Magnolia huffed and glared at her unwanted guest. “What do you want?”

“Aw, c’mon, Maggie,” Indigo laughed, sitting down in a chair on the other side of Magnolia’s desk, “don’t be like that. At least hear what I have to say before you dismiss me.” The rival CEO was dressed as garishly as usual – hot pink bell bottoms, a fuzzy, neon green sweater, the same long red coat she always wore. Inexplicably, she had also chosen to wear a cowboy hat today.

At least she’s not trying to talk like a cowboy, Magnolia thought, pursing her lips. “I don’t have to do anything. You have chosen to take time out of my day – time I could be spending on useful, productive things – and will spend it on something I’m positive will be trivial and dull.”

“Wow,” Indigo scoffed, “okay, sheesh. I’m feeling really attacked right now, Maggie. I just came in here–”

“Do you have a point, Indigo?” Magnolia snapped.

Indigo closed her mouth. “…Yes,” she replied after a moment. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the recent acquisitions my company has made?”

Magnolia drummed her fingers on her desk. “Of course. Spritehouse and Apexi. Anyone in this business would’ve heard about those. You know, I actually went to university with the head of Spritehouse – former head, I should say.”

“You knew Jessi?” Indigo smiled. “Wow, small world!”

“She didn’t go by ‘Jessi’ back then,” Magnolia muttered. “But yes, Jessica was a good friend. I’m surprised she hasn’t found a new position yet. Neither has the former Apexi CEO… Nicole something, wasn’t it?”

“Well, they told me they were retiring.”

“Really?” Magnolia raised an eyebrow. “Both of them?”

Indigo shrugged. “When you get a golden parachute like that, you wouldn’t have to work another day for the rest of your life. Not everyone needs to keep growing, Maggie.”

“If that was their viewpoint,” Magnolia replied, “then no wonder they didn’t want to be a part of this business anymore.” But… that doesn’t sound quite like the Jessica I knew. She was always the hungriest out of anyone in our class, and ruthless to boot. Magnolia shook her head and sighed. That was a long time ago, though. Maybe she just changed. Lord knows I have. “So, why does that bring you here?”

“Ah, well…” Indigo took a sharp breath and shifted in her seat. “We, uh, we took on a lot of debt acquiring those companies. And we… I haven’t been able to bring it down.” She cleared her throat. Magnolia noticed her hands were shaking. “And the board isn’t happy. Not one bit, no.”

“How unhappy are they?”

“They’re uh…” Indigo flashed a nervous smile. “They’re firing me.”

Magnolia’s eyes widened. “They are?”

“Yeah.” Indigo wiped her nose. “It’s so fucked, right? I mean, after all I’ve done, after all the good this deal’s gonna do for them, they just…” Tears started to well up in her eyes. “Kicked me to the curb.”

“Indigo…” Magnolia had absolutely no idea how to process this. She’d never seen Indigo so vulnerable. She always projected an air of liveliness and impish energy; she was the class clown of the business world, making headlines for her outrageous antics and snarky interviews.

And now here she was, crying in Magnolia’s office. “W-Well,” Magnolia said, “you’ll find something else.”

“Who the fuck would take me?” Indigo sobbed. “I know how all of you think of me. I’m a pest. A nuisance. The board was always trying to kick me out, this was just the excuse they needed. And why would anyone hire the CEO who just put her company in over 50 billion dollars of debt?”

“But… But you have money. You said it yourself, Jessica got enough from your buyout that she’d never have to work again.”

“Yeah, and where do you think that money came from?” Indigo wiped tears from her eyes and sniffled. “I poured almost every cent I ever made back into the company. I’d be lucky to afford a studio apartment in this town now.”

Well, that explains the outfits… Magnolia shook her head. No, I shouldn’t be making jokes at a time like this. She needs someone to help her.

A wicked idea snuck into Magnolia’s mind. No, no, I… I couldn’t possibly…

She smiled. Oh, who am I kidding? Of course I could. Magnolia cleared her throat and put on her best poker face. “I could hire you.”

“You… you could?” Indigo looked up at Magnolia expectantly.

“I’m afraid I don’t have any openings in executive positions,” Magnolia continued. “You’d be working your way up from… lower down the food chain. But I could pay you more than enough to survive.”

“What would you have me do?”

“You would be working with me,” Magnolia grinned. “As my secretary.”

Indigo looked down, deep in thought. Finally, after a long silence, she gave a weak “Okay.”

Magnolia blinked. Huh. I expected more… Fighting? Anger? Indignation? Maybe she really is facing some hard times. “I can have HR give you the application forms right away. That is, if you really want to work here.”

“A job’s a job, right?” Indigo sighed. “And beggars can’t be choosers.” She stood up and extended her hand towards Magnolia. “Thank you… Magnolia.”

