Till Secrets Do Us Apart

“You’re hired. You start work with immediate effect.” The words struck Dianne suprisingly, she had never heard before. For a moment, she thought she had misheard him. She blinked, her lips parting in disbelief, staring at the man behind the wide glass desk. Fredrick. The name alone carried weight. Even before stepping into his office, she had heard whispers—stories about the powerful CEO whose empire spread across industries like wildfire. Ruthless. Unforgiving and Impossible to impress. And here he was, seated like a king on his throne, his dark tailored suit stretched neatly over broad shoulders. His jaw was sharp, his gaze piercing, and the way he leaned back in his chair with such casual authority made the room itself feel smaller. “Yes,” he repeated, voice low but commanding. “You’re hired.” A rush of emotion exploded inside her chest. Relief. Joy. Hope. Everything at once. Her knees nearly gave out beneath her. “Thank you, sir. Thank you so much!” Her voice wavered, her hands trembling as she clutched her handbag. “You don’t know how much this means to me. ….I” She stopped herself, but the flood of happiness could not be contained. She thought of Samuel—her little boy waiting at home, the way his shoes had holes in them, the way his school fees bothered her every time it was due, raising him as a single mom alone wasnt easy. It was both demanding and tiring. This job wasn’t just a job. It was survival for her and samuel. Her smile stretched uncontrollably, tears stinging her eyes. Before she could stop herself, Dianne moved forward, her heels clicking across the polished floor, and in a burst of gratitude, she leaned in and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you!” she whispered against his shoulder, voice breaking. “Thank you for giving me this chance.” For one second, time froze. Fredrick’s body went still beneath her touch, his muscles taut, his perfume sharp and intoxicating. Then, slowly, deliberately, his hands moved not to return the hug, but to push her away. His palms pressed firmly against her shoulders, separating her from him with an ease that reminded her how strong he truly was. Dianne stumbled back a step, her eyes wide. Fredrick rose from his chair, straightening his jacket. His gaze locked onto her, cold and unreadable. The hint of a smirk ghosted across his lips. “Control yourself,” he said. His voice was smooth, but there was steel beneath it. “This is not a place for… theatrics.” The words sliced through her joy. Her cheeks burned hot, embarrassment crashing over her in a wave. “I-I’m sorry,” she stammered, lowering her head. Her fingers tightened around her bag strap, knuckles turning white. “I didn’t mean to— I was just excited” Fredrick turned away from her mid-sentence, as though her apology wasn’t worth hearing. He adjusted his cufflinks with calm precision, his reflection sharp in the glass wall behind him. “You’ll be working close to me,” he said. “Donald will show you your desk. It’s beside my office. From today, you answer only to me. No mistakes, Miss Dianne. Do you understand?” His voice carried authority that demanded obedience, not gratitude. Dianne nodded quickly. “Yes, sir. I understand.” The large office door opened behind her. A tall, broad-shouldered man in a black suit stepped in—Donald, the driver and bodyguard she had seen earlier at the reception. His eyes were sharp but expressionless, his presence filling the doorway like a silent warning. Fredrick didn’t look up as he dismissed her with a flick of his hand. “Show her.” Donald gave a single nod. “This way.” Dianne forced herself to smile faintly as she turned. She wanted to leave the office with her head held high, but her heart still pounded from the humiliation of her mistake. Hugging him? What had she been thinking? As she stepped out into the corridor, Donald leading the way, she could feel the eyes of other employees on her. Some whispered behind their hands, others simply looked at her with curiosity. It was clear—working so close to Fredrick was no ordinary assignment. Donald stopped at a small but neatly arranged desk just outside Fredrick’s office. The polished wood gleamed under the overhead lights. On it sat a computer, a notepad, and a single pen, aligned with military precision. “This is yours,” Donald said flatly. Dianne nodded, running her hand lightly across the desk. Her chest swelled with pride, despite everything. This was more than she had dared to hope for. A chance. A new beginning. She slid into the chair, exhaling slowly as her hands rested on the desk. The weight of responsibility pressed down on her, but she welcomed it. She thought again of Samuel, imagined the look on his face when she told him. Mommy got the job. Everything will be okay now. For the first time in months, she allowed herself to believe it. Yet, even in that moment of fragile joy, a shiver ran down her spine. Through the glass wall, she felt eyes on her. She looked up. Fredrick was standing in his office, hands in his pockets, staring at her through the glass with that same unreadable expression. His lips curved slightly, not into a smile but into something darker—something calculated. Dianne’s throat tightened. She swallowed hard and forced herself to look away, pretending to be busy with the notepad. But her fingers shook as she picked up the pen. Whatever this was—whatever she had just stepped into—she knew one thing for certain. Fredrick wasn’t a man who gave anything freely.