Amelia sat at her desk, the warm glow of the desk lamp casting long shadows over the open folder in front of her. She had read the same paragraph three times and still couldn't recall what it was about. Her mind wasn't here. It hadn't been here for days.
Instead, her thoughts kept drifting—uninvited and relentless—to Liam Blackthorne.
It was as if the man had taken up permanent residence in her subconscious. The way he looked at her in meetings, intense and unreadable. The occasional touch on her arm, subtle but electric. The sound of his voice when he said her name—how it felt like he wasn't just addressing an employee, but whispering a secret meant only for her.
But it wasn't just attraction. It was more than that now. Something heavier. Something... binding.
And that terrified her.
She sat back and exhaled, the breath shaky. This is not what I came here for.
Just six weeks ago, she had landed the job of her dreams. Hale & Partners was a prestigious company, and the opportunity to work in their executive strategy team had seemed too good to be true. Then she met Liam. The man behind the empire. And everything changed.
He wasn't just the CEO. He was magnetic. Powerful. Dangerous.
And now, Amelia wasn't sure if she was building her career—or being pulled into something she couldn't escape.
A knock on her office door startled her.
It opened a second later, and Liam stepped inside without waiting for a response. As always, he looked like he'd stepped out of a luxury magazine spread—charcoal suit, black tie, not a hair out of place.
But his eyes—those storm-gray eyes—were fixed on her like she was the only person in the world.
"Working late again?" he asked, his voice low and familiar.
She straightened in her chair, trying to mask the way her pulse quickened. "Just catching up. The Montgomery account is more complex than we thought."
He nodded and stepped closer, glancing at the files. "You're doing well, Amelia. Better than anyone expected. Including me."
There was something in his tone—pride, maybe. Or ownership.
"Thanks," she said carefully.
"I know I push you," he added, "but it's only because I see potential. You're not just competent—you're strategic. Hungry. That's rare."
She didn't respond right away. Compliments from Liam always felt... loaded.
Then he added, "But I hope it's not too much. I want you to feel like you belong here."
That word—belong—stuck in her chest.
Did she belong? Or was she being reshaped into someone who would serve Liam's ambitions?
"I appreciate that," she said softly. "But sometimes I wonder if I'm here because of what I bring—or because I'm useful to you."
His gaze sharpened. "You think I'm using you?"
Amelia met his eyes. "Aren't you?"
A beat of silence stretched between them. Something flickered in Liam's expression—surprise, then something darker.
He took a step closer. "You're not just useful to me, Amelia."
Her heart thudded.
"You're important."
There it was again—that weight. Like invisible chains wrapping around her, tightening every time he got closer.
She rose from her chair, needing space, air, something to break the moment.
"Sometimes I don't know where the line is," she admitted. "Between work and... everything else."
Liam's jaw tightened. "You want space."
"I don't know what I want." Her voice cracked despite her effort to stay composed. "I came here for my career. To make something of myself. But lately, I feel like I'm losing track of that. Of who I am."
He stepped forward again, but this time she backed away. Not because she didn't want him closer—but because she did.
"I won't apologize for wanting you on my team," he said quietly. "But I didn't plan for this either, Amelia. You have to know that."
She laughed, bitter and soft. "That doesn't make it easier."
He studied her for a long moment. Then he said something that made her stop breathing.
"You could leave, if it's too much. But you won't."
She blinked. "What?"
"You won't leave," he repeated. "Because no matter how confused you are, there's a part of you that wants to be here. With me. You feel it too."
She hated that he was right.
Hated that her silence confirmed it.
He came closer, gently brushing a hand against her forearm.
"I won't let anything hurt you," he said. "Not your career. Not your name. Not your heart."
That last part—not your heart—was a whisper, but it cut the deepest.
And still, she said nothing.
Because she didn't trust herself to answer.
Because part of her believed him.
And part of her was terrified that he was the danger.
The next morning, Amelia stood in the elevator, surrounded by suits and murmured phone calls, staring at her own reflection in the mirrored walls.
She looked the same. Crisp blouse. Perfectly pinned hair. Calm, composed expression.
But something inside her had shifted.
It wasn't just about the job anymore. It hadn't been for a while.
The doors opened, and as she stepped out onto the executive floor, she caught a glimpse of Julian across the hallway.
He paused, his eyes meeting hers.
Unlike Liam, Julian didn't look at her like he owned her. He looked at her like he saw her.
It was a strange contrast. One made her feel powerful. The other made her feel known.
She turned away and walked to her office, heart pounding.
She was losing control.
And worse—she wasn't sure she wanted it back.