“You’re… welcome.” Magnolia shook Indigo’s hand and showed her to the door. Well, even if she’s desperate enough to accept the offer, there’s no way she’ll last. This is my chance to destroy that ghastly woman once and for all.

And I can’t wait to make her life a living hell.

Magnolia had an extra spring in her step as she walked into the lobby of her company’s building. Today was Indigo’s first day as her new secretary. And I can’t wait to torture her! She’ll wish she was unemployed by the end of the day.

As Magnolia stepped into an elevator and pressed the button for her floor, she noticed another woman entering just a moment later, carrying two cups of coffee. She didn’t pay her any mind at first; she was too busy imagining ways to fuck with Indigo. Obviously, she’ll be getting me coffee… oh, perhaps I should lie about what my order is? Trick her into getting the wrong thing, then chastising her for it? No, she’ll remember that I said something different. I don’t want it to be too obvious what I’m doing, not yet anyway…

“Ms. Anderson?” asked a somewhat familiar voice.

“Hm?” Magnolia turned towards the other woman in the elevator. “Do I know you?”

“Well, I’d hope you do,” the woman chuckled. “I am your secretary, after all.”

“H-Huh?” Magnolia’s eyes widened as she took a step back, now taking a long look at the person she was riding with. She hardly seemed like Indigo at all; she was dressed in a plain white blouse with a black pencil skirt, hardly the sort of outfit her rival would’ve worn before. And her hair, previously in a childish pair of pigtails, was now tied back into a small bun.

But despite her new look, there was no mistaking her face. Nor the knowing smirk that almost always graced it. “Indigo,” Magnolia said, clearing her throat. “E-Excuse me, I didn’t recognize you at first.”

“I know, it’s a pretty big departure, right?” Indigo smiled. “I knew my usual style wasn’t a good fit for the company, so I went and bought a few new outfits over the weekend.”

“You’re right. Your ‘style’ – if it could even be called one – isn’t right for this company.” Magnolia glared at Indigo, pursing her lips. Damn. I was honestly expecting to chastise her for this sort of thing. But she beat me to the punch. “I… suppose this will do.”

“Thank you, Ms. Anderson,” Indigo replied. She handed Magnolia one of the coffee cups. “Iced chai latte?”

“Huh?”

“Is this not what you usually get?”

“I-It is, but…” Magnolia narrowed her eyes. “How did you know that?”

Indigo smiled. “I stopped by there early and asked about you. The baristas knew exactly what to make; you always get the same thing, after all.”

Magnolia snatched the cup out of Indigo’s hand. “You shouldn’t ask others to give you someone’s personal details. That’s practically stalking, Indigo.”

“It’s just a coffee order, Ms. Anderson.”

“Mrs. Anderson.”

“Oh! Pardon me, Mrs. Anderson,” Indigo replied. “I hadn’t heard you were married.”

“Well,” Magnolia sneered, “I wouldn’t have told you.”

The elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open. Magnolia stepped out and walked briskly towards her office, followed quickly by Indigo. Dammit, she got me, Magnolia thought as she took a sip of her coffee. And this is actually really good… But no matter. There will be plenty of opportunities to mess with her.

Unfortunately, even after a week on the job, Indigo had not given Magnolia many excuses to criticize her work. Against all of Magnolia’s expectations, the former CEO was turning out to be an excellent secretary. She was quickly managing to anticipate Magnolia’s needs, presenting files and handling phone calls effortlessly.

If it was anyone else, Magnolia might have been impressed. Instead she was just annoyed. She’s too perfect, Magnolia mused, standing in the doorway to her office as Indigo fended off yet another phone call from a lower department. Something’s up. Is she planning something? She has to know that I have no intentions of letting her work up through the company, right?

Indigo set the phone’s receiver down and yawned. “Boy, this is hard work! I didn’t feel even half this tired when I was a CEO.”

“Well, my company has high standards for employees,” Magnolia said. “Perhaps your old work environment was a little lax on that front.”

“Oh, yeah,” Indigo nodded, “I always tried to keep it chill over there. You’re a lot tougher on us grunts, that’s for sure.” She turned around and reached out to Magnolia’s hand, holding it gently. “But I’m glad to be here! I can never repay your kindness, taking me in and giving me a chance.”

Magnolia glared and yanked her hand away. “Don’t mention it.”

“But, don’t you ever feel tired, Mrs. Anderson?” Indigo sighed, rubbing her eyes. “I mean, you come in so early, and work so hard. It must be exhausting.”

“I suppose I’m, as the kids would say, ‘built different,’” Magnolia chuckled. “Not everyone could do what I do, but I’m proud of my work ethic.”

“Yeah, it’s really remarkable,” Indigo said. “But… even you must need a break sometime, right?”

