It had been a full week since Ava started working at Valen Global.

Each morning, she arrived early, dressed neatly in blouses and slacks she ironed the night before. She wore a calm expression, one she practiced in the mirror every morning. And each night, she returned home drained, not just from the workload, but from everything her mind had to carry.

The building still intimidated her a little. It wasn’t just the glass walls, the quiet elevators, or the fast-moving employees who seemed to know exactly where they were going, it was knowing who the company belonged to.

Damien.

Even though she hadn’t seen him, his presence was everywhere....