Olivia Hart prided herself on control. She controlled her company, her board, her schedule—and most importantly, her emotions. She was untouchable, unshakable, the ice queen everyone respected, feared, and envied.
Until Ethan Cole became her secretary.
The office felt charged even before he arrived that morning. Olivia hadn't expected him to arrive early, but there he was, perfectly dressed, tie straight, calm, and infuriatingly precise in his movements. Every step toward her desk made her pulse quicken. Every subtle glance made her body betray the carefully constructed control she had clung to for years.
"Good morning, Ms. Hart," he said softly, voice low, smooth, authoritative, yet gentle enough to send shivers down her spine.
"Good morning," she replied, sharply, still attempting to maintain her composure. She forced herself to focus on the files in front of her, ignoring the way her stomach twisted when he leaned just slightly closer.
"Board meeting in an hour," he said, placing the folder gently on her desk. Their fingers brushed. A spark shot through her like electricity. She pulled her hand back, aware of the heat rising in her cheeks.
"You're on fire this morning," he murmured, voice teasing. "You can admit it."
She glared at him. "I'm focused."
He smiled faintly, clearly unconvinced.
The sound of heels clicking across the polished floor drew her attention. Olivia froze. She knew that sound too well, and her stomach sank.
"Damien."
Damien Laurent, her ex. Charming, cruel, and impossibly arrogant, strode into her office with a smile that didn't reach his cold eyes. He had been a rival CEO, a man who had hurt her in ways she refused to admit—even to herself. His arrival here, unannounced, was a warning, and she knew it.
"Olivia," he said smoothly, voice silk over steel. "Fancy seeing you here."
Ethan stiffened behind her, a shadow of tension passing over his normally calm face. He had noticed the man entering, but he hadn't spoken. He was watching, calculating. Protective. Dangerous in a way that made her pulse race.
"What do you want, Damien?" Olivia asked, voice icy, sharp, controlled.
"Just business," he replied with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I hear Hart Global is making some… interesting hires."
Her jaw tightened. She knew exactly what he meant. And she also knew that Damien had been following her every move since their split, waiting for any opportunity to undermine her—or hurt her—emotionally.
Ethan cleared his throat. "Ms. Hart, should I handle the visitor?"
"No," she said, still standing behind her desk, voice sharp. "I can manage."
Ethan's eyes narrowed, protective instinct flaring. He moved just slightly closer to her, a subtle warning in his posture.
Damien's smile flickered. He noticed the tension between them and smirked knowingly. "Ah, I see. The new secretary is… attentive."
Olivia's pulse spiked. She wanted to crush Damien with words, wit, or even her presence—but the subtle insinuation of Ethan being involved sent a jolt through her body that she couldn't ignore. Heat pooled in her chest, anger and desire colliding.
"Mr. Cole is a professional," she said tightly, tone icy. "And this is a business meeting, not a social gathering."
Damien's smirk widened. "Of course. Business. I wouldn't dream of interrupting… your little arrangement."
Her blood ran cold. He was mocking her—and more dangerously, he was exposing what she had tried to keep hidden: the tension, the attraction, the forbidden pull between her and Ethan.
Ethan stepped forward, voice low and calm but carrying steel beneath the gentleness. "I suggest you leave, Mr. Laurent. Before you say something you'll regret."
Damien's eyes flicked to him, sizing him up. "Ah, I see. The secretary has taken on the role of bodyguard as well." He chuckled, a dark, dangerous sound. "Interesting."
Olivia felt her chest tighten. She wanted to scold him, confront him, crush him verbally—but part of her, the part that had wanted him that night in the office, was suddenly furious that Ethan had taken her side. Protective. Dominant. Insistent. And she loved it.
Damien finally straightened, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "This isn't over," he said softly, voice laced with venom. "Enjoy your little… partnership while it lasts."
And then he was gone, heels clicking down the hallway. The office felt colder in his absence. Olivia exhaled shakily, leaning back against her desk.
Ethan stepped closer, placing a firm, steadying hand on her shoulder. Heat radiated from his palm into her skin. "You okay?" he asked quietly.
She wanted to tell him yes. She wanted to tell him that she could handle Damien Laurent. But the truth was… she wasn't okay. Not really. Not with him standing there, protecting her, making her feel things she had spent years burying.
"I'm fine," she whispered, voice shaky despite herself.
He studied her carefully, eyes dark and unreadable. "You don't have to handle everything alone," he murmured. "Not with me here."
Her chest tightened. "I know," she said softly. "But some things… some things I have to handle myself."
He nodded, his hand lingering briefly on her shoulder before he stepped back, giving her space—but not retreating completely. The tension between them remained, simmering, almost unbearable.
As the door closed behind him, Olivia sank into her chair, chest heaving, mind racing. Her ice walls had cracked that day, and Damien's intrusion had reminded her just how fragile she had become.
And yet… the feeling of Ethan standing so close, protective, commanding, and controlled, left her aching for more.
For the first time, she realized that the office was no longer just a place of work. It had become a battlefield—one of desire, of power, of jealousy, and of dangerous, undeniable attraction.
And Olivia Hart, ice queen, CEO of Hart Global, had just discovered that she was losing.