Magnolia smiled. “I’m fortunate to have the support of a wonderful person who’s always there for me. Always supporting me, and always making my day brighter.”

“Aw!” Indigo cooed, holding her hands against her chest. “That’s so sweet! I’m so glad you think of me like that, Mrs. Anderson!”

“I’m talking about my wife, you idiot!” Magnolia snapped.

“O-Oh, uh… yeah, I… that makes more… sense…” Indigo blushed. “I just… it’s barely halfway through the day, and I’m already so sleepy…” She yawned loudly, stretching out her back.

Magnolia felt a yawn bubbling up, but stopped herself. “If you can’t keep up, perhaps you’d like to seek a different work environment?”

“Oh, no,” Indigo laughed, “nothing like that! But I can feel this heaviness in my body. I can barely keep my eyelids open, Mrs. Anderson. All I want is to close them, and lay my head down, and just… sleep.” She paused, and her smile started to take on a different tone. “Don’t you agree?”

“Huh?” Magnolia blinked a couple times. “Uh, n-no. I feel fine.”

“Oh, no, trust me,” Indigo continued, “I know you feel this way too. You work way harder than I do, so you must feel even more tired. Right?”

“I’m not…” Magnolia yawned, blinking a few more times. “Not tired.”

“Yes,” Indigo said, standing up from her chair. “You are. Don’t try to deny it. You’re so sleepy, Mrs. Anderson. I know all about it. So why don’t you just… drop for me, hm?”

“D-Drop?” Magnolia gulped. “Wha… What’re you–”

“I mean, drop that serious, stoic façade for a moment,” Indigo interrupted. “You don’t need to be that way with me. You can let that go. I’m your secretary; you’re supposed to rely on me, yes?”

“Yes,” Magnolia replied, a little startled by how hazy her own voice sounded. “Um… I-I don’t think–”

“You don’t have to think right now. Listen to what your body is telling you. What I’m telling you. You’re so very, very tired right now. You need to sleep.” Indigo held Magnolia’s hand and lifted it up. “And when I let go of this hand, that’s what you’ll do. You’ll drop, deeper and deeper, into a nice, relaxing sleep. You want that.”

“I want…” Magnolia shook her head feebly, blinking rapidly, trying to stay awake. “You’re… hypnotizing me…”

Indigo giggled. “Oh, Mrs. Anderson, I couldn’t possibly be hypnotizing you. You’re much too strong for that. And if I’m not hypnotizing you, you don’t have to resist, right?”

“I… don’t?”

“Nope! You’re in control right now. You’re the boss, after all. So you can just stop thinking and sleep for me, knowing that you’re not hypnotized, that you’re in control…” Indigo leaned in and whispered in Magnolia’s ear. “And that you really need it.”

“N-Need…” Magnolia whimpered. “I… need it…”

“Alright, Mrs. Anderson,” Indigo smiled. “I’ll give you what you need.”

She let go of Magnolia’s hand. “Drop.”

Magnolia’s head fell to her chest as her body went limp. She landed in the arms of her secretary, who was all-too-happy to hold her boss upright as she fell rapidly into trance.

Indigo let out a sigh of relief and giggled to herself. “You put up a little fight there, huh, Maggie?” she smirked. “I almost thought it wasn’t gonna work. But it seems even you have your limits.”

“Hmm?” Magnolia murmured.

“Shh.” Indigo pressed a finger to Magnolia’s lips. “Don’t worry about it. You’re not hearing any of this. You’re sound asleep. Everything you think you might be hearing or feeling is all a dream. Isn’t that right?”

“Dream…” Magnolia sighed. “Yes, dream…”

“Good girl.” Indigo held Magnolia’s hand again and rubbed the back of it with her thumb. “I need you to walk with me, Maggie. Not very far, and not very quickly. Just enough to bring you inside your office. You can do that, right?”

Magnolia nodded slowly.

“Wonderful,” Indigo grinned. She carefully walked her boss into the office, silently closing the door behind them and then leading the hypnotized CEO to the chair behind her desk.

After Magnolia was sat down, head lolling to the side, Indigo cleared her throat. “Magnolia, I want you to listen closely. Whenever I hold your hand, like I’m doing now…” She squeezed Magnolia’s hand gently. “You will return to this sleepy, dreamy state of mind. Do you understand?”

“Mmm… yes…” Magnolia murmured.

“Now, be honest with me. On a scale of one-to-ten, how much do you trust me?”

Magnolia paused for a moment. “…Zero.”

Indigo laughed. “Alright, sure. I guess one week can’t make up for years and years of bad blood. But… I’ve done a good job for you, haven’t I?”

“Yes…”

“So, maybe we could add a ‘one’ to that score?”

“…Okay…”

“And, if you put a ‘one’ and a ‘zero’ next to each other,” Indigo continued, her voice low and melodic, “what number does that make?”

