Chapter 1:

The Late Night Tension

The clock on my desk glowed past 9 PM, and the entire floor was quiet except for the low hum of the air conditioning and the occasional creak of the building settling. I rubbed my eyes, staring at the glowing spreadsheet that refused to balance. Another late night. Being executive assistant to Mason Blackwell meant long hours, but I never complained. Not when the pay was this good and the man himself… well, that was another story.

I stood up to stretch, smoothing down my tight black pencil skirt that had ridden up my thighs from sitting so long. The silk blouse I wore...