A DEAL WITH THE CEO

CHAPTER 1 Dragged Into The Fire I knew something was wrong the moment HR called me down to the lobby. People don’t look at you like that unless your life is already on fire. Heads turned as I walked between the glass doors. Some pretended they weren't staring, others didn’t bother to hide it. I didn’t even make it past the reception rug before the air shifted. Security stepped out from both sides, surrounding me in a tight circle. No greetings or explanation, just uniforms closing in like they’d been waiting for this moment. My heart skipped. “What’s going on?” I asked but no one replied Instead, they just stared at me with this disappointed and disgusting look, like I'd already been caught doing something terrible. People started mumbling under their breath, saying things I couldn't quite catch. I stood there, not even sure where to look, feeling completely lost. Before I could figure out what was happening, our Chief Accountant pushed through the crowd. His expression was cold and serious, he held a printed sheet in his hand and pointed at it sharply. “Explain this”. I looked down at the paper, and my whole body went cold. It showed a transfer of two million dollars in my name. For a second, I just stared at it because none of it made sense. My hands started to shake. “This… this isn’t me,” I said, panicking. “I didn’t do this. I never transferred any money. I swear, I don't know anything about this.” A few people behind me let out small, mocking laughs. “I knew it,” someone said. “She’s nothing but a thief.” Another voice came from the back. “What do you expect from her? Isn’t this exactly how her father ruined Gilbert Manufacturing? Like father, like daughter.” That hit something in me. I snapped my head up. “Don’t you dare talk about my father,” I said with a breaking voice. “He didn’t steal anything. And I didn’t take a single dime from this company.” The Chief Accountant snorted. “Save it. You can explain yourself at the station. If you’re lucky, the court might let you breathe again someday. Before I could react, the police officers stepped forward. One of them grabbed my arm while the other pulled out handcuffs. Cold metal locked around my wrists, and panic shot through me. “Please… please, you have to look into this,” I cried. “I’ve worked here for four years. I would never do something like this. I didn’t. This is definitely a setup. Please, listen to me.” One of the officers didn’t even look at me. “All evidence points to you. The transfer matched your login, your device and your office access. My vision blurred as tears filled my eyes. More coworkers had gathered now, standing around like they were watching some drama unfold. Some whispered, some just stared and not a single person stood up for me. We had barely taken a few steps toward the exit when a deep voice cut through the room. “Stop”. Everything froze. The officers stopped moving, the murmurs died instantly and even the air felt still. I turned slowly, my heart thudding hard against my chest. Adrian Clark was standing at the entrance of the lobby. The officers stepped back a little, unsure of what to do. Adrian walked forward, steady and controlled, his eyes never leaving mine. For a moment, I forgot the handcuffs on my wrist, the crowd and accusation. The only thing I could focus on was him. This was the only second time I had seen Adrain Clark in my four years at Clark Corporation. The first time had been during the company anniversary event, where he stood on a distant stage and spoke for barely five minutes. But now he was right in front of me. Close enough that I could see the calm and unreadable look in his eyes. He stopped directly in front of us. “What’s going on here?” he asked. The Chief Accountant rushed forward, almost tripping over his own words as he explained everything—my login, the transfer and the “evidence.” I could barely listen. My breath came out shaky, and I wiped my face with the back of my hand, trying to pull myself together, but the tears kept coming. My chest felt tight and my whole body was weak. I didn’t do it,” I said suddenly, interrupting the accountant. “I swear, sir… I didn’t do any of this. I’ve worked here for four years. I’ve done my job, I’ve given everything I could, and I never touched that money.” I could feel myself breaking as I spoke. “Please… please believe me,” I whispered, my shoulders shaking. “I didn’t do it.” The lobby had gone explicitly quiet, everyone was watching and waiting to see what Adrian would say. “Miss Elara,” he said. Come with me.” The officers tried to object but he shut them down with a single look. They stepped aside immediately, not daring to say a word. He turned without saying anything, and I followed him. When we got to his office and the door closed behind us, I quickly dropped to my knees and pleaded. ‘I didn’t do it. I swear on everything I have. I didn’t touch that money.’ He didn’t say anything. He just walked to his desk, picked up the printed evidence, and looked back at me. I pressed my hands together, pleading. “If this gets out, my career is gone,” I said. “My parents depend on me and I can't survive a scandal like this. Adrian, please… please look into this. Just give me a chance to clear my name.” He didn't say anything back. Instead , he walked toward me and crouched down to my level. His face was close enough that I could feel his breath hit my cheek. He reached out and brushed a tear from my face with his thumb. “What do you want me to do?” he asked with an unreadable expression. “Drop the charges,” I whispered. “Please… I’m begging you.” He let out a short scoff. “And why should I do that?” he said. “I just lost two million dollars. Someone has to pay for it.” The coldness in his voice made my skin tighten. I reached for him on instinct, gripping the edge of his sleeve. “I’m all I have,” I said, my voice cracking. “If I go to prison, everything ends. My job, my family… my whole life. Please… help me. ” He studied me for a long moment, then brushed the loose strand of hair and tucked it behind my ear, pulling me a little closer. This made my heart pound harder, but I couldn’t pull away. He exhaled slowly, almost as if he was considering mercy. Then he stood, leaving me on the floor. For a second, he didn’t say anything. His hand slid into his pocket as he turned slightly away from me, rubbing the back of his neck. “You want my help?” he asked. Then tell me what you are willing to give in return. I stared at him, confused. “Anything,” I whispered. “Just… tell me what you want me to do.” He stared at me intensely. Spend the night with me, and I'll clear everything. My breath caught. I wasn’t sure I heard him right. But he didn’t repeat himself.