“A… a ten?” Magnolia asked, sounding like a student who was completely unsure of the answer.

“Exactly!” Indigo beamed. “So, your trust for me is now at a ten, right?”

“I don’t… um…” Magnolia frowned. Something about this seemed very, very wrong. But her sleepy, entranced mind couldn’t fault Indigo’s logic, so she had to let out a sigh and agree. “Yes… a ten…”

“Ten out of ten… why, that must mean you have perfect trust in me!” Indigo gasped, feigning surprise for her own amusement more than anything else. “You must trust me completely. Don’t you?”

“Uh…”

“Say that you trust me completely.”

“I… trust you…” Magnolia smiled dreamily, her eyelids opening halfway and revealing only the whites of her eyes. “Completely…”

“Thank you, Maggie,” Indigo chuckled. “That really means a lot. Now, when I let go of your hand, you won’t be in this state of tra– I-I mean, sleepiness. But you will forget everything we’ve discussed, and still feel very tired. You’ll want so badly to fall asleep, no matter how much you try and fight it. Isn’t that right?”

Magnolia hummed softly. “Yes… Indigo…”

Indigo purred and licked her lips. “Oh, I can’t wait until I can add a ‘Mistress’ to that word…” she whispered. “But not today.”

She let go of Magnolia’s hand and stood at attention. “Anything else, Mrs. Anderson?”

“Hm?” Magnolia yawned, looking around the room confused. “How… I thought we were…?”

“Is something wrong?” Indigo asked.

“Uh… n-no,” Magnolia muttered, shaking her head. “No, everything’s… fine…” As soon as she said so, however, she started to yawn. “Um, a-actually…”

“Yes?”

“Could you get me another coffee? I’m feeling a little tired today.”

“Of course, Mrs. Anderson. The usual?”

It took Magnolia a second to remember that Indigo already knew her coffee order. “…Yes, Indigo, the usual.”

“You got it.” Indigo spun on her heels and walked away. “I’ll be back soon!”

“Mrs. Anderson?” Indigo asked, gently shaking Magnolia’s shoulder.

“Mmm?” Magnolia groaned.

“Mrs. Anderson!”

“Gah!” Magnolia yelped, jolting awake. “Wh-What is it?”

“I’m… back from the coffee shop.” Indigo motioned towards a cup of coffee sitting on Magnolia’s desk. “I guess you really needed it, huh?”

Did I fall asleep? Magnolia rubbed her head and furrowed her brow. That’s not like me at all. “Th-Thank you, Indigo. That will be all.”

Indigo cocked her head to the side, a concerned expression on her face. “Are you… feeling alright?”

“I’m… f-fine.” Magnolia didn’t think she was this bad a liar, but she couldn’t find a way to spin it effectively. God, I really am tired… She reached for the cup, but as soon as it was in her hands she felt a sudden disinterest. I need the caffeine, but… I just don’t want this. What’s happening with me?

“Hey.” Indigo sat on the desk and crossed her legs, staring at Magnolia with concern. “You can trust me. I know we’ve had our… differences.” She touched the cup in Magnolia’s hands, their fingers brushing against each other. “But it’s my job to help you. So if you need help, talk to me.”

“I don’t need…” Magnolia sighed and set the cup down, rubbing her temple. “I’m just tired. That’s all.”

“I’ll say,” Indigo replied. “You look really sleepy. Like, ‘you could pass out at any moment’ sleepy.” Magnolia noticed Indigo’s hand was still holding onto hers, but she couldn’t muster the indignation she felt earlier.

“It’s not that bad,” Magnolia said, before she yawned far louder than she meant to. “Um, l-look, I’ll be okay–”

“Please, Mrs. Anderson,” Indigo insisted, clutching Magnolia’s hand tighter. “Just close your eyes for a minute.” She motioned towards the interior of the office, and the lack of windows peeking out into the rest of the floor. “No one would have to know if you took a little nap. If anyone needs to talk to you, I’ll just tell them you’re indisposed.”

“N-No, I… that’s not…” Magnolia yawned again. When she blinked, it took a surprising amount of effort to open her eyes again. “I need to focus.”

Indigo huffed and ran a finger over the back of Magnolia’s hand. “You need to sleep, Mrs. Anderson. You need to close those heavy, tired eyes of yours and stop thinking. Let your new secretary handle things for you. You trust me, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Magnolia replied automatically. Something about that didn’t sound right; why should she trust Indigo? They’d been rivals for years. She could never stand the other woman’s brash, obnoxious personality or her terrible fashion sense.

