Claire was nervous about her first day at her new job, but getting stuck in the elevator with a stranger and accidentally breaking his nose in a panic made things worse. When they exited the elevator, she discovered that this man was her new boss. A boss known for his reputation as a ruthless tyrant.
Claire walked down a bustling street, her stomach a knot with excitement. Today was her first day at a new job, a job she had long dreamed of. She was starting as a graphic designer at a large company, and it was very exciting for Claire.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
She knew she had to make a good impression on the first day and worried about whether she could pull it off.
Claire was naturally very clumsy, so she rarely managed to made a good first impression, but today she was determined to succeed.
Another reason she needed to show her best side was that she had heard rumors that her new boss was very strict and demanding, not tolerating mistakes.
She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves as she approached the towering office building. It loomed above her, glass reflecting the morning sunlight. With a final deep breath, she mustered up her courage and went inside.
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The lobby was grand, with sleek modern decor and people hurrying about. Claire felt a bit overwhelmed but kept moving, reminding herself to stay focused. She walked to the elevator, where an attractive man in a suit was already standing.
He seemed familiar, but she couldn’t place where she had seen him before. His sharp suit and confident stance made him look important. Claire pressed the button to call the elevator.
“I already pressed the button; there was no need to press it again,” the man said coldly.
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“Oh, you mean the elevator. I didn’t even think… It’s my first day,” Claire mumbled, stumbling over her words. The man gave her a stern look. “I’m very anxious,” she added.
The elevator doors opened, and the man stepped inside. Claire followed him in. The man pressed the button for the 11th floor and looked at Claire, expecting her to press her floor button.
“Me too, 11,” she said. Claire had checked all the information she had been sent dozens of times that morning. “So, it looks like we’ll be colleagues,” she said.
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“Yeah,” the man replied.
“I heard the boss is very strict and doesn’t forgive mistakes,” Claire said with a nervous laugh.
“I don’t see anything wrong with that. If you want a successful company, you need to minimize mistakes and the people who make them,” he replied.
“Maybe,” she said, thinking they definitely wouldn’t be friends. “I’m Claire, by the way,” she extended her hand for a shake.
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“Yes, I—” but the man was cut off as the elevator suddenly stopped.
“What’s happening?” Claire asked in a panic.
“It seems there’s a malfunction; it should start again soon,” the man replied calmly. Just after he said this, the lights in the elevator went out.
“Oh god, no, no, no. Not this! We’re stuck!” Claire began to panic.
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“Calm down; it should start working again soon.”
Claire started to hyperventilate, pacing back and forth in the elevator.
“What’s happening to you?” the man asked.
“I’m really afraid of confined spaces,” Claire answered.
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“You were just fine a moment ago.”
“ʼBut the elevator ride only takes a few seconds; I can handle that. Now it’s unclear how long we’ll be stuck here.” Claire couldn’t calm down; she was already on edge, and now this. She collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down her face. “I’m not ready to die so young!” she cried out.
The man crouched next to her and put his hand on her back. “Calm down; no one is going to die. It’s just an elevator, and you’re not alone,” he said, gently rubbing her back.
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Miraculously, this started to help, and Claire slowly began to calm down. Suddenly, the elevator jolted, scaring her, and she accidentally elbowed something.
“We’re falling!” Claire screamed. Suddenly, the lights came back on, and the elevator began to move. Claire turned around and saw she had bloodied the man’s nose.
“Oh god, I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean to,” she said, standing up from the floor.
The man remained silent, pressing a handkerchief to his nose. The elevator doors opened, and the man immediately stepped out. Claire followed him.
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“Mr. Hemforth! What happened?” a woman cried out. Claire felt her blood run cold. Mr. Hemforth—that was the name of her new boss. Claire had just punched her boss!
“Damn,” she muttered under her breath.
Several days had passed since the elevator incident, and all this time, Claire increasingly felt that Mr. Hemforth hated her.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that she had seen him somewhere before. His constant disapproval only added to her anxiety.
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He hadn’t approved any of her work or ideas, no matter how hard she tried. Claire arrived at work at 7 a.m. and left at 10 p.m., just to finally create something Hemforth would like, but it was all in vain. Her efforts seemed pointless. It seemed he was deliberately rejecting her work.
