Chapter 5

Nora woke with a start, chills prickling her skin. A strange anguish gripped her chest, twinned with a hollow ache that left her feeling utterly powerless. She had dreamt again of the handsome prince and that strange, yet beautiful world. It felt so real that, at times, she felt as though she were waking into a dream, leaving her true life behind.

She likely needed therapy, she thought, because she held few memories of her past, and no family to question about her origins. It was as if her life had been frozen in time, abruptly cut short.

Meanwhile, Edward used his day off to unwind in the quiet of his apartment, a place he would soon no longer call home. Suddenly, the urge to paint returned; not that he was a professional artist, nor that the art held any particular passion for him. He had learned it as a child, at his mother’s insistence, who had forced him and his brother to study some form of art, believing it would instill in them sensitivity and discipline, cultivating their patience.

Edward had never been interested in painting or drawing as an adult; however, for some time now—a time he couldn’t even recall—he constantly depicted this beautiful, warrior-like woman. It was as if she were hidden within him.

Along with the desire to draw or paint her, a sense of emptiness and loss periodically overcame him. The only thing that calmed him was giving life to a canvas or a piece of paper with the image of this strange woman, whom he thought he had seen two weeks prior.

***

She was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice the door to her office open, nor the presence of the person who had entered.

“Nora, are you alright?” A male voice startled her from her reverie.

“I’m sorry, Marcos.” She forced a smile. “I was a little distracted.”

He handed her a folder full of papers.

Marcos was a journalist everyone adored because he always delivered the best stories. He had a bohemian air about him, his face radiating a carefree charisma. Everyone gossiped about the two of them, though Nora had never seen him as anything other than a colleague.

As usual, the mestizo wore black leather pants, a jacket, and boots, giving him a rebellious, almost boyish appearance; yet he was one of the most analytical and disciplined workers.

“What are you doing tonight?” he asked, staring at a fixed point, avoiding eye contact.

“Resting!” She sighed.

“How boring!” He finally met her gaze. “You should go out more often; lately, you’ve been so withdrawn.” He moved closer to examine her intently. “You even seem like a different person. Are you okay? Do you need to talk to someone?” Nora shook her head.

“Everything’s fine. I don’t know what you mean by saying I’ve changed; I’ve always been the same.”

“Not always.” He chuckled. “There are times when you like to go out and have fun, but then, out of nowhere, you become introverted and dull. You know? Sometimes I get the feeling that you feel out of place as if you’re not fully awake. I’m worried about you, Nora.”

She looked at him, confused, as she didn’t remember ever enjoying going out.

Nora remained pensive throughout the morning, and that feeling of emptiness returned.

There was a moment when her eyelids felt heavy, and she suddenly fell asleep—or so she thought—but it felt more like she had entered a trance.

Suddenly, she found herself in another place, where the air was pure and there were no buildings or traffic, only lush trees, a green carpet of grass, and mountains; then, the feeling of being home washed over her.

In the distance, she saw a small light emanating from a rock and walked towards it; the closer she got, the brighter the light became. Nora sought the source of the glow, but the brightness became so intense that she could no longer see, as it was hurting her eyes.

For some reason, she tried to decipher what the light wanted her to understand, as she sensed that its brilliance was speaking to her, but she couldn’t understand what it was saying. It was then that she thought she heard a faint voice.

“Leela…”

“Leela…” The tone grew louder and louder. “Nora!” She woke with a fright, nearly jumping out of her chair from the shock.

“Why are you yelling, Lidia?” she retorted to her friend, yawning.

“How can you sleep so deeply at work?” She crossed her arms. “I’ve been calling you for several minutes, and you looked like you were dead asleep.”

“You’re exaggerating!” She rolled her eyes at her friend’s hyperbole.

“How can you sleep on a day like today?” She approached her, her expression softening.

“A day like today?” she inquired, confused.

“You’ve got to be kidding!” Lidia exclaimed. “Nora, today’s the day we meet our CEO. You, like the other heads, should be prepared and have your presentation ready, and you’re asking me what’s happening today! Nora, you’re starting to worry me,” she said dramatically.

“Oh, right!” she cried, jumping up from her chair. “I need to take my reports,” she said, gathering several folders from her desk. “I don’t even remember what time he’s arriving!” Her expression was one of anguish.

“Calm down!” Her friend crossed her arms and looked at her with a hint of amusement, but at the same time, there was something in her scrutiny that gave Nora the feeling that she was nervous. “They’ll arrive within an hour. The matter is so important that the boss himself will be picking him up.”

“I hope you haven’t also forgotten that you’ll all be meeting in the boardroom, where the heads and supervisors will meet him first; then we’ll all gather in the event hall, where the lower ranks will finally meet this heartthrob.”

Nora looked at her, amused by her comment. Her friend was a good designer, but she should have been a writer, given her witty remarks.

“Not even the CEO is safe from you.” She shook her head, laughing.

“Are you going to deny that he’s a heartthrob?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never seen him,” she replied dismissively; in response, her friend’s jaw dropped.

“How is that possible!”

“I don’t pay attention to people at the top of the social ladder, Lidia. Besides, they keep a very low profile; especially the second son and our future CEO. He never appears in any social photographs.”

“Of course he does!” the blonde replied. “It’s just that he attends few events. Well, you’ll see how handsome he is, and the best part is that he’s single.”