But the more she turned it over in her mind, the more it started to make sense. Indigo wasn’t a rival anymore. She was Magnolia’s secretary. Her livelihood was entirely in Magnolia’s hands. And she’d proven herself, hadn’t she? She was punctual, eager to please, never betraying even the slightest annoyance or indignation at her current position. Magnolia smiled, nodding loosely. “I… I trust you… completely…”

“That’s right,” Indigo smiled. “You trust me. So you know I can take care of things while you rest. You don’t need to worry about a thing. Just let all that stress and tension leave you…” She snapped her fingers. “And sleep.”

Magnolia’s eyelids fluttered as a soft gasp escaped her lips. Her head lolled to the side, her body sinking into the soft leather of her office chair. All the while, Indigo never let go of her hand.

Indigo kicked off her heels and moved carefully into Magnolia’s lap. “Mmm… you’re really cute when you’re all zonked out like this, Maggie.” She took Magnolia’s glasses off and looked through them, raising an eyebrow. “Wow, you’re practically blind. And here I was thinking of having you try contacts…”

She set the glasses down and ran a hand through Magnolia’s hair. “Remember, Maggie, this is all just a dream. You don’t need to think about what you’re feeling, or what I’m saying. But your sleepy self, she’s paying very close attention. Absorbing everything that’s happening while your conscious mind lets it all slip away…”

Indigo unbuttoned Magnolia’s shirt and pulled it open, scowling at what she saw. “Ugh, your fashion is so fucking dull, Maggie. You’re not even wearing any cute underwear! Why do you always wear these suits and ties and stuff?”

“Need to look professional…” Magnolia mumbled, her voice hazy and distant. “Have to… prove myself…”

“Maggie, Maggie…” Indigo shook her head. “Look at you. You’ve made it. You’re leading a Fortune 500 company, you’re comically rich, and the board loves you. There’s nothing to prove anymore.” Her finger traced the outline of Magnolia’s plain cotton bra. “So… why not try something a little more stylish?”

“I… I guess…?”

“At least ditch the boring underwear. Sneak some lingerie under those stuffy outfits. I’m sure it would make a nice surprise for Lily when you come home, hm?”

“Lily…” Magnolia’s face twisted into a scowl. “You don’t get to… talk about them…”

“Shh, shhhhhhhh.” Indigo rubbed Magnolia’s hand gently. “Forget about them for a moment. Leave them out of this. But you want to try some lingerie, right? It’d be your little secret, a sexy part of you that the rest of the office doesn’t know about. Wouldn’t that be so hot?”

“Um…” Magnolia’s expression softened. Why was she mad? Something about… she couldn’t remember it anymore. All she could picture now was herself walking through the office, sheer lace panties and bra underneath her clothes. Acting as crisp and professional as always, with a tantalizing secret just under the surface. “Yes… sounds hot…”

“See?” Indigo giggled. “So you’ll wear something sexy underneath your clothes tomorrow, right?”

“Yes…” Magnolia smiled dreamily. “I will…”

“Good, good.” Indigo furrowed her brow. “Should I push any further…?” she muttered to herself. “No, no, I can’t rush this. You might be more susceptible than you realized, but you’re not stupid.” She smirked. “Well, not yet, anyway.”

She rose off of Magnolia’s lap and picked her shoes up off the floor. “Just take a long, peaceful nap, Maggie. Remember, all of this was only a dream.”

“Only… a dream…” Magnolia sighed.

Indigo bit her lip. “Oh… fuck it! I can’t help myself…” She reached out and squeezed one of Magnolia’s breasts, purring to herself. “My, my… I’ll enjoy having these around the house…” She pulled her hand away and dusted off her skirt. “See you in a bit, ‘Mrs. Anderson.’”

Magnolia didn’t notice as the door to her office opened and shut, locking behind Indigo as she stepped out.

The only thing in her sleeping, hypnotized mind was the memory of the last few minutes, a dream that she couldn’t imagine wanting to wake up from.

Over an hour later, Magnolia stirred and shifted in her seat. “Mmuh?” she groaned, slowly opening her eyes and scratching her head. Did I nod off again? She realized she wasn’t wearing her glasses and blindly searched for them, managing to feel them on her desk. When did I take these off? Last thing I remember was… Indigo…

Her eyes shot open. Oh my god. Indigo… what the fuck did she do to me?!

Magnolia shot to her feet and stormed out of her office. “Indigo!” she shouted.

Indigo yelped and jumped out of her chair. “Y-Yes, Mrs. Ander…son…” Her eyes fell to Magnolia’s chest and her cheeks turned red. “Um, Mrs. Anderson, your… your shirt…”

“Huh?” Magnolia looked downward and gasped. Her shirt was completely unbuttoned, exposing her bra and stomach. “Oh! God, I-I’m so sorry!”

“It’s okay,” Indigo reassured her. “There’s no one in here anyway… um, you sounded like you wanted to talk to me about something?”

Magnolia scowled. “Yes, I did! Get in my office right this second!” She hurried back inside, furiously buttoning her shirt.

