demands of the job were nothing new. She had been working hard for years to climb the ladder, to make a name for herself, but nothing had prepared her for the i

rds, who tolerated no mistakes and commanded respect with every glance. But heari

meeting, but she could feel his intensity pressing down on her. Every second that passed in his presence seemed to amplify the pressure. She hadn't mi

quiet hum of the office around her didn't soothe her like it should have. Every time her

ere simple: organize another meeting, send out an email blast to the executive team but it wasn't the

n just demanding. He was relentless. Every request he made came with a cold authority that left no room for hesitation. And it wasn't just his professional demeanor that rattled her, it was the subtle way he watc

uggestion in a meeting, when she walked past him in the hallway his eyes lingered. It was subtle but undeniable, the way he see

atching her, though he was across the room, buried in his own work. Alexis shook her head, trying to focus. She had a job

ire office had faded into the background. Alexis couldn't look away, even if she tried. There was something dangerous about his stare, something that both unnerv

mething more calculated in the way he said her name, something that made her feel like she was a

tiniest bit. "Why are you still here? You should've left

e again too often now. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to leave. The work was never

eeting tomorrow," she said quickly, but her v

er so slightly. "You really should learn to pace yourself, Alex

concerned? Alexis couldn't be sure. He wasn't the type to s

g her lip. "I'll

to speak again, but then, to her surprise, he turned away from the win

e asked, his voice still firm, but there was some

ered, surprised by th

uldn't quite place. Then, in that typical, commanding tone, he said, "I trust

rned to leave, she caught herself wo

tween her and Sebastian, and it was unlike anything she had ever experienced. She had spent her whole life trying to gain approval especially from the people who

to leave for the night, she caught Sebast

ze once again, the same unsettling feeling rising within her. She couldn't explain it, but she knew that this feeling, this connection between them,