The next morning, Amelia stood outside Willow Enterprises with her heart beating a little too fast. The building looked even taller, even colder, than it had yesterday. It was not just a company; it was a fortress, and inside it waited the man who already unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.
She adjusted the collar of her blouse, smoothed her skirt, and walked inside with calm determination. She had promised herself she would not let Noah Willow intimidate her. He was just a man. A powerful, ruthless, arrogant man. But still a man.
The receptionist recognized her immediately. "Mr. Willow asked me to escort you upstairs."
Amelia nodded, following her toward the private elevator. As they ascended, she breathed in slowly, steadying herself. She had faced far worse than a cold CEO. If only he knew.
The doors opened, and the receptionist gestured. "Here will be your office."
Amelia stepped out. The corridor was quiet, the air crisp with the faint scent of polished wood and expensive cologne. The secretary's desk that would soon be hers stood empty, placed directly outside the massive double doors that led to Noah's office.
She set down her bag, straightened the files she had prepared, and checked her watch. Exactly eight o'clock. She would not give him the satisfaction of catching her off guard.
The doors opened suddenly, and Noah himself emerged. His presence filled the space instantly. Dark suit, crisp shirt, tie knotted with precision. His eyes swept over her in one slow, assessing glance that made her skin prickle.
"On time," he said simply, voice flat but carrying weight.
"I said I would be," Amelia replied.
One of his brows arched, almost imperceptibly. "Follow me."
He turned without waiting, and she had no choice but to step inside his office. The room was enormous, the walls lined with shelves of books and files, one side entirely glass with a breathtaking view of the city. It was an empire, and he was the king.
He walked behind his desk, but he did not sit. Instead, he leaned against it, crossing his arms as his gaze locked onto her.
"Before you begin, you should understand something," he said. His tone was calm, almost casual, but Amelia could feel the warning behind every word. "Working for me is not like working for anyone else. I do not explain myself. I do not repeat myself. You will listen, you will obey, and you will keep up. If you cannot, you will be gone before the day ends."
Amelia kept her expression steady. "I understand."
His lips curved, though it was not a smile. "Do you?"
She met his eyes without flinching. "Yes."
For a moment, silence stretched. Then he pushed away from the desk and walked past her, his shoulder brushing hers lightly. It was not an accident. He was testing her.
He stopped by her new desk outside his office. "This is where you will work. Every call, every document, every appointment passes through you first. I do not tolerate mistakes."
"I will not make them," Amelia said.
His gaze lingered on her face for a second too long, as though measuring whether she truly believed her own words. Then he returned to his office, leaving the door slightly ajar.
Amelia exhaled softly. She set her files down, opened her laptop, and began reviewing his schedule for the day. Meetings, conference calls, reports that needed approval. His life was a maze of control, and she was now a part of it.
The phone on her desk rang. She picked it up immediately. "Mr. Willow's office."
A voice on the other end rattled off details about a client meeting. Amelia wrote everything down with quick precision, then entered it neatly into the schedule. She barely had time to finish before the intercom buzzed.
"Miss Thomas." His voice carried from the speaker, low and commanding. "Bring me the Simmons file. Now."
She grabbed the folder and walked into his office. He was standing by the window, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a document. The sunlight cast sharp lines across his features, making him look carved from steel.
She placed the file on his desk. "The Simmons file."
He did not look at it. Instead, he turned his gaze on her. "How do you take your coffee?"
The question caught her off guard. "Black, usually."
His lips curved faintly. "Good. So do I. You will prepare mine from now on. Strong, no sugar."
Amelia's brow lifted just slightly. "Is that part of the job description?"
His eyes darkened, a flicker of warning sparking there. "Everything I say is part of the job description."
Her pulse raced, but she forced herself to keep her voice steady. "Then I suppose I should start practicing."
His gaze lingered on her for a long moment, then he returned to the file in his hand. "Dismissed."
Amelia left, closing the door softly behind her. She could still feel the weight of his stare even after she sat back at her desk.
The rest of the morning passed in a blur of phone calls and messages. Amelia worked quickly, her hands moving with steady precision, but her mind could not entirely shake the intensity of Noah's presence.
Every so often, the door to his office would open, and he would issue an order without preamble. Each time, his gaze would brush over her, sharp and calculating, as though he were peeling back layers she fought hard to protect.
By noon, she had organized his afternoon meetings, sent out a dozen emails, and prepared several files. She was efficient. Competent. But she could not ignore the way his authority pressed down on the entire floor, as though the building itself bent to his will.
When she finally glanced up from her work, she caught him watching her through the glass wall of his office. His eyes were unreadable, but the intensity made her breath catch. He did not look away. Neither did She.
A silent battle stretched between them until the phone on her desk rang again, breaking the spell. She answered, her voice calm, but her hands trembled slightly as she set the receiver down.
For the first time in a long while, Amelia realized she was not just working to hide her identity. She was also working to keep her heart from betraying her.
And Noah Willow, cold and dangerous, seemed determined to test both.