The Girl Who Came Back

Chapter 1: The New Face

The elevator chimed softly as Megan Skiendiel stepped into the bright lobby of Avanizini Global. She adjusted the strap of her bag and took a slow breath.

First day. Don't mess it up.

The company headquarters buzzed with activity. Employees hurried through the marble lobby carrying coffee, laptops, and stacks of paperwork. Everyone looked like they knew exactly where they were going.

"...Excuse me?"

Megan turned to see two women walking toward her.

One smiled brightly.

"You must be Megan!" she said. "I'm Sophia Laforteza."

"And I'm Lara Raj," the other added with a friendly wave. "Welcome to Avanizini Global."

Relief washed over Megan.

"It's nice to meet you both."

"We're your assigned guides today," Sophia explained. "Come on—we'll show you around."

The next hour flew by.

Sophia and Lara showed Megan nearly every department in the building.

"This is Marketing."

"The design studio is downstairs."

"Finance lives over there..."

"...and never take the stairs to the seventeenth floor unless you enjoy suffering."

Megan laughed.

"You two have this place memorized."

"We've been here long enough," Lara said.

Eventually they reached the open office where Megan would be working.

Rows of sleek desks stretched across the room while employees quietly typed away.

Sophia pointed toward an empty desk.

"That's yours."

"It's nice," Megan said.

"It is," Lara agreed.

Then she suddenly lowered her voice.

"...Now for the most important thing."

Megan looked between them.

Sophia leaned against a desk.

"Our CEO."

Lara dramatically sighed.

"Daniela Avanizini."

The name alone seemed enough to make nearby employees instinctively sit up straighter.

Megan blinked.

"Is she really that scary?"

Sophia laughed nervously.

"Scary isn't even the word."

"Imagine," Lara said, "someone who notices if you're thirty seconds late."

"And remembers."

"For months."

"She doesn't yell," Sophia continued.

"Which somehow makes it worse."

Lara nodded.

"If Daniela calls you to her office..."

She paused dramatically.

"...everyone assumes you're either getting promoted or fired."

"And no one ever knows which."