When other colleagues praised something and said how great Claire was, Hemforth would look at her work and say he’d never seen anything worse in his life. It was like a punch to the gut every time. Claire’s confidence was dwindling.
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One day, Claire decided to try again. She walked to his office, her heart pounding. She took a deep breath, mustering the little courage she had left, and knocked on the door.
“Come in,” Hemforth’s voice called from inside.
Claire entered, holding her latest design in her hands. “Mr. Hemforth, I’ve made some changes. I hope this meets your expectations,” she said, handing him her work.
“Are you kidding me?” Hemforth said, frowning. “Why are you showing me a draft?”
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“This is the final version,” Claire replied, her voice shaky.
“You shouldn’t have said that. Redo it,” Hemforth replied, his tone stern.
Claire couldn’t take it anymore. “Why do you hate me so much? I’ve apologized several times for hitting you, and it was an accident. Everyone else praises my work. Why haven’t you said anything good?”
“I don’t hate you. I want to teach you,” Hemforth answered calmly.
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“Then you should take teaching courses,” Claire snapped, her frustration boiling over. She turned and left the office, slamming the door behind her.
That evening, the office was empty and dimly lit. The soft hum of the fluorescent lights was the only sound accompanying Claire as she sat at her desk, tirelessly working on the same project over and over again.
Her eyes were strained from staring at the screen for hours, and she rubbed them, trying to focus. The clock on the wall ticked loudly, reminding her that it was already half past ten at night.
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Suddenly, Claire heard the familiar sound of the elevator dinging. She glanced up, squinting to see who it could be at this late hour.
The dim lighting made it hard to make out the figure at first. Her heart skipped a beat when the figure stepped out of the shadows, and she realized it was Hemforth.
“Damn it!” Hemforth shouted, his voice echoing in the empty office. “You scared me.”
“Sorry,” Claire said, her voice small and apologetic.
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Hemforth took a deep breath and approached her desk. “What are you doing here so late?” he asked, his tone softer now.
“I’m working,” Claire replied, trying to muster a smile. “And you?”
“I forgot my phone,” Hemforth said, shaking his head. “Came back to get it.”
“I see,” Claire said, feeling a bit awkward.
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Hemforth leaned over to look at her laptop screen. “Why are you doing it this way?” he asked, a frown creasing his forehead.
Claire blinked, confused. “What do you mean?”
“Why are you trying so hard to fit into our mold?” Hemforth asked, looking at her intently.
“I thought that’s what I was supposed to do,” Claire said, her voice uncertain.
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Hemforth shook his head. “I hired you because your work stood out. I thought you could bring something new to our company.”
Claire was taken aback. “I… I didn’t know that,” she admitted. She really thought he wanted her to follow the same guidelines as everyone else.
Hemforth sighed and took the mouse from her hand, deleting everything she had been working on. Claire gasped, feeling a pang of panic. “What are you doing? I spent the whole day on that!” she protested.
“I know,” Hemforth said, looking at her with a calm expression. “I’m sorry, but I want you to create something new. Something that’s truly yours, not just what you think we want.”
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Claire felt her frustration rising. “Well, I guess I’ll be spending the night here,” she said, determined to prove herself.
“No need,” Hemforth said, shaking his head. “Start fresh tomorrow.”
“No,” Claire insisted. “I want to come in with results. You’ll probably fire me anyway.”
Hemforth looked surprised. “Why would I fire you?” he asked.
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“Because I haven’t had a single approved project,” Claire said, feeling the weight of her frustration and exhaustion.
“That’s normal,” Hemforth reassured her. “You’re still learning. You’re the most talented person in this office, maybe even better than me. Just stop limiting yourself.”
Claire stared at him in disbelief. She had never expected to hear such praise from Hemforth. “Really?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Yes,” Hemforth said firmly. “We haven’t had such a young and talented employee in a long time. The last one was five years ago.”
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Claire looked at him, puzzled. “You’re not much older than me,” she said.
“I’m talking about myself,” Hemforth explained. “I joined the company only five years ago, and look where I am now. And you’re better than me. If you want, I can help you.”
Claire felt a surge of gratitude. “Thank you, Mr. Hemforth,” she said. “But I’d rather do it myself.”
Hemforth smiled. “Just call me Derek,” he said. “Work hours ended long ago. I’ll be in my office if you need help.”
