His Billion-Dollar secret

Cassian Ashford sat behind his expansive glass desk, the sprawling view of New York City's skyline stretching out behind him. The faint hum of the bustling metropolis echoed through the soundproof windows, yet in this moment, the world outside seemed irrelevant. His attention was entirely focused on the woman standing in front of him. Seraphina Everhart.

Seraphina was poised, her shoulders straight, her gaze unwavering as she handed him the latest financial reports. She moved with an air of quiet confidence, the kind that came from years of hard work and self-reliance. Cassian had always admired that about her, though he'd never admit it aloud. It was dangerous, this fascination he had with her-dangerous and inconvenient.

He took the reports from her hand, their fingers brushing slightly. A jolt of awareness surged through him at the contact, but Cassian didn't let it show. Not that Seraphina would notice. She was always so professional, so infuriatingly calm. He flipped through the papers, though his mind wasn't on the numbers.

"You've been working late again," Cassian remarked, his voice casual but probing. His gray eyes flickered up to meet hers.

Seraphina's lips curved into a polite smile, but there was a hint of exhaustion in her eyes. "You pay me to make sure things run smoothly, Mr. Ashford. I'm just doing my job."

Cassian's jaw clenched. "I've told you to call me Cassian."

"You've told me a lot of things," she said lightly, her voice not giving away much. "But I prefer to keep things professional."

There it was again-that maddening professionalism. It was as though she had built a fortress around herself, and Cassian couldn't figure out how to get past it. Not that he should care. She was his employee, after all. An excellent one. Still, there was something about her that unsettled him, something that made him want to push those boundaries she kept so firmly in place.

"You're indispensable, you know that?" Cassian leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving her face. He watched for a flicker of reaction, but Seraphina remained as composed as ever.

"Thank you," she replied, her tone neutral. She glanced at her watch. "If there's nothing else, I have a few more reports to finish before the end of the day."

Cassian set the papers down on his desk and folded his hands together. "How long have you worked for me, Seraphina?"

"Five years."

"And in all that time, you've never once taken a vacation. Don't you think you're overdue?"

Seraphina blinked, momentarily thrown by the shift in conversation. She hadn't expected him to notice, let alone care. "I don't need one," she replied carefully. "Besides, I enjoy my work."

Cassian's lips twitched into a half-smile. "Always so dedicated."

She took a small step back, sensing the subtle shift in the air between them. Cassian wasn't the type to engage in small talk. Everything about him was sharp, calculated. She knew he was testing her, probing for something beneath her cool exterior, but she wasn't about to let him see anything more than what was necessary.

"I'd better get back to work," she said, her voice steady as she turned to leave.

"Wait."

The word stopped her in her tracks. She glanced over her shoulder, her pulse quickening. Cassian had stood up from his desk, moving toward her with the slow, measured grace of a predator. Her heart thudded in her chest as he approached, though outwardly she remained composed.

"Is there something else?" she asked, her tone betraying nothing of the sudden tension in the room.

Cassian stopped just a foot away from her, his towering presence overwhelming in the confined space. He studied her for a moment, as though trying to peel back the layers of her carefully maintained facade. His gaze dropped to her lips before snapping back up to meet her eyes.

"You're hiding something," he said softly, his voice low and dangerous. "I can't figure out what it is, but I will."

Seraphina felt her breath catch in her throat. She'd always known Cassian was perceptive, but the way he looked at her now, as though he could see right through her, was unnerving. Still, she wouldn't let him get to her.

"I'm not hiding anything, Mr. Ashford," she replied, her voice cool and controlled.

Cassian smirked, a knowing glint in his eyes. "We'll see."

Without another word, he stepped back, the tension in the air easing slightly as he returned to his desk. Seraphina took the opportunity to leave, her pulse racing as she walked down the long hallway toward her office. She didn't stop until she was safely behind her closed door.

Once alone, Seraphina let out a shaky breath. She leaned against the desk, her mind spinning. Cassian Ashford was dangerous. Not in the way most people thought-though his ruthless reputation in the business world was well-deserved. No, Cassian was dangerous because he made her feel things she couldn't afford to feel. She had spent years building her life, her career, her independence. She wasn't about to let it all come crashing down because of some misguided attraction to her boss.

She straightened, pushing the thoughts aside. There was work to be done, and she couldn't afford distractions. Not now. Not ever.

Cassian watched as Seraphina disappeared down the hall, his mind whirling. She was a mystery, and Cassian hated mysteries. He prided himself on knowing everything about the people who worked for him, yet Seraphina had managed to keep her walls firmly in place.

For five years, she had been an enigma, and that bothered him more than he liked to admit. He had tried, in subtle ways, to get her to open up. Casual conversation, invitations to events-none of it had worked. She always kept him at arm's length, always just out of reach.

There was something in her past, something that made her so fiercely guarded. Cassian could sense it, though he hadn't been able to figure out what it was. He knew he should let it go, but he couldn't. Not when she was the only person in his life who didn't seem afraid of him.

He picked up his phone and dialed a number, his eyes still on the empty doorway where Seraphina had stood moments before.

"Mr. Ashford," came the voice on the other end. "What can I do for you?"

"I need a background check on Seraphina Everhart. Comprehensive."

There was a slight pause before the man responded. "I'll get started on it right away."

"Good." Cassian ended the call and leaned back in his chair, his mind already spinning with possibilities. Whatever Seraphina was hiding, he would find out. And once he did, he would have the upper hand.

He always did.

Later that evening, Seraphina was packing up her things when her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and frowned. It was a message from her father, something that immediately set her on edge. She hesitated for a moment before opening it.

Dinner tomorrow night. We have business to discuss. Don't be late.

Her stomach twisted as she read the words. Her father's messages always filled her with a sense of dread. She hadn't spoken to him in weeks, and whenever he reached out, it was never for a casual chat. It was always about control. About power.

She hated it.

Seraphina quickly typed out a response. I'll be there.

She stared at the message for a moment before hitting send. There was no use in trying to avoid him. He always got what he wanted, one way or another.

With a sigh, she slipped her phone into her purse and grabbed her coat. As she stepped out into the chilly evening air, her thoughts drifted back to Cassian. There was something about him today, something more intense than usual. The way he had looked at her, the way he had spoken- it had rattled her in ways she hadn't expected.

But she couldn't let herself get caught up in that. She couldn't afford to. Cassian Ashford was her boss, and more than that, he was dangerous in ways that went beyond the obvious. She had to keep her distance, no matter how difficult it was becoming.

As she walked toward the subway station, the city lights flickering above her, Seraphina made a silent vow to herself. She would keep things professional, no matter what. She couldn't let her guard down. Not with Cassian. Not with anyone.

But deep down, in the quietest corners of her mind, she wondered if it was already too late.

The next day arrived with the same routine precision that Seraphina had perfected over the years. She arrived at the office early, as always, her heels clicking softly against the marble floors as she made her way to her desk. The office was still quiet, the workday yet to officially begin, but Seraphina relished this time-the brief moments of solitude before the chaos of the day took over.

She was organizing her schedule when she felt a presence nearby. Looking up, she saw Cassian standing in her doorway, his expression unreadable.

"Good morning," she greeted, forcing a calm smile onto her face.

"Morning." His tone was clipped, and there was a tension in his posture that hadn't been there the day before.

Seraphina straightened, sensing that something was off. "Is everything all right?"

Cassian's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he spoke, his voice low. "I found out something interesting last night."

Her heart skipped a beat, though she kept her expression neutral. "Oh?"

"Your father," he said, his words heavy with implication, "he's been making moves in the business world. Unusual moves."

Seraphina's blood ran cold.