Indigo followed her, shutting the door behind them. “Is everything alright, Mrs. Anderson?”

“No, everything is not alright!” Magnolia bellowed. “You violated me!”

“I…” Indigo stared blankly at Magnolia. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me! You groped my chest while I was sleeping!”

Indigo laughed nervously. “M-Mrs. Anderson, you can’t be serious.”

“I am very serious,” Magnolia said sternly. “You took advantage of me while I was in a vulnerable position, and I won’t tolerate it!”

“Mrs. Anderson, I would never do anything like that.” Indigo stepped closer. “I mean, what would drive me to grope you? I know you’ve been watching me like a hawk, waiting for any sign of me slipping up. I could probably be fired for getting your coffee order wrong; why would I do something as stupid as… this?”

“Well…” Magnolia paused. Indigo had a point. It wouldn’t make any sense for her to do something like this. And the more she thought about it, the hazier and hazier the memory of Indigo grabbing her breasts became. “W-Well, how do you explain my shirt, hm? Why was it unbuttoned?”

“How should I know?” Indigo shrugged. “I’ve been at my desk since you started your nap. Maybe you did it in your sleep?”

“What?” Magnolia scoffed.

“Think about it. A lot of people sleepwalk, so someone undressing in their sleep doesn’t sound so weird, does it?”

“I… suppose not,” Magnolia conceded. “But why would I do such a thing?”

Indigo smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of her head. “Well, maybe you had a… certain type of dream?”

“Oh, don’t be absurd,” Magnolia sneered.

“What’s more likely?” Indigo asked. “That I’d risk my career, and potentially prison time, by groping you? Or that you had a wet dream and started fumbling with your clothes in your sleep?”

Magnolia opened her mouth to retort, but slowly closed it as she thought more about what Indigo was saying. It… it does feel like a dream, the more I try to remember. It seemed so real, but… it couldn’t possibly be true. She shook her head and sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry for accusing you of something so…” She sighed and rubbed her forehead. “God, I feel like such an asshole.”

“Mrs. Anderson, it’s alright.” Indigo reached out and held Magnolia’s hand, smiling warmly. “You just had a very vivid dream. You were confused and angry, but you understand now it was only a dream.”

“Only… a dream…” Magnolia muttered, feeling a sudden wave of sleepiness wash over her. “Yes…”

“And you can just let that dream fade away,” Indigo continued. “It doesn’t seem so important anymore, does it? As long as your sleepy self remembers, you don’t need to worry about it.”

“Mmm… yeah…” Magnolia sighed.

Indigo let go of Magnolia’s hand and smiled. “Well, I’ll get back to work now. Let me know when you’re rested and back to 100%, there were a few emails that came in during your nap that I think we should go over.”

“Huh?” Magnolia blinked. “Um, y-yes, of course. Thank you, Indigo.”

“My pleasure.” Indigo turned around and walked out the door.

Magnolia caught herself staring at Indigo’s ass in her pencil skirt and winced. I can’t let myself think about her like that! I’m already having wet dreams about her, for some god-forsaken reason, I shouldn’t be… She sighed and dusted herself off, adjusting her tie and making sure she looked presentable. I’ll worry about this later. Right now, I have work to do.

It had been a few weeks since Indigo became Magnolia’s secretary, and by now she was definitely getting on Magnolia’s nerves. Not because she was bad at her job; if anything, Magnolia would be less annoyed if she was flat-out incompetent.

No, the problem was that Indigo was too good. She hadn’t slipped up a single time since she’d started here, giving Magnolia no opportunities to mock or belittle her. And even worse, she showed no signs of indignation or resentment at her plight. She’d gone from a CEO to a lowly secretary – working for her biggest rival, no less – yet she never lost her temper or even frowned. She was practically perfect.

And I fucking hate her, Magnolia thought angrily as she took her morning coffee from the ever-eager Indigo and stepped into her office. I didn’t want a secretary, I just wanted to rub her idiocy in her face until she gave up. Maybe watch her cry a little, not…

She sighed and rubbed her forehead, taking a sip of coffee as a sense of tiredness started to fog up her mind. I can’t even be disappointed she got my coffee right. I really need it this morning. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I’ve just felt so tired lately. Maybe I’m losing sleep trying to find ways to fuck Indigo over.

A couple hours later, Indigo knocked on Magnolia’s door. “Mrs. Anderson?”

“Yes?” Magnolia hissed.

“Um, sorry to bother you,” Indigo asked through the closed door, “but… are you planning on going to the board meeting?”

“The board…” Magnolia’s eyes widened. “Shit, the board meeting! How could I forget?” She bolted out of her chair and hurried out of her office, nearly barreling Indigo over as she swung open her door and rushed past her.

