Chapter 1 - The Empty Office
Ethan Mercer did not look up from his mahogany desk when his new executive assistant walked into the room.
Twenty-two years had turned the weeping boy in the supply closet into a billionaire who felt absolutely nothing.
He wore custom Italian suits and a reputation for destroying rival companies without a second thought.
Claire stood in the doorway, clutching her leather portfolio with sweaty palms.
She desperately needed this job to pay off the massive medical debts her late mother had left behind.
"You are exactly four minutes late, Miss Evans," Ethan stated coldly, finally raising his piercing blue eyes.
Claire swallowed hard, noticing how his icy gaze seemed to instantly strip away her confidence.
"The elevator stalled on the forty-second floor, Mr. Mercer," she replied, keeping her voice steady.
Ethan stood up, his towering frame dominating the expansive, sunlit office.
"I do not pay for excuses, I pay for perfection," he snapped, walking slowly toward her.
As he moved, the top button of his crisp white shirt shifted just enough to reveal a sliver of silver chain against his collarbone.
Claire felt a strange, inexplicable ache in her chest as she stared at the delicate metal.
She tried to shake off the sudden wave of nostalgia, forcing herself to focus on the terrifying man in front of her.
Ethan stopped inches away, his expression darkening into a mask of pure fury.
"Security just informed me that someone accessed my private server using your temporary keycard," he whispered dangerously.
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Claire stepped back in sheer horror as two armed guards suddenly appeared in the hallway behind her.
"Before you even start working here, Miss Evans, you are going to tell me exactly who paid you to steal my company's blueprints," Ethan demanded.
