Not Suitable For Work

A Warning Wrapped In Silk

Ava stared at Ethan.

"What do you mean?"

Ethan's expression remained unreadable.

For a moment, it seemed as though he was debating whether to answer her question.

Then he sighed.

"Nothing."

Ava frowned.

"Mr. Blackwood—"

"Ethan."

The correction slipped out before he could stop it.

Both of them froze.

Neither had expected it.

Ava's heart skipped.

The fact that he wanted her to call him by his first name shouldn't have affected her.

But it did.

Unfortunately.

Ethan cleared his throat.

"When we're alone."

Ava nodded slowly.

"Okay."

The strange tension between them lingered.

Then Ethan stepped around his desk.

"The reports."

Ava blinked.

"The reports?"

"You came in here for work."

Right.

Work.

Not whatever this was.

She quickly handed him the files she'd prepared.

Ethan flipped through the documents.

His eyes moved quickly across the pages.

One minute passed.

Then two.

Then three.

Ava stood quietly.

Waiting.

Nervous.

Finally, Ethan closed the file.

"Good."

Ava nearly fell over.

Good?

That was it?

No criticism?

No corrections?

No impossible standards?

"Good?" she repeated.

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"Would you prefer bad?"

Ava quickly shook her head.

"No."

"Then take the compliment."

To her surprise, a smile tugged at her lips.

It was the first compliment he'd given her since she started working here.

And for some ridiculous reason...

It mattered.

A lot.

Before she could respond, a sharp knock interrupted them.

Neither looked away immediately.

The moment stretched.

Then another knock sounded.

More impatient this time.

Ethan's jaw tightened.

"Come in."

The office door opened.

Vanessa entered.

And immediately stopped.

Her eyes moved between Ethan and Ava.

The smile on her face remained.

But her eyes hardened.

Ava noticed instantly.

So did Ethan.

"Vanessa."

The woman crossed the room confidently.

She looked stunning as always.

Elegant.

Perfect.

Untouchable.

The type of woman magazine covers were made for.

She leaned down and kissed Ethan's cheek.

Ava immediately looked away.

Why was that uncomfortable?

It shouldn't be.

Ethan and Vanessa were engaged.

That was normal.

Perfectly normal.

Then why did her stomach suddenly feel strange?

Vanessa's gaze landed on the reports in Ethan's hands.

"The new assistant?"

Ethan nodded.

"She's efficient."

The compliment surprised Ava.

Apparently it surprised Vanessa too.

The woman's smile faltered briefly.

Just for a second.

But Ava caught it.

Vanessa stepped closer.

"So you're Ava."

There was something unsettling about the way she said her name.

Not rude.

Not friendly.

Evaluating.

Like a queen examining a potential threat.

Ava offered a polite smile.

"It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

The lie sounded beautiful.

Vanessa turned toward Ethan.

"We still have dinner tonight."

Ethan glanced at his calendar.

His expression changed.

Slightly.

Ava noticed.

He didn't look excited.

He looked trapped.

"We'll see."

Vanessa laughed.

"We'll see?"

"I have meetings."

"You always have meetings."

The teasing tone sounded affectionate.

But underneath it, Ava detected irritation.

Vanessa clearly wasn't used to hearing no.

The office grew quiet.

The atmosphere uncomfortable.

Vanessa eventually sighed dramatically.

"Fine."

Then she looked directly at Ava.

"I'll be borrowing your boss for the evening."

Ava forced a smile.

"Of course."

Vanessa smiled back.

Satisfied.

As though she'd won something.

A competition Ava didn't even know existed.

A few moments later, Vanessa left.

The door closed behind her.

Silence filled the office.

Ava immediately gathered her notebook.

"I should get back to work."

Ethan nodded.

But as she reached the door, his voice stopped her.

"Ava."

Her pulse jumped.

She turned.

"Yes?"

For a moment, he simply looked at her.

Then he said quietly,

"Don't let Vanessa intimidate you."

Ava froze.

So he noticed it too.

The strange interaction.

The hidden warning beneath Vanessa's smile.

"Was she trying to?"

Ethan's eyes darkened.

A humorless smile touched his lips.

"You'll figure that out soon enough."

A chill ran through Ava.

Because for the first time since meeting Vanessa, she had a feeling that Ethan wasn't warning her about office politics.

He was warning her about Vanessa herself.

And somehow...

That was much worse.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur.

Ava buried herself in work.

Emails.

Schedules.

Meeting requests.

Client reports.

Anything to keep her mind occupied.

Anything to stop thinking about Ethan.

And Vanessa.

Especially Vanessa.

The woman seemed perfect.

Beautiful.

Sophisticated.

Confident.

Everything Ava wasn't.

Yet something about her felt off.

Maybe it was the way she'd looked at her.

Maybe it was the way Ethan seemed uncomfortable whenever Vanessa was around.

Or maybe it was the warning Ethan had given her.

