Twenty-Two Vanessa
We arrived with only enough time for me to spend a single hour in the office before everyone else was free to leave.
I'd encouraged Evelyn to head home instead and take care of whatever awaited her there.
It hardly seemed worth coming in for such a short stretch.
Besides, anyone she might have wanted to speak with would already be occupied—receiving a few carefully chosen words from me.
The people who held jobs here were all skilled professionals who were here for a reason—Evelyn especially—but my standards were high. Thinking back, Evelyn’s application always stood out to me; she was this smart, motivated, outspoken woman, brimming with potential.
There was hesitation from others because she was young and lacked experience, but luckily our company hadn’t had any negative experiences hiring young people recently, so it wasn’t hard to convince them. Even so, I would have found a way. I knew what I wanted, and what I wanted was her.
She exceeded my expectations in every regard, particularly in her willingness to seize any opportunity to present or speak.
That was where she truly excelled. I found it endearing to watch her gently instruct or explain things to her colleagues; they never seemed to resent her for it.
Those skills stood out above all others.
Her dedication and optimism had always been constant, but after she mentioned over dinner that she'd once dreamed of becoming a professor, everything clicked into place.
It wasn't my place to tell her to leave or pursue what she truly loved, nor was it my place to have an opinion on how she should navigate her career.
Of course, I'd rather see her doing work that genuinely fulfilled her, and, admittedly, I'd rather not be involved with an employee.
But for now, all I could do was watch and wait.
I left the office sooner than anticipated, and although there was still much to be done, the relief of finally being on top of everything left me relaxed.
Evelyn hadn’t reached out to me since we parted ways, which had appeared hard for her.
After three days together, there was definitely a withdrawal, and I needed to ensure she wasn’t getting in her own head.
She had given so much of herself to me, and I intended to honor and cherish every bit of that gift.
Waking up to find one of her hands still clutching my shoulder, as though afraid I'd disappear in the middle of the night, while her other arm lay draped across my chest, was unexpectedly precious. It washed away the guilt I'd feared would greet me the morning after.
Having spent the last five years suppressing this part of me, I hadn’t quite realized how much I missed domination. The thrill, the control, the devotion. Evelyn made me remember.
Vanessa: Goodnight, Darling. I had a wonderful time with you.
Evelyn: Me too. How was work? Everything sorted out?
Vanessa: Yes, now how are you, love?
Evelyn: Is there a reason you aren't just calling me?
Vanessa: Don't think I don't notice you dodging that question. It's late and I didn't want to keep you up.
Barely a second later, a call from Evelyn came through. I placed the book on my nightstand, propping myself up on some pillows and curling into a more comfortable position before answering.
“So…” I drew it out, waiting for her to speak.
“I’m good. I’ve gotten everything done, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Her tone was bland, and I couldn't fault her for the assumption; I'd given her every reason to make it.
I should have addressed the need to separate our professional relationship from the personal one we'd begun to build.
I'd acknowledged it countless times in my own mind, yet somehow I'd never said it aloud.
Any power play we conducted needed to be unrelated to her working under me.
Any influence this dynamic had on her would stay far away from our jobs in every sense.
None of this would ever change the way I treated her at work, and she needed to know that.
I was not going to abuse this power over her; my fear of that was why I’d waited so long for her to come to me.
And she had, showing me she wanted this.
She told me I made her feel safe.
“No, I’m asking about you. Our work roles stay out of this relationship, and whatever dynamics are within that.”
“I like that plan, and I guess I’m good. I just got so used to having you around.”
So that was the source of her hesitation.
Oddly enough, I felt the same way. I was usually relieved to be alone after a long day, but her presence never left me feeling drained the way everyone else's did.
“Would you like to come over to my place Friday night? I’ll cook you dinner—whatever you would like.”
“Yes, I’d love that. What if we cook together? And then…I’ll spend the night?” Her voice sounded much livelier.
“It was implied, honey. And yes, that sounds wonderful. Tell me what you’re thinking so I can get ingredients.”
“Hmm, why don’t you surprise me? Just not something intolerably spicy, please.”
“Okay, darling, you won’t be disappointed. I’ll send a car for you.”
“That’s unnecessary. I’m perfectly capable of driving.”
“Suit yourself. My place is in Laurelhurst. I’ll send you the address.”
“Wait, you live in Laurelhurst? Isn’t that area like— never mind.”
I stifled a laugh at her poorly concealed surprise.
Laurelhurst had a reputation for being one of the richest suburbs outside the city, with each home costing millions of dollars.
Her reaction would be priceless when she saw my place.
It wasn’t exactly modest, sitting directly along the shore.
She didn’t seem that interested in my money—rather, she was oblivious to how much of a perk it was to be involved with me.
It was refreshing, and another reason she stood out to me, but I’d spoil her senseless nonetheless.
“It’s barely twenty minutes from the main city, but my offer to send a car still stands.”
“Absolutely not. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I loved it when she was stubborn just as much as when she complied.
“Okay, whatever you want, sweetheart,” I murmured, smiling to myself.
“Goodnight, Vanessa,” she whispered in a soft tone. A chill ran through me at the way she uttered my name, as if it were an obedient reply.
I shook off the thought; for now, these power games needed to stay in the bedroom. Maybe one day I’d be ready to take it further, but currently, I wasn’t. It was too soon, too close.
“Thank you, love. Sweet dreams,” I whispered.
The next few days disappeared beneath an avalanche of work.
Around noon one afternoon, Evelyn knocked on my office door. Finding me buried in an urgent email, she simply smiled and slipped back out without interrupting.
I'd planned to bring her something during lunch, but a last-minute meeting stole the opportunity. We didn't even have reason to meet professionally; we'd handled nearly everything for the week before leaving Tampa.
I knew she understood. Still, I disliked that the most I could offer her each night was a brief goodnight text, carefully worded to build anticipation for Friday.
She never made me feel guilty for putting work first, and I intended to make Friday worth the wait.