ght of anticipation pressing down on her chest like an iron vice. The hallway leading to the conference room had never felt so long, each step echoing

m. Every conversation ceased. All eyes turned to her. She had been in high-pressure meetings before, but this was different. This wasn't just business-this was a test. And Marco Valentino was the one grading her. Her boss, Mr. Gravitas, stood near the head of the long mahogany table, arms crossed, his usual unreadable expression locked firmly in place. The senior executives, seasoned men and women, sat with their laptops open, waiting. But Mia barely noticed them. Because Marco hadn't looked away. If anything, his stare had grown even heavier. The kind that made her skin prickle, made her hyperaware of the way her blouse clung to her skin, of the faint, nervous pulse fluttering at the base of her throat. She felt exposed under that gaze-like he could see past her professional mask, straight into the thoughts she had no business thinking. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. She needed to break the tension. She needed to breathe. She finally met his eyes. Dark. Intense. Watching her with an unreadable expression. It wasn't just curiosity. It was something else. Recognition? Amusement? Desire? No. She was imagining it. She had to be. The flicker of something in his gaze lingered, but before she could place it, Mr. Gravitas cleared his throat. "Miss Cruz," he said, his voice brisk, cutting through the heavy air between her and Marco. "Marco Valentino has arrived." His tone was professional, efficient. But it did nothing to settle the electric charge humming between her and the man across the room. "You'll be presenting first," her boss continued. "Be ready." Mia swallowed hard, gripping the file tighter. She forced herself to nod, pushing down the absurd heat rising in her chest. This was work. A deal. Nothing more. But as she took her seat and felt Marco Valentino's eyes still on her, unwavering and unrelenting, she knew one thing for certain. This was far from ordinary. And whatever had just passed between them... It wasn't over. No turning back now. Mia exhaled slowly, steadying herself as she flipped open the file. The room remained silent, the weight of expectation pressing down on her shoulders. Every executive seated at the long mahogany table waited, some with faint intrigue, others with blank, professional expressions. But the only gaze that mattered-the only one she felt-was Marco Valentino's. He sat at the far end of the table, legs crossed, his fingers resting against his chin in a pose of casual authority. But his eyes... his eyes were anything but casual. They held her captive. Dark. Intense. Unreadable. Mia licked her lips-an unconscious, nervous habit. A mistake. Because the moment she did, something in Marco's expression shifted. His gaze flickered, dropping ever so slightly before returning to her eyes. A slow, deliberate movement. Like he had noticed. Like he enjoyed noticing. Heat spread through her, unwanted and distracting. Focus. She straightened her shoulders, glancing down at the document in her hands before beginning. "We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Valentino Holdings on such a meaningful project," she said, her vo