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As Hemforth walked away, Claire felt a newfound determination. She took a deep breath and turned back to her laptop, ready to create something truly her own.
The next few hours, Claire spent working on a new project. She kept Hemforth’s words in mind and let herself be free, not worrying about fitting in. She tried new ideas and different styles, feeling more confident with each stroke.
Finally, Claire sat back and looked at the finished work. She couldn’t believe her eyes. It was the best thing she had created since starting at the company. A smile spread across her face.
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Claire grabbed her laptop and walked to Hemforth’s office. She knocked gently on the door, her heart pounding. When Hemforth looked up, she stepped inside and placed the laptop on his desk, turning it so he could see the screen.
“Take a look,” Claire said, her voice a bit shaky but hopeful.
“See, that’s what I was talking about. Good job,” Hemforth said, his face lighting up with a smile.
“Really?” Claire asked, her eyes wide with surprise. She still couldn’t believe it.
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“Yes,” Hemforth said, standing up from his desk. “You can actually do much more than you imagine.”
“Thank you,” Claire said, feeling a mix of relief and pride.
She returned to her desk and started packing her things. Claire walked to the elevator, where Hemforth was already standing, waiting.
“I’m getting flashbacks from our first meeting,” Claire said with a small laugh.
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“That wasn’t our first meeting,” Hemforth replied, his expression softening.
“What do you mean?” Claire asked, puzzled.
“Do you remember the graduation party where you cried in the bathroom because your lenses were expired and your eyes were burning?” Hemforth asked, looking at her closely.
“I wasn’t crying; my eyes were just watering. How do you know that?” Claire asked, her mind racing to remember.
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“I was the one who brought you tissues and lens solution,” Hemforth said, a smile playing on his lips.
“That was you?” Claire said, her eyes widening in recognition. “I thought that was some kind graduate…”
“Yeah, that was me,” Hemforth replied. The elevator doors closed, and they both stepped inside.
“I’ve been looking for you since that day but couldn’t find you. Then I saw your resume for this job,” Hemforth continued, his voice calm but sincere.
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“You were looking for me?” Claire asked, her heart skipping a beat.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about you,” Hemforth admitted.
“Oh,” Claire said, feeling a rush of emotions.
“Sorry, I got carried away,” Hemforth said, looking a bit embarrassed.
“I was going to drop out the next day because I thought I wasn’t good enough,” Claire confessed. “But I stayed because of your words.”
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“What’s important is not whether you’re worthy of being here, but whether you’re ready to fight for your choice,” they said in unison, both surprised at their shared memory.
“You remember,” Claire said, smiling brightly.
“Of course,” Hemforth said. “I remember every part of that conversation.”
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Their eyes met, and without thinking, Hemforth leaned in to kiss Claire. She responded, wrapping her arms around his neck. Hemforth pressed a button, and the elevator stopped.
“It’s okay. I’m here,” he said softly, then kissed Claire again.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
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My Son Disappeared When He Was 15 – 10 Years Later, I Found Out the Shocking Truth
My Son Disappeared When He Was 15 – 10 Years Later, I Found Out the Shocking Truth
Julia thought that by marrying her late husband’s brother Mike, she was giving her son a father figure. However, it took her ten years, her son’s disappearance, and a glasses case to learn the truth.
As the scripture says, “Seek and ye shall find.” I learned the meaning of this phrase the hard way. I’ve always thought the darkness after losing my husband was the worst to come, but alas… Let’s start my story from the very beginning.
The first time my little happy life was shaken was when my husband of 13 years, Tom, was diagnosed with cancer. Despite our best efforts, the prognosis remained bleak, and he left us within two months. The pain was soul-crushing.
Crying woman hugging man | Source: Getty Images
Our son Robert remained my only ray of sunshine until his uncle, Tom’s brother Mike, came into the picture. I suspected he had had feelings for me since high school, but I had chosen Tom and never looked back. Now, our grief united us once again.
I didn’t love him, no. But I thought Rob would benefit from a father figure, and frankly, our house could use a strong helping hand. And so, I decided to marry him.