Indigo quickly caught up to her boss, though, handing her a folder as they made their way to the elevator. “I have all your notes prepared, Mrs. Anderson. Highlighted the most important sections as well.”

“Thank you,” Magnolia sighed, flipping through the pages.

“Do you need me to come into the meeting with you?” Indigo asked. “In case you need anything else?”

“No, no,” Magnolia replied, stopping in front of the elevator and smashing the button. “I’m fully prepared. The time just… slipped my mind, is all.”

Indigo pursed her lips. “Are you sure?”

Magnolia glared at her secretary. “Is there a problem, Indigo?”

The elevator doors opened, with no one inside.

“Oh, no, Mrs. Anderson,” Indigo said as Magnolia stepped into the empty elevator. Just as she crossed the threshold, however, Indigo reached out and grabbed Magnolia’s hand, following her inside and hitting the button for the conference room’s floor. “No, everything’s just fine.”

“What’re… you…” Magnolia blinked, then blinked again. Her head drooped slightly as her scowl melted into a placid, distant smile.

“Why don’t you want me to join you in the meeting, Maggie?” Indigo whispered, pressing her body into her boss’s and pinning her against the back wall of the elevator.

“I don’t wanna… rely on you…” Magnolia murmured, her head resting on Indigo’s shoulder. “I’m your boss…”

“But even bosses need help sometimes, hm?” Indigo smiled, petting Magnolia’s head softly. “Especially when they have such a hard time remembering things.”

“N-No,” Magnolia mumbled. “My memory’s… fine…”

“You might think it is, and yet…” Indigo held her phone up in front of Magnolia’s face. When she tapped a button on the screen, and it let out a small ding noise, the same as her phone’s normal notification sound. “Whenever you hear that sound? You’ll find that you completely lose your train of thought. Whatever you were thinking of just… vanishes.” She giggled, grinning at the hypnotized Magnolia like a hungry wolf. “And your favorite secretary will be right here to remind you of what you need to say next.”

“Favorite…” Magnolia smiled dreamily. “Yes… you’re my… favorite secretary…”

Indigo laughed. “I didn’t even mean for that to be a suggestion! Silly little Maggie, so wonderfully malleable. Mmm, speaking of which…” She unfastened a couple of buttons on Magnolia’s shirt, taking a peek underneath.

Just as Indigo had suggested, the CEO had started wearing lingerie instead of plan bras, this time a black lace bra with satin accents. “Oh, that’s beautiful,” Indigo purred, licking her lips. “The panties match, I assume?”

“Yes,” Magnolia whispered.

“Good girl.” Indigo rebuttoned Magnolia’s shirt and let go of her hand, stepping away from her boss and straightening herself out while she woke up. “Mrs. Anderson?”

“Hm?” Magnolia hummed, gently rousing herself from what she believed was a very short nap.

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open.

“We’re here, Mrs. Anderson,” Indigo said.

“Oh, y-yes,” Magnolia stammered, shaking her head. As she stepped out, she paused and turned to Indigo. “Actually… I think I would like you to accompany in the meeting.”

Indigo smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Magnolia stormed into her office, her cheeks burning red. “God dammit!” she roared, slamming her fists against her desk. “What the fuck is wrong with me today?! I can’t sleep, I can’t concentrate… now I can’t even hold a conversation!”

Indigo followed meekly behind, more than a little concerned by her boss’s sudden outburst. “Um… M-Mrs. Anderson? Is everything ok?”

“No, you idiot!” Magnolia snapped. “Everything is not okay! I just humiliated myself in front of the entire board!”

“It wasn’t that bad,” Indigo retorted. “They know you just had an off day, and–”

“I don’t have ‘off’ days. Not unless there’s something seriously wrong…” Magnolia paced around her office, scratching her chin. “You know, I can’t help but wonder… Ever since you’ve come here, I’ve been feeling very strange.”

Indigo’s face was a blank. “Is that so?”

“And, as I think about it more,” Magnolia’s continued, narrowing her eyes, “I’ve been finding it awfully hard to remember some of our conversa–”

Ding!

“–tions…” Magnolia blinked. “Um… I… What was I talking about?”

“Hm?” Indigo looked up from her phone. “Oh, you were upset about how that meeting went.”

“Y-Yes. Yes!” Magnolia scowled. “God, that was a disaster! I wanted to jump out the window, I was so embarrassed.”

“But I was there to help you, right?” Indigo said. “I made sure you could follow along okay.”

“I shouldn’t need your help,” Magnolia hissed. “I got along perfectly well before–”

Ding!

“–y-you… you…” Magnolia shook her head. “What’s… wrong with me?”

“I think you might be suffering from exhaustion.” Indigo’s eyes were locked onto Magnolia, uncomfortably intense.

“This doesn’t… feel like exhaustion,” Magnolia grumbled. “I keep thinking I hear a… a sound?”

