The First Day
Chapter One: The First Day
The sky over Manhattan was painted a soft, dreamy gold when Ariana Moore stepped off the subway and into a city that had never once paused for anyone. The morning air buzzed with promise, and so did her nerves. She clutched her tote bag against her chest as though it might steady the chaos swirling in her chest. Today wasn’t just another day—it was the beginning of everything.
Her first day as an intern at Wolfe International.
Wolfe International wasn’t just a company; it was a kingdom. And at the top of that glittering empire sat Damien Wolfe, a billionaire CEO with a reputation as ruthless as he was irresistible. Ariana had seen his face in business magazines, plastered across digital billboards, and whispered about in the college halls like he was a legend—tall, cold, brilliant, and utterly out of reach. And now she was walking through the same doors as him.
She tried not to let the glass skyscraper intimidate her, but it was hard not to feel small when stepping into the belly of a building that sparkled like it was made of diamonds. She tucked a loose curl behind her ear, straightened her second-hand blazer, and lifted her chin. Fake it till you make it, right?
The lobby bustled with heels clicking against marble, phones pressed to ears, and polished people who looked like they had their lives figured out. Ariana didn’t. She had a partial scholarship, a stack of student loans, and an anxiety attack waiting for her if she messed this up.
"Name?" a woman behind the reception desk asked without looking up.
"Ariana Moore. I'm the new intern in the marketing department."
A flicker of movement, then a quick scan of her face. The receptionist handed her a guest badge with a practiced smile. "Thirty-fourth floor. Marketing wing. Welcome to Wolfe."
The elevator ride was both too fast and too slow. She watched the numbers climb, her heart thudding faster with each ding. When the doors opened, she stepped into a hallway that smelled like expensive cologne and fresh leather.
"Ariana Moore?" A woman in a sleek black dress and red lipstick approached. "I’m Jenna. I’ll be your supervisor. Come, we have a lot to get through."
Jenna walked fast. Talked faster. Within minutes, Ariana was introduced to a dozen people, given a folder of onboarding tasks, and directed to a corner desk. But even as she tried to focus on passwords and email protocols, her mind kept wandering.
To him.
Damien Wolfe.
She knew she wouldn’t see him. Interns didn’t breathe the same air as CEOs. Still, her gaze drifted to the frosted glass offices at the end of the hall.
"Don’t even bother," one of the other interns whispered beside her. "Wolfe doesn’t even look at us unless we break something. And then you’re fired."
Ariana laughed nervously. She wasn’t planning on breaking anything.
But fate didn’t care about plans.
Later that day, balancing two coffees and her phone, she rounded a corner and slammed directly into a wall of muscle. One cup spilled, scalding her wrist. Papers flew.
She gasped. "Oh my God, I’m so sorry—"
"Watch where you're going," came a low, commanding voice.
She froze. Because the man in front of her wasn't just any man.
It was him.
Damien Wolfe.
Up close, he was even more dangerous. Midnight-black hair, chiseled jaw, steel-gray eyes that pinned her in place. His tailored suit clung to a body that looked like it belonged in a magazine. Or a fantasy.
He looked at her with cool irritation—until his gaze dipped to her trembling hands and coffee-stained blouse. Something shifted. Slight, but enough.
"You're the new intern," he said flatly.
She nodded, unable to speak.
He handed her the dropped phone, eyes lingering on her flushed face. "Next time, don’t carry more than you can handle."
Then he walked away.
And Ariana’s heart thundered for a very different reason.
She hadn’t even been here one full day, and already, she had caught the attention of the one man she was supposed to avoid.
She didn’t know it yet, but this was only the beginning.
Of something completely unexpected.
