The Enemy I Couldn't Resist

"You're kidding me. He's the CEO?" I glared at the glass office door as if it had slapped me. "Elena, is something wrong?" The HR woman beamed, clueless. "No. Just… nerves," I lied, pasting on a smile that sliced like broken glass. She opened the door. I stepped inside, each step heavier than the previous one. My heart was racing. I hadn't seen him in three years—not since he sabotaged my bid for promotion and left me publicly embarrassed at my old job. And now, Aiden Cole—the man I promised I'd never say a word to again—sat behind the desk like a king upon a throne. He didn't glance up. Not at first. Just kept typing away on his keyboard as if the room hadn't just erupted into flames. Then, slowly, as if he knew who was walking in, his eyes lifted. Grey. Intense. I tensed. "Elena Adeyemi," he drawled, voice even, but his eyes told a different story. "You're early." "You're still condescending," I barked out before I could catch myself. Aiden smirked. The HR lady gasped. She quickly excused herself and closed the door behind her. Silence filled the room. "I didn't have a choice," I told him rigidly. "They brought me here." His smile evaporated. "Neither did I." I clutched the file against me, longing for it to be armor. "So what do I do now?" "You work. I watch." I flung my eyes wide. "Watch?" He stood, skirted the desk, and came in close. "You're here to demonstrate. I need to see if you still bite. or if you've lost your edge." I bristled. "Don't push me." His lips curled into a sneer. "Oh, I will." The door slammed open. Seyi stood in the doorway, heaving. "Elena," he said, his eyes wide, his voice strained. "You can't trust him