Behind the Walls
Behind the Walls
Ethan’s POV
Calling her “Hazel” had been a mistake.
Or at least, that was what I told myself.
For three years, every assistant who had worked on the executive floor had been “Mr. Collins,” “Ms. Reed,” or “Mr. Carter.”
Professional distance made leadership easier.
Clear boundaries.
Clear expectations.
It was how I had always operated.
Yet somehow, in a quiet moment over two cups of coffee, “Ms. Brooks” had become “Hazel.”
I leaned back in my chair, looking out over the Manhattan skyline.
Don’t blur the lines.
That was the rule.
One I had lived by since leaving the Army.
Emotions complicated decisions.
Discipline prevented mistakes.
It had worked for years.
So why did one simple name linger in my thoughts?
A knock interrupted them.
“Come in.”
Hazel stepped into my office with her tablet tucked against her chest.
“Your three o’clock meeting has been moved to four.”
I nodded.
“And Mr. Harrison requested thirty minutes to discuss the London project.”
“Tomorrow morning?”
“I’ve already reserved the conference room.”
Efficient.
Prepared.
Always two steps ahead.
“Anything else?”
She glanced at her notes.
“You’ve skipped lunch again.”
I looked up.
“So I’ve been told.”
A tiny smile appeared on her face.
“I ordered something light.”
“You ordered it?”
“You were in meetings all morning.”
She shrugged lightly.
“I thought you wouldn’t have time.”
I couldn’t help it.
A quiet laugh escaped me.
She blinked, clearly surprised.
“Did I say something funny?”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“I was just thinking...”
“About what?”
“No one has argued with me about lunch since my grandmother.”
Her expression softened.
“You must have loved her very much.”
“I did.”
The answer came more easily than I expected.
“She practically raised me.”
Hazel didn’t rush to fill the silence.
She simply listened.
It was one of the things I was beginning to appreciate about her.
She understood that silence wasn’t always empty.
Sometimes...
It was respect.
----
Hazel’s POV
It was the first personal thing he’d ever told me.
His grandmother.
Until now, Ethan Blackwood had been almost impossible to read.
He rarely spoke about himself.
He never complained.
Never boasted.
Never volunteered anything unrelated to work.
Yet today...
For a brief moment...
The man behind the title had appeared.
“I hope you don’t mind me asking,” I said carefully.
“What was she like?”
His eyes drifted toward the window.
“Strong.”
A faint smile touched his lips.
“She was five feet tall.”
I laughed softly.
“That’s all?”
“She terrified everyone.”
That made me laugh harder.
“Even you?”
“Especially me.”
His smile grew just enough for the dimple in his chin to appear.
“She believed discipline was an act of love.”
He paused.
“If she cared about you, she expected your best.”
“That sounds familiar.”
He looked at me.
“Does it?”
I smiled.
“It reminds me of someone.”
For a second, he simply stared.
Then he realized what I meant.
“You compare me to my grandmother?”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
He actually chuckled.
A real one.
Warm.
Quiet.
Completely different from the serious CEO the world believed it knew.
For a moment, the office felt lighter.
Almost... normal.
And I realized something that caught me off guard.
I liked making him smile.
Not because he was my boss.
Not because he was Ethan Blackwood.
But because every smile seemed hard-earned.
As though life had given him too many reasons not to.
----
Later that afternoon, Claire appeared at my desk carrying a stack of folders.
She leaned closer and whispered, “What did you do?”
I frowned.
“What do you mean?”
She nodded discreetly toward Ethan’s office.
“He laughed.”
I tried to hide my smile.
“It wasn’t that dramatic.”
Claire folded her arms.
“Hazel, I’ve worked here for six years.”
She lowered her voice even more.
“I’ve heard him laugh maybe... three times.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
I glanced through the glass wall toward Ethan.
He was already focused on another report, his expression calm and composed.
If I hadn’t seen him laughing myself, I might have believed it had never happened.
Claire smiled knowingly.
“I don’t know how you’re doing it.”
“I’m not doing anything.”
“Maybe that’s exactly why.”
Before I could ask what she meant, my phone rang.
I answered immediately.
“Executive Office, Hazel Brooks speaking.”
As I listened, I quickly opened my notebook.
Another meeting.
Another schedule adjustment.
Another busy afternoon.
But this time...
When I looked through the glass toward Ethan’s office...
He happened to look up at the exact same moment.
Our eyes met for only a second.
He gave me a small, almost imperceptible nod.
Without realizing it...
I smiled back.
And for the first time since joining Blackwood Corporation...
The office no longer felt like a workplace alone.
It was slowly beginning to feel like somewhere I belonged.
----
Hazel’s POV
The following Friday arrived faster than I expected.
By then, I had learned the rhythm of the executive floor.
At exactly 7:25 a.m., the receptionist placed fresh flowers in the lobby.
At 7:30, Ethan walked through the front doors.
