My demanding CEO

Chapter 8: Keep me updated.

Tiara's POV

“I’m sorry, sir. That was unprofessional. I didn’t mean it—it just slipped out.”

Asher’s expression turned cold. He stood, walking around the desk until he was right in front of me, towering over me with intensity in his eyes.

“Oh, I think you meant exactly what you said,” he said, voice low. “Are you telling me I should think before speaking? Do you know who’s in charge here—you or me?”

A shiver ran down my spine. I took a step back.

“I’m sorry, sir. That was completely unprofessional of me.”

He studied me for a moment, then gave a curt nod. “Unprofessional. Whatever. Just tell me why you’re here.”

I took a steadying breath and launched into my explanation. “It’s about the Smith account, sir. While reviewing the financial reports, I noticed some discrepancies that need to be addressed.”

His eyes narrowed. “Discrepancies? What kind?”

I hesitated, unsure how much to share. But something about his focus made me think I could trust him—just a little.

“I think there may be some irregularities in the accounting, sir. I’d like to go over them with you, if that’s alright.”

His expression shifted, and for a moment I thought I saw interest flicker across his face.

“Irregularities, huh? Alright, this sounds serious. Let’s talk more about it.”

Asher returned to his seat.

Won’t he let me sit? So proud, I thought.

As if reading my mind, he said, “Aren’t you going to sit, or are you just not used to big offices with handsome guys in them?”

I rolled my eyes and sat down. “You really should stop praising yourself—it doesn’t make you a better person.”

Oh no. Another slip of the tongue.

“What?” Asher looked genuinely shocked. “You know, I attract a lot of women. And you're clearly one of them—you were standing there ogling earlier, right?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I felt heat rush through me. “I wasn’t ogling! I was just checking to see if you were busy and thinking about how to start the conversation.” I replied, flustered.

I couldn’t believe this.

Asher smirked, letting out a low, throaty chuckle. “Save it, girl. I know when a woman’s checking me out. And you, my dear, definitely were.”

My face burned even hotter, and I looked away, trying to compose myself.

“That’s not the point, sir. The point is the irregularities in the Smith account.”

Asher leaned back in his chair, the smirk still lingering. “Oh, right—the Smith account.” His eyes narrowed. “So tell me more. What makes you think something’s off?”

I took a deep breath, doing my best to stay composed despite his teasing. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was enjoying this—that he was deliberately trying to rattle me.

I launched into my explanation, showing him the financial reports and pointing out the discrepancies. Asher listened carefully, his expression turning more serious with every detail.

As we went over the data, his eyes locked on mine—intense, focused, like he was trying to read beyond the numbers.

“I want us to dig deeper, Tiara,” he said, his voice low and urgent.

I nodded, feeling resolute. “Of course, sir. I’ll go through the files again and see if I can find anything else.”

Asher nodded slowly. “Good. Keep me updated, Tiara. I want to know everything.”