“I don’t hear anything,” Indigo replied. She stepped closer, placing a hand on Magnolia’s shoulder. “Are you sure you’re feeling alright?”

“Would you leave me alone?” Magnolia groaned. “I need some time to–”

Ding!

“–think…?” Magnolia blinked. She felt someone touching her hand and looked down. “Why’re you… holding my hand?” she asked, already feeling herself start to slip into trance.

“So you’ll listen to me,” Indigo cooed. “Really listen for once. Taking it all in and letting my words shape your mind. Like a good girl.”

“Like… wh-what?” Magnolia rubbed her forehead, trying to stay awake even as the suggestion took hold of her. “I’m… n-not a ‘good–’”

Ding! Ding! Ding!

“‘–g-giiiirlllll…’” Magnolia’s eyes were glassy, staring past Indigo into who knows where. She swayed slightly on her feet, arms hanging loose by her side.

Indigo giggled, her sickeningly sweet voice bouncing around in Magnolia’s empty head. “Don’t worry about that, Maggie. Don’t worry your pretty little head about anything at all. You know you’re just dreaming right now anyway, right?”

“Yes,” Magnolia replied, her voice a breathless monotone. “I’m dreaming.”

“Then there’s no need to think right now, is there?” Indigo continued, slowly unbuttoning Magnolia’s shirt with her free hand. “None of this is real. Just a dream.”

“Just… a dream…”

“See?” Indigo grinned. “You’re learning already. Why don’t you keep telling yourself that? Just a dream, just a dream…”

“Just a dream…” Magnolia sighed, letting her eyes finally slip shut as she surrendered to trance. “Just a dream… just a dream…”

Indigo licked her lips. “Mmm, there’s just nothing like a hypnotized girl mindlessly repeating her mantras. Especially when she was such an annoying little bitch before.”

She pulled open Magnolia’s top, whistling at the full sight of her breasts held up by the sexy lace bra. “Gorgeous,” Indigo cooed. “You are absolutely fucking gorgeous.” She unfastened Magnolia’s belt and pulled her pants down, revealing a matching pair of panties.

“Hmm…” Indigo knelt down and tugged on the bottom of Magnolia’s panties. “You tuck?”

“When I wear things like… this…” Magnolia murmured. “Hard to find… sexy underwear that fits a… a cock…”

“Point taken, but you should stop tucking from now on. I like to see the bulge.”

“You… like to see…?” Magnolia’s brow furrowed. “Why… does that mat–”

Ding! “You’ll agree to stop tucking from now on,” Indigo said, her thumb hovering over her phone’s touch screen.

“Uh…” Magnolia’s face again smoothed out into a peaceful blankness. “Yes… I’ll stop…”

Indigo breathed a sigh of relief. “Need to figure out how to word these things more carefully,” she muttered to herself. “She’s not fully under control yet…” She cleared her throat and stood back up. “Also, you find that you really want to dress a little less masculine at work. You’ll have an insatiable need to buy some new, cuter outfits this weekend – and spare no expense in picking them out, of course.”

“But… I don’t wanna be cute…” Magnolia mewled.

“Then don’t think of it like that. You don’t have to look like a ditzy housewife or some slutty coed…” Indigo chuckled to herself. “Well, not yet. Just look at me for a second.”

Magnolia’s eyes slowly opened, focusing on Indigo.

The secretary motioned towards her blouse and pencil skirt. “This looks professional, right? Not out of place in a setting like this?”

“…Yes…”

“And yet, it’s certainly more feminine than what you usually wear. Correct?”

“Yes…”

“So…” Indigo smiled. “Maybe find some outfits that are kinda like mine? But with your own… particular twist on them.”

Magnolia’s head lolled to the side, her hypnotized mind letting Indigo’s suggestions sink in. “…Yes… I’ll find some… new outfits…”

“Great!” Indigo beamed. “And, of course, you’ll buy some new lingerie too while you’re at it.”

“Of… course…”

“Good girl.” Indigo held her phone up, grinning wolfishly. “And, just for posterity… say ‘cheese!’”

“Cheeeeeeese,” Magnolia drooled, not even blinking as the flash on Indigo’s phone went off.

Indigo laughed and held up the picture she took of Magnolia, hypnotized and stripped down to her lingerie. “Oh, isn’t this just the best? Imagine if the board saw you right now. You thought today was embarrassing?” She leaned in close and whispered in Magnolia’s ear. “Just. You. Wait.”

She pulled away and grinned. “Get dressed and take a nap, ‘Mrs. Anderson.’ A good rest will help you forget all these silly things you might be worrying about. But your sleepy self always remembers, doesn’t she?”

“Yes… always…”

Indigo turned and stepped out of Magnolia’s office, blowing her hypnotized boss a kiss as she shut the door. “See you on Monday, Maggie.”