At 7:45, the aroma of black coffee drifted from his office.
At 8:00, the entire floor came to life.
Routine.
Order.
Discipline.
Everything had its place.
Everyone had a role.
And somehow...
I had become part of it.
----
“Good morning, Hazel.”
The security guard, Mr. Alvarez, greeted me with his usual smile.
“Morning.”
“You beat the boss today.”
I checked my watch.
7:24.
“I’ve got six minutes.”
He laughed.
“Enjoy them.”
The elevator doors opened.
I stepped onto the executive floor and immediately noticed something unusual.
Ethan’s office was dark.
That had never happened before.
I frowned.
Maybe traffic?
No...
Ethan Blackwood wasn’t late.
Not even once.
I unlocked my office and set my bag down.
Seven-thirty came.
Then seven-thirty-five.
Still nothing.
A quiet feeling of unease settled in my chest.
At exactly 7:38, the elevator doors opened.
Ethan stepped out.
His tie was slightly crooked.
His dark hair looked as though he’d run a hand through it several times.
And for the first time since I’d met him...
He looked exhausted.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
He didn’t notice me standing near my desk.
He walked straight into his office and closed the door.
No greeting.
No coffee.
Nothing.
Something was wrong.
----
Ethan’s POV
The cemetery was always quiet.
That was probably why I kept going back.
Every year.
Without fail.
The same date.
The same flowers.
The same silence.
I had stood there for almost an hour that morning.
Looking at the names engraved into polished stone.
Remembering voices that no longer existed.
Faces that time refused to erase.
Some memories never became lighter.
You simply learned how to carry them.
I loosened my tie as I entered my office.
I was late.
Eight minutes.
The longest eight minutes of my professional career.
Normally, I would have been irritated with myself.
Today...
I simply didn’t have the energy.
A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.
“Come in.”
The door opened slowly.
Hazel stood there holding a mug.
“I know you usually drink coffee...”
She hesitated.
“...but I thought maybe tea would be better today.”
I looked at the mug.
Chamomile.
“I noticed you seemed tired.”
She shifted awkwardly.
“If I’m overstepping, I’m sorry.”
She started to leave.
“Wait.”
She stopped.
I looked at the steaming mug once more before accepting it.
“Thank you.”
She offered a small smile.
“You don’t have to explain anything.”
Her words surprised me.
“I just wanted to make sure you weren’t alone.”
Silence filled the office.
Not uncomfortable.
Just... honest.
No one had said those words to me in a very long time.
----
Hazel’s POV
As I turned to leave, Ethan spoke again.
“Hazel.”
I looked back.
“I won’t be at my best today.”
His voice was calm, but quieter than usual.
“If I seem distracted...”
He paused.
“...it isn’t because of you.”
I nodded gently.
“I understand.”
The truth was...
I didn’t understand.
Not completely.
But I understood enough to know he was carrying something heavy.
And sometimes...
People didn’t need questions.
They needed patience.
“I’ll make sure your schedule stays as quiet as possible.”
A faint look of gratitude crossed his face.
“Thank you.”
I smiled.
“That’s what I’m here for.”
----
The rest of the day passed differently than any other.
Whenever possible, I moved nonessential meetings to the following week.
I handled phone calls before they reached Ethan’s office.
I answered emails that didn’t require his personal attention.
No one had asked me to do those things.
It simply felt right.
Late that afternoon, Claire stopped by my desk.
“He’s lucky.”
I looked up.
“What do you mean?”
She glanced toward Ethan’s closed office door.
“Most people only work for him.”
She smiled warmly.
“You looked after him today.”
I didn’t know how to answer.
Because the truth was...
I hadn’t planned to.
I had simply seen someone who looked like they were carrying the weight of the world.
And instinct had taken over.
----
Ethan’s POV
As the office emptied that evening, I stepped out of my office.
Hazel was gathering her things.
She looked tired.
But satisfied.
“You reorganized half my schedule.”
“I hope you don’t mind.”
“I don’t.”
I held up the mug she had given me that morning.
“I never thanked you properly.”
She smiled.
“You already did.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“I said thank you.”
She looked curious.
“That’s different.”
I reached into the inside pocket of my jacket and placed a small white box on her desk.
Her eyes widened.
“Mr. Blackwood...”
“It’s not a gift.”
She looked unconvinced.
“It’s a replacement.”
She opened the box.
Inside was a beautiful silver fountain pen.
She looked at me in confusion.
“You’ve been borrowing mine all week.”
I blinked.
“I have?”
She laughed softly.
“Every time you signed a contract, you accidentally walked away with my pen.”
For the first time all day...
A genuine laugh escaped me.
“So I did.”
She held up the new pen.
“I suppose this solves the mystery.”
“It does.”
We stood there smiling at one another.
No titles.
No schedules.
No meetings.
Just two people sharing a quiet moment at the end of a long day.
Neither of us noticed that the invisible distance between us had grown just a little smaller.
----
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