“Wow, you talk as if any of us had access to a guy like that. Those people marry within their social circles.”

“You’re getting ahead of yourself, my friend,” she said with a mischievous look. “Who said anything about getting married?” Nora laughed at her bold insinuation.

***

Edward woke early to organize some belongings that were still packed, because even though he hadn’t brought much with him, moving was never a simple matter.

Edward had been in his new apartment for three days, still settling in. Moreover, he spent almost all his time reviewing the documents he had received from the previous CEO.

He decided to move forward with the final details, given that they would soon be coming for him. He found it fascinating that he would be setting foot in the company for the first time that day; however, for some strange reason, he felt a tightness in his chest, and chills ran down his body from time to time, accompanied by tremors and sweat on his hands and forehead.

Furthermore, he didn’t understand it.

Again, he began to feel that strange sensation, as if his subconscious wanted to communicate something hidden within him, some important piece of information he had forgotten.

Once again, he needed to pick up his brush.

He didn’t hesitate to do so, nor to trace various colored lines on the seemingly pure and empty canvas, which gradually came to life, its purity violated by the passion of the different tones.

As he progressed, his heart beat violently, and cold sweats caressed his skin, while a pain laden with melancholy stabbed at his chest.

A feeling of helplessness and loneliness began to overwhelm him, but that devastating emptiness was filled with each brushstroke he managed to apply to the taut canvas. Almost with a sigh, he finished his task, and as if he had reached the climax of catharsis, his muscles relaxed, and the feeling of peace returned to his chest.

After several blinks, he looked at the painting. His face creased with surprise and confusion. This time, the image of that mysterious woman he used to paint or draw was not reflected; on this occasion, the painting reflected a resplendent light.

Edward left the apartment when he received a call from the former CEO, who would escort him to the company to introduce him to the employees and settle him into what was once his old office. After a cordial greeting, they both sat in the luxurious limousine.

“Mr. Stone, I’ll need a vehicle for transportation,” he stated.

“I know; I’ve already assigned that task to your assistant, so they’ll deliver a car to you tomorrow. When you need to go out today, you only have to let her know so the limousine can pick you up.” The older man replied, and he nodded in satisfaction. “Nervous?” his predecessor asked, examining him with a friendly smile.

“No, I just have a strange feeling. Perhaps it’s the anxiety caused by the great responsibility that’s falling on my shoulders, as you know how demanding my parents are, especially my mother.” He sighed, trying to relax.

The trip wasn’t very long, as he had chosen an apartment close to the company.

After passing through reception, they headed down the grand hallway that provided access to various departments and offices.

The two men walked along, upright and without exchanging words with anyone, under the curious gazes of the employees. Murmurs could be heard around them, but they continued on their way without changing their expressions.

Upon reaching another hallway that branched off in different directions, they encountered some well-dressed men, who greeted them with respect and courtesy. They began to chat about the meeting and ask Edward questions about his move, until something unexpected happened, embarrassing the former CEO.

“I’m so sorry!” the woman exclaimed, at the same time trying in vain to clean the coffee stain that now adorned the new CEO’s jacket. She was so mortified that she didn’t even dare to look up.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a stain,” he encouraged her in a gentle tone. “And since my suit is dark, it won’t even be noticeable.” His voice was sweet and calm.

She was as surprised as she was apologetic, as she had expected a different reaction from her new superior; one that was typical of the son of the owners of the place.

“Nora…” her former boss muttered through clenched teeth, urging her to stop touching his successor’s arm with that ruined napkin. She swallowed hard, anticipating what awaited her, as it was obvious that her next conversation with him would be a scolding.

Meanwhile, Nora continued without looking at her new boss. How could she have such bad luck? To give such a distracted impression at their first meeting.

“Miss…” Edward mentioned, intending for her to complete the sentence with the information he lacked.

Nora timidly raised her face, and her eyes widened in surprise. He, on the other hand, was lost in the gray gaze of the beautiful woman before him, and his face tensed.

Was what he was seeing real? Was he hallucinating?

Both remained silent for a long moment, their gazes locked.

“She’s Nora Allen, head of editing,” one of the gentlemen in the group intervened, breaking the strange tension that had settled in the atmosphere; however, he received no response from them.

Both Edward and Nora remained motionless, their eyes locked, their features showing astonishment, bewilderment, and curiosity.

She was the first to react with exaggerated and repeated blinks as if trying to wake from one of her dreams; however, it seemed that this man was real.

“It’s a pleasure, Miss Allen,” Edward reacted as if he had just come out of a trance, then extended his hand to greet her. She, for her part, held it hesitantly and without taking her eyes off him. “I’m Edward Anderson, the new CEO,” he added.

Nora simply nodded because she was in a daze, and her gaze was clumsy.

After a few long seconds, their hands separated, and he turned his attention back to his companions, who directed him toward the room where the meeting would be held. She, meanwhile, remained watching him until the boardroom door closed behind her colleagues.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Her friend’s exclamation startled her from her stupor. “You’re supposed to go in before them, not after, Nora.”

“Oh… Sorry?” she asked, dazed, her voice weak and her gaze lost.

“Are you alright?” Lidia questioned with concern. “You’re pale, and you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Maybe it wasn’t a ghost, but… I think I saw an illusion… Or perhaps it was the personification of a fantasy,” she replied in a whisper, with a terrified expression.