Good luck with that.” Sadie gestured to Ms. Osgood who looked completely dumbfounded. Naomi raised her hand and waved over the woman who’s eyes were plastered on the shutting cloudy glass doors.
“Come with me.” Naomi spoke curtly before turning around and leading the woman along.
Ms. Osgood followed along, her eyes darting about the office taking in the bright lights, clean floors and soft chatter of co-workers working amongst themselves.
“After you.” Naomi spoke with an easy smile as she held open the door to the conference room. Ms. Osgood walked in and took her spot in her designated seat and settled her portfolio on the table and opened it. Naomi grabbed the water jug and held it up to Ms. Osgood. “Water?” she asked softly as she looked over the woman to her left. It was then that Naomi clocked the pile of papers in her portfolio.
You’ve got to be kidding me… Are those just blank pieces of paper? Naomi thought in astonishment as Ms. Osgood shook her head. Naomi was positive that those pieces of papers were the very same ones from her little accident.
Okay, no judging just yet Naomi… Naomi set down the jug and proceeded to take her spot at the head of the conference table. It was silent for a moment and the sound of muffled car horns honking in the background seeped into the tense room as the clock above the the painting of some cityscape ticked away. Naomi breathed in and then out softly before turning to Ms. Osgood. This was either going to be the interview of the new century or she would see Ms. Osgood to the entrance to be never seen again.
“Right. Ms. Osgood. Could you tell me a little bit about yourself?”
Ms. Osgood shifted in her seat clearly letting her nerves get to her before she let out a soft sigh.
“I would like to clear something up first.”
Naomi wasn’t impressed but raised a curious brow nevertheless. “What would that be?”
Ms. Osgood’s eyes darted about the room and Naomi couldn’t help but tilt her head down as she waited. She over looked her notes about Ms. Osgood to see what could be such a surprise that she had missed.
“My name isn’t actually Mary Osgood, its Y/N.”
Naomi’s eyes darted up and she struggled to find words for what she just heard. Y/N? What kind of name was that? She didn’t know anyone who had a name like that. It was obscene. Naomi had to close her eyes for a moment before asking, “And how do you spell that?” Her patience was wearing thin and honestly she was just waiting to send this poor girl back home.
Y/N blushed softly as her hand picked up a pen and begun to write how her name. “Just like this.”
Naomi stared at the piece of paper blankly for about 30 seconds— enough time for Y/N to fidget in her seat.
Naomi licked her lips and sucked in a breath. “Right…” Naomi was at a loss for words and she was seriously contemplating on ending the interview early just to be done with it all.
“I know its a strange name, but no where else—“ just as Y/N started to amend the already dire situation the conference doors swung open abruptly and Naomi paled as she stood up.
“Mr. Sheridan, how can I help you?” Naomi watched as the CEO held her gaze before falling to Y/N who sat in the chair picking at the skin around her nails.
“I heard we had a new hire.” He spoke coldly as he pulled out a chair and sat in it, adjusting his suit as he eyed Y/N.
“Well, not quite, I’m interviewing her however—“
“And how is she doing?”
Naomi looked between Mr. Sheridan and Y/N. She noted the look in his eyes before straightening her shoulders. “It’s still in progress. We just introduced ourselves.”
“And how should I address you?” Mr. Sheridan’s cold eyes swept over Y/N with practiced ease, like he was contemplating on devouring her whole. Naomi pressed her lips together as the atmosphere in the room shifted. Y/N introduced her self and Naomi clocked the glint that flashed in Mr. Sheridan’s eyes as he let out a low hum of contemplation. Naomi wasn’t too sure what happened between the second Mr. Sheridan slapped the table with his palm and the next when he stood up.
“I’ve been looking for a new secretary.” Mr. Sheridan then glanced at Naomi “Lucille is going on leave, the contract is twelve months. Make sure the space is ready for Y/N starting next week,”
The minute Mr. Sheridan had left the room Naomi let her jaw drop to the floor. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Her shocked tone made Y/N jump. Naomi looked down at her in utter surprise and disgust.
“W-who was that?” Y/N spoke quietly, as if she were too scared to know who the devilishly handsome man was. Naomi looked at her like she was the least interesting thing on this planet and half contemplated on even answering her question. She knew that Mr. Sheridan was impulsive, but to make a decision like this on a woman like her was out of her reason of understanding. Yet, as she glanced back at Y/N she couldn’t muster up the motivation to even argue the decision. She rolled her eyes and cleaned up her spot before looking back at Y/N with barely contained disinterest.
“That was your new boss, Kade M. Sheridan.”