Risking It All

The alarm blared like a siren—sharp, relentless, and far too loud for six in the morning. Eva Sinclair shot up from her bed, wide-eyed, disoriented, and hopelessly tangled in her sheets. “Not again!” she groaned, yanking herself free. Her gorgeous brunette hair, a cascade of wild curls, stuck out in every direction like she’d just been through a windstorm. The old alarm clock clattered to the ground as she fumbled to silence it. She glanced at her phone, heart sinking at the time. It was already past 8:00 AM, and she had precisely twenty minutes to get to her new job at Ryder Media—a job that was supposed to change her life, at least according to her sister. Running to the bathroom, she cleaned herself in record time, and dashed out quickly while muttering about trying to get ready. “Today is the day I’m going to be professional,” Eva muttered to herself as she hopped on one foot, pulling on a mismatched pair of shoes in her cluttered bedroom. Clothes of every colour and materials were strewn about. “I am going to make a good impression. I will not trip over anything, spill coffee on anyone, or—" A loud thud interrupted her pep talk. Eva turned to see the stack of her notebooks she’d placed precariously on her desk last night now scattered across the floor, half-covered in spilled water from the glass she knocked over in her sleep. “Of course,” she sighed. With a final glance at her mirror, where she noticed a smudge of toothpaste on her chin, she quickly swiped it with her knucles and she grabbed her bag and rushed out of the door. The streets of the city were already bustling with the early morning crowd, but Eva was used to weaving through it like a professional dodgeball player. What she wasn’t used to was feeling so nervous. This wasn’t like her. Her sister, Natalie had already gone to work without waiting for her. Her thoughts raced as she speed-walked toward the shiny glass building in the heart of the city. Ryder Media, the gold letters gleamed above the entrance. It wasn’t just any media company—it was THE media company. People fought tooth and nail to land a job there. She still wasn’t sure how she’d done it. Her sister, Natalie, had practically shoved her through the interview process, but somehow Eva had charmed her way in during the interview process. Now, all she had to do was to keep it. She had no other choice at this stage of her life. She is 24 years old, still living with her parents (traditional) who refuses to let her move out until she gets a job or get married to someone of her parents choice. That was the ultimatum given to her two weeks ago. If not for her sister, she didnt know what she would have done. The moment she entered the sleek lobby, her nerves kicked into overdrive. Everything was so pristine—gleaming floors, modern furniture, and a receptionist who looked like she had just stepped out of a fashion magazine. “Hi, I’m Eva Sinclair. I’m supposed to start today,” she stammered. The receptionist raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow and glanced at her computer screen. “You’re late.” “I know,” Eva winced, “but just by a little. It’s only—” She glanced at the clock. It was 9:35. She was thirty-five minutes late. Before she could explain further, the elevator doors across the room opened with a soft ding. And out stepped a man who could have easily been mistaken for a model—or a movie star, or maybe even a prince if princes wore tailored suits and walked with a kind of quiet authority that made everyone else in the room stand a little straighter. Damien Ryder. Eva’s breath caught. She’d seen pictures of him before—handsome, yes—but in person, he was striking. Tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair slicked back in a way that was both effortless and meticulously groomed. His sharp jawline and piercing eyes gave off an air of power and mystery. She swallowed. No way is that my new boss. But as if the universe had heard her, Damien’s gaze landed on her, and for a split second, he paused, his eyes narrowing as if he was trying to figure her out. Then, without a word, he moved past her, his long strides carrying him toward the office doors. Her stomach did a somersault. Great start, Eva. Really great. “Ms. Sinclair,” the receptionist called, startling her. “Mr. Ryder will see you now.” Eva blinked, her heart thudding erratically in her chest. She hadn’t even made it through the lobby, and she was already meeting the CEO? “Good luck,” the receptionist added with a knowing smile, her voice laced with amusement. Eva took a deep breath and followed Damien’s path through the towering glass doors. Inside, the office was just as intimidating as the man who ran it—modern, sleek, and entirely too perfect for someone who was already feeling completely out of place. And there he was, seated behind an enormous desk, his fingers steepled as he looked up at her with those unreadable eyes. She swore the room temperature dropped five degrees. “Ms. Sinclair,” Damien said in a low, smooth voice, “My assistant arrives one hour before me. I trust you’ll find punctuality more manageable in the future.” Eva’s face flushed crimson. “I—yes, absolutely, Mr. Ryder. I swear this won’t happen again.” There was a long pause. His gaze flicked down to the file in front of him—her file—and back up at her. “For your sake, I hope not.”