Couple getting married in church | Source: Getty Images
At first, things seemed to look positive for us. I still missed Tom, but drowned my grief in work and found myself drifting away from my son. Fortunately, I thought, Mike had my back and gave Rob the upbringing he deserved. After all, every day I came home to countless stories of them hiking, attending theme parks, or simply playing catch. Rob even grew to call Mike his dad. For two years, I blindly believed we could overcome the void Tom left in our hearts and become a happy family. Boy, was I wrong.
Playful father and son playing while exercising at beach against sky | Source: Getty Images
Everything came crashing down once again when Rob left. That day, the home was unusually silent when I returned from work. Mike sat me down and, with tears in his eyes, explained that he found Rob’s note on the fridge:
Dear Mom and Dad,
I’ve decided to leave because I thought it would be better for everyone if I wasn’t around to bring up more bad memories and sorrow. Please understand that this isn’t because of anything you did, but a decision I felt I needed to make for the sake of peace at home. I promise to take care of myself and hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me someday. Remember that I love you both, and this is the hardest choice I’ve ever had to make.
Take care, rob
Young woman got a bad letter uvolnenii | Source: Getty Images
The next ten years blurred into a never-ending search. The police didn’t bother looking for a runaway teen too hard. On his 18th birthday, they called us and said, “Let’s just let him go. He doesn’t want to be found anyway.” Oh, but I never stopped looking. I searched crowds in our town, held vigil, and even kept a lit candle on our windowsill. I knew this irritated Mike, who desperately tried to get me to move on after all these years. And on the tenth anniversary of Rob’s disappearance, I finally gave in.
After exploring various options for starting anew, we purchased a stunning colonial property two states away from our old home and left the latter to my sister, Schuyler. I couldn’t fathom someone outside our family owning the house. Having moved so far, we slowly disconnected from my side of the family. Imagine my surprise when, one day, someone very familiar burst through my door.
Colonial house on a Spring day | Source: Getty Images
That evening, I was packing my husband’s suitcase for a business trip. Suddenly, the door flung open. When I raised my eyes, I dropped the neatly ironed shirts I was holding. The person on the doorstep was my sister. But before I could greet her, she rushed to the suitcase, screaming, “Open his glasses case! He’s the one who hid Rob from you!”
I watched in a stupor as she frantically rummaged through my husband’s belongings, her hands finally clutching the familiar glasses case. However, I was in for a surprise when she opened it. She revealed… a phone. “Look,” Schuyler said before opening the call log and handing the phone to me.
Senior Man on Telephone | Source: Getty Images
I lowered my eyes, feeling conflicted, and my heart skipped a beat. The log was filled with dozens of calls to Robert. Every month, my husband took this burner phone and called up my son to…
“He told him you two would be better off without him,” Schuyler explained.
Sad and bored child at home couch feeling frustrated | Source: Getty Images
Turns out, I’ve been living a lie all these years. Every hike, every theme park trip, Mike used to show Rob how much of his life I missed. When I became distanced enough, he started on the second part of his plan, persuading Robert to leave us for the sake of our family. “Look, how much mom has to work to feed you,” he said. “Wouldn’t it be nice if she spent that money on herself? Wouldn’t you like to release her of the burden that you are?” He suggested Rob stay with his aunt, and my poor kid complied, thinking I had no room for him in my life.
Family at home | Source: Getty Images
How did it all come to light, you might ask? Well, my sweet boy decided to get married this year and sent us wedding invitations, which my sister received. Of course, she called to congratulate him, and this is when Rob spoke about the rift between us. I’m certain anyone but my sister would believe him. However, she knew everything about my struggles in the past ten years, so when Rob confessed to her about the burner phone, she put two and two together quickly. Hopping the plane took her no time, and here she was, uncovering a decade of terrible family secrets.
Side view of beautiful young woman at mailbox | Source: Getty Images
I cried during the entire call with my son. His raspy teenage voice had become deep and warm, but I recognized the intonations that he had picked up from me. His fiancée’s name was Amanda, and she soon joined us via FaceTime. This was how Mike found me: crying over the phone with my long-lost son.
Portrait of a handsome groom with his mother | Source: Getty Images
His explanations fell on deaf ears. I served divorce papers that week, and a month later, I flew to my home state to attend Rob’s wedding. This year, I sold the colonial house I once loved and moved closer to my son and his young family. Now, I’m a grandma to two sweet babies, and when they grow up, I will teach them, “Seek and ye shall find.”
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