The Lies We Tell Ourselves

Chapter 2: First encounter

Selena's POV

The polished brass door handle felt cold under my trembling fingers. I took a deep breath, willing myself to be calm. Inside, the office was a symphony of warm hues and soft textures. Sunlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the sleek mahogany desk and the rich leather chairs. And there she was, the woman who held the key to my future.

Camilla De Luca. Her name was a whispered legend in the legal world, a beacon of brilliance and power. She sat poised behind the desk, her long legs crossed, her posture radiating both confidence and grace. Her eyes, dark and sparkling, met mine with an intensity that sent a thrill of nervous anticipation through me. I had seen her photo on the firm's website, but nothing could prepare me for the sheer beauty that radiated from her. Her dark hair, like a waterfall of polished ebony, cascaded down her back, each strand shimmering with an almost otherworldly sheen.

'Hello,' she said, her voice as smooth and warm as velvet. 'Ms. Spencer, I'm Camilla De Luca. I assume you're here to interview for a position on my team?'

My tongue felt thick, clumsy. My heart was a frantic drum solo in my chest, and my mind seemed to have gone on vacation. How was I supposed to answer when the source of my anxiety sat before me, so breathtakingly beautiful and powerful? It was as if my words had been stolen from me, replaced by a strange, tingling sensation that started low in my abdomen and bloomed upwards, leaving me speechless and mesmerized.

The silence stretched, agonizingly long, until I felt a touch, the ghost of a brush against my arm. Camilla's fingers, cool and slender, grazed my skin, sending a shockwave of awareness through me. My breath caught in my throat, and I finally managed a choked 'Y-yes, Ms. De Luca.'

Her gaze shifted to the stroller I'd brought with me. 'And who is this pretty girl?'

Kelly, my ten-month-old daughter, usually cried at the sight of any stranger. But with Camilla, it was different. As if sensing the woman's kindness, Kelly simply tilted her head, her blue eyes fixed on Camilla's. She didn't cry, she didn't fuss, she simply laid her tiny head on Camilla's outstretched arm, as if she'd found solace in the warmth and comfort of the woman's presence.

My heart swelled with a mixture of gratitude and relief. This woman, this beautiful, powerful woman, had calmed my daughter with a single touch. And as I watched them, a peculiar feeling washed over me. It wasn't just hope for the job, it was something more, a strange, inexplicable pull that made my stomach clench and my breath hitch.

Camilla, completely oblivious to the storm raging within me, simply smiled. 'She's beautiful,' she said, her voice full of genuine warmth. 'And very well-behaved.'

The interview was a blur. I don't remember much of what she asked, or what I said. All I remember was the feeling of being seen, of being understood. With Kelly nestled against her chest, Camilla listened intently, her gaze never straying from mine. When she finally spoke, her words were a balm to my soul.

'Ms. Spencer,' she said, her voice soft yet firm, 'You have the skills and the drive we need. And I believe you'll be a valuable asset to our team.'

My heart soared. I had the job. The relief, the joy, the sheer gratitude washed over me, leaving me breathless and speechless once again. The world, for a moment, seemed to tilt on its axis, the weight of my anxieties lifting, replaced by a lightness I hadn't felt in months.

And as Camilla smiled at me, her eyes sparkling with a warmth that seemed to reach deep within me, I knew, with a certainty that shook me to my core, that this was just the beginning. The beginning of a journey, a connection, a story that, for the first time in a long time, felt like a promise of something new, something beautiful, and something very, very real.