Chapter 1: Introduction
The elevator climbed steadily, grinding against invisible forces that seemed ready to tug it down and gobble it whole, along with my soul. I licked dry lips, trying to quench the desert that stretched within. Not today, Timothy. Keep it together. As the lighted numbers ticked off each floor, I silently urged the elevator to move faster, even as sweat dripped down my hairline and stained my shirt collar. My heart thudded against my ribs, testing the flimsy bond between life and death. I really needed to work on managing my anxiety issues.
The elevator doors finally pried open and I spilled into the modern, high-rise office building that housed the most ambitious and elite professionals in my industry. The plush carpeting muffled my steps as I strode toward my desk, breathing air that smelled of pine-scented nonsense and the unmistakable scent of burning ambition.
The layout of the office was open, fostering a non-stop work environment. My coworkers' desks, neat and tidy, radiated efficient purpose, revealing a team of individuals with a single-minded focus on their careers.
But I often found excuses to stroll around, pretending to organise pens or fill the water cooler. I lingered near Sarah's desk which was just a few feet away from mine, only separated by a flimsy private partition. My gaze lingered on her stylish form, Vancouver's own whirlwind of success and seduction, smiling and chatting with colleagues and clients with unflappable confidence.
And I'd always notice her shoes.
High-heeled masterpieces of the world's most respected designers.