"Don't let Vanessa intimidate you."

The words kept replaying in her head.

By five o'clock, Ava was preparing the documents Ethan would need for his evening meetings.

She organized the files neatly into folders and stood from her desk.

His office door was closed.

No surprise there.

Ethan had spent most of the afternoon in meetings.

Balancing the folders against her chest, Ava approached the door.

She raised her hand to knock.

Then stopped.

Voices.

Someone was inside.

Vanessa.

Ava immediately recognized her voice.

She turned to leave.

The conversation wasn't her business.

But before she could walk away, Ethan's voice stopped her.

Sharp.

Cold.

Frustrated.

"I already told you no."

Ava froze.

The office door wasn't fully closed.

Just enough for voices to slip through.

Vanessa laughed.

The sound held no humor.

"You've never said no before."

"Things change."

The silence that followed felt heavy.

Dangerous.

Ava should leave.

She knew she should.

Yet her feet refused to move.

"You've been avoiding me."

Vanessa's voice had become softer.

More emotional.

Ethan sighed.

"I'm busy."

"That's not an answer."

"It is."

"You haven't returned my calls."

"Ethan."

"You cancelled dinner."

"Ethan."

"You cancelled our weekend plans."

"Ethan."

A long pause followed.

Then Vanessa spoke again.

This time her voice cracked slightly.

"What's happening to us?"

Ava's stomach twisted.

The vulnerability sounded genuine.

For the first time, she felt bad for Vanessa.

The woman sounded hurt.

Ethan remained silent.

Far too silent.

And somehow that seemed worse.

Eventually Vanessa laughed bitterly.

"There is someone else."

Ava's eyes widened.

Inside the office, a chair scraped against the floor.

"Don't start."

"Then tell me I'm wrong."

Silence.

Again.

Too much silence.

Ava suddenly felt uncomfortable.

This wasn't a conversation she should be hearing.

She took a step backward.

Then another.

But before she could escape completely, Vanessa spoke again.

This time her voice was ice cold.

"It's her, isn't it?"

Ava stopped.

Her heart skipped.

No.

Surely not.

"Vanessa."

"The assistant."

The words landed like a slap.

Ava nearly dropped the folders.

Inside the office, Ethan's voice lowered.

Dangerously low.

"Leave her out of this."

Vanessa laughed.

The sound sent chills down Ava's spine.

"Interesting."

Another pause.

Then:

"You're defending her."

"I'm warning you."

The room fell silent.

Even through the door, Ava could feel the tension.

The anger.

The challenge.

Two people standing on opposite sides of a battlefield.

"You care about her."

Vanessa's accusation echoed through the room.

"No."

The answer came instantly.

Too instantly.

Ava's chest tightened.

Why did that bother her?

Why did she care?

She barely knew him.

Yet hearing him deny it felt strangely disappointing.

Ridiculous.

Completely ridiculous.

Vanessa clearly wasn't convinced.

Neither was Ava.

And judging by the silence that followed—

Neither was Ethan.

A few moments later, footsteps approached the door.

Ava's eyes widened.

Panic surged through her.

If they found her standing here—

She quickly hurried back toward her desk.

Just as the office door opened.

Vanessa emerged.

Her eyes immediately found Ava.

For one terrifying second, Ava wondered if she'd been caught.

But Vanessa simply smiled.

A cold.

Beautiful.

Terrifying smile.

Then she walked away.

The executive floor seemed to breathe again after she left.

Ava released a shaky breath.

Seconds later, Ethan stepped out of his office.

His tie was loosened.

His expression dark.

His mood even darker.

He stopped when he saw Ava.

Their eyes met.

And for a brief moment, neither spoke.

Ava wondered if he knew.

If he somehow sensed she'd overheard everything.

But Ethan simply looked at the folders in her hands.

"The client files?"

Ava nodded.

"Ready."

He accepted them.

Their fingers brushed.

A small touch.

Barely noticeable.

Yet both of them felt it.

The air shifted.

Just slightly.

Ethan cleared his throat first.

"Go home."

Ava blinked.

"What?"

"It's late."

The concern surprised her.

Again.

"I'm almost finished."

"You can finish tomorrow."

The words sounded familiar.

A lot like the night before.

For a moment neither looked away.

Then Ethan stepped back.

The wall around him returning once more.

"Goodnight, Ava."

Her name sounded different when he said it.

Softer.

More personal.

And somehow that made her heart beat faster.

"Goodnight, Ethan."

For a second, surprise flickered across his face.

She'd called him Ethan.

Not Mr. Blackwood.

Ethan.

Exactly the way he'd asked.

A slow smile appeared on his lips.

Small.

Rare.

Dangerous.

Then he disappeared back into his office.

Leaving Ava standing there.

Completely unaware that Vanessa, from the elevator at the end of the hall, had witnessed the entire exchange.

And she did not look happy.