Entangled to him.

Unexpected turn

Keisha's POV

I sprang out of bed, shaking off the remnants of my self-doubt. I had second thoughts about going to work today. The nerves were real, but I decided to push through. This was the opportunity of a lifetime—the dream job I had worked so hard for. Sure, I was heartbroken, still reeling from the betrayal of Bach, and yeah, my mind wasn’t entirely clear, but I couldn’t let that stop me. I am Keisha Anders, and I’ve always been the kind of person who faces challenges head-on. I could do this.

I quickly showered, threw on a chic outfit, and had a simple breakfast, trying to ignore the dread bubbling in my stomach. I was about to walk into Carson Tech—an industry giant, the company where I'd always dreamed of working.

As I stepped out of my apartment, I could feel the weight of the day pressing on me. But I couldn’t let that get to me. This was a fresh start. I could feel it.

I made a pit stop at my favorite café. A good coffee was essential to kick-start my day. My body felt sluggish without it. The barista knew my usual order, and I stood there, waiting for it to be ready, trying to take in the sights and sounds of the busy café. But then, something stopped me in my tracks.

I noticed him.

The guy from two days ago. The one-night stand. His striking blue eyes were impossible to miss, and the sharp lines of his jaw made my heart flutter—despite everything. He was there, standing with a woman, looking as effortlessly perfect as ever. For a moment, I felt that familiar rush of heat in my cheeks, the memory of that wild night we shared. But then, I reminded myself. He was with someone else. It didn’t matter.

I grabbed my coffee, but something mischievous flickered inside me. I wasn’t the type to let something slide, especially not when it involved me. Without thinking, I walked over, deliberately bumping into him and spilling my coffee all over them.

“Oh my goodness, I am so sorry,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

His eyes met mine, and I could see the faintest glint of recognition in his gaze. But that was it. He didn’t look shocked, not like I expected him to. Instead, the woman with him seemed ready to explode. She had that typical plastic look—overdone lip fillers, a botched BBL, the works. I almost felt sorry for her, except she had a way of looking at me like I had just ruined her perfect little world.

“How dare you! Do you know how much this shirt costs?” she shrieked, her voice high-pitched, as though she was some kind of socialite whose life revolved around designer labels.

I almost laughed. The shirt looked like something you'd find in a thrift store. If it was truly expensive, she’d been duped.

Before I could say anything else, the guy—my one-night stand—spoke up.

“Let’s get out of here, Chloe,” he said, his tone blunt, dismissive. He grabbed her arm and led her away, completely ignoring me. Not that I wanted his attention, but the lack of acknowledgement stung a little. We had shared a night, and now I was a stranger to him.

I stood there, frozen for a moment, but then I snapped myself out of it. Why was I even upset? It was just a one-night thing. Nothing special. I wasn’t supposed to care. So, I didn’t. I quickly left the café and headed to work.

I couldn’t believe it was Monday. This was the day. The day I had always dreamed of. Carson Tech—finally. I could feel the energy in the air as I stood in front of the sleek glass building. The world felt like it was at my feet, and for a moment, the weight of my broken heart faded.

I had always been the tech-savvy girl, the one who knew all the tricks, the one who could break down any program and rebuild it. But my parents couldn’t afford to send me to college, so I had to settle for a high school diploma. And yet, I had made it here. I had secured a job, even if it wasn’t the software engineering position I had originally dreamed of. I was now the personal assistant to Mr. Carson, the CEO of Carson Tech.

It wasn’t what I envisioned, but it was a start. A stepping stone. I could learn from him, from everyone here, and prove myself. I entered the building with my head held high, taking in the polished marble floors and the bright modern aesthetic.

I reached the elevator and rode it up to the first floor, where the CEO’s office was located. When I arrived, I noticed that Mr. Carson wasn’t there yet. I took the opportunity to set up my desk and get organized, eagerly anticipating the day ahead.

I logged into the company laptop and double-checked the documents that had been left for me. Everything was ready. I just needed Mr. Carson to arrive so I could introduce myself properly.

Then, just as I was about to settle in, a guy walked up to me.

“I hope you last,” he said, eyeing me with a strange expression.

“Excuse me?” I asked, confused and a little wary.

“Sorry, let me introduce myself,” he said with a smile. “I’m Matt, I work in marketing. I brought some documents for Mr. Carson to sign.”

His smile was friendly, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he meant more with that statement than he let on.

“Nice to meet you,” I said, offering him my hand. “But what did you mean by, ‘I hope you last’?”

Matt chuckled a little nervously. “Well, you’re actually the fifth personal assistant hired this month. Mr. Carson’s… a bit of a handful. He’s got a temper. Fires people for the smallest mistakes.”

My heart sank. Fifth? That meant the job was cursed. Was I just the next one in line to be let go? What had I gotten myself into?

“Oh my goodness, thank you for the heads up,” I said, trying to keep my composure. “I really appreciate it.”

Matt gave me a sympathetic smile before dropping the documents on my desk and walking away.

The rest of the morning passed slowly. I tried to distract myself with work, but I couldn’t shake the growing unease. Still, I held onto the hope that I could prove myself. That I could make it.

It was lunch by the time Mr. Carson still hadn’t shown up. I was starting to think I had misjudged my expectations of him. Where was he? Was he always this late?

Matt returned, and we started talking. He was surprisingly easy to chat with, giving me insight into Mr. Carson’s likes and dislikes. It seemed like everyone was walking on eggshells around him.

“Last month, he fired over 20 people,” Matt said, shaking his head. “This month, he’s already let go of five. Just be careful.”

I gulped. “I really hope I don’t do anything to provoke him,” I said, nervously laughing. “Damn, he sure has a temper.”

Before Matt could respond, a voice boomed through the office.

“Is this what I pay you for?”

I froze. The voice was deep and commanding, full of authority. I turned to the source of the sound, and my heart nearly stopped.

Standing in the doorway was none other than the guy from this morning. The one who had completely ignored me and walked away with that woman. The guy I had shared a steamy night with.

“Welcome, Mr. Carson,” Matt said, almost too quickly.

My mind raced, and my body went cold.

Mr. Carson. My one-night stand. My boss.

I couldn’t move. My brain refused to process what was happening. The man who had shared a night of passion with me, who had dismissed me without a second thought, was now the one I had to impress.

I froze. I was sure my face had turned white as I stood there, looking up at him.