My Boss is My Ex's Brother

Late Night

*Chapter 2: Late Night*

I didn’t answer the call.

Instead I silenced it, smiled at 12 executives, and spent the next 45 minutes pretending my hands weren’t shaking.

Damien didn’t say another word to me in the meeting.

But when everyone filed out, his voice cut through the room.

“Ms. Monroe. Stay.”

Of course.

The door closes. It’s just us. The merger deck is still on the screen. 30 days to save Cole Enterprises or the whole thing gets sold.

Damien walks to the window. Hands in pockets. Back to me.

“You could’ve answered.”

“I could’ve,” I say. “But Rule #1, right? No drama. No distractions.”

He turns. Slow. “That rule wasn’t about your ex.”

My throat goes dry. “Then what was it about?”

“Figure it out.”

And that’s it. He grabs his laptop. “We’re working late. The board moved the deadline up. My office. 8pm.”

It’s 6pm now.

---

8:02pm.

His office is darker. The Port Harcourt skyline is all gold and glass now.

There’s takeout on his coffee table. Two containers. Chopsticks.

“You eat Chinese?” he asks without looking up from his laptop.

“I— yeah.”

“Sit.”

So I do. Across from him. On the floor, because there’s only one chair and he’s in it.

For an hour we don’t talk. Just the sound of keyboards, and the city below us.

My stomach growls. Loud.

Damien’s mouth twitches. He pushes one of the containers toward me.

“Chicken and broccoli. No spice. Figured you’d need something bland after today.”

“How thoughtful,” I mutter, opening it.

We eat in silence. Until he reaches for the soy sauce at the exact same time I do.

Our fingers brush.

It’s nothing. A second.

But electricity shoots up my arm and I drop the packet.

“Sorry—”

“Don’t.” His voice is lower now. He picks it up, hands it to me. His fingers linger on mine half a second too long.

I snatch my hand back like I got burned.

Damien leans back, studying me over his laptop. Tie gone. Top button undone.

“You’re not what I expected.”

“What did you expect?”

“Someone reckless. Someone who would’ve answered that call just to get under my skin.”

I put my chopsticks down. “I’m not here for Tyler. I’m not here for you. I’m here because I’m good at my job.”

“Are you?” He closes his laptop. The room goes quiet. “Then prove it. The board thinks you’re a liability because of your last name. I need this merger to work in 30 days, or 400 people lose their jobs. Including you.”

The weight of it hits me. This isn’t just about us.

“Okay,” I breathe. “Then let’s work.”

He nods. Slides a file across the table. Our knees bump under it.

Neither of us moves away.

We work until 11:47pm.

When I finally stand, my legs are numb. I grab my bag.

“Good work today, Ava,” Damien says. Still not looking at me.

I’m at the door when he adds, softer:

“Don’t answer him. Not if you want to keep this job.”

I don’t turn around.

“Goodnight, Mr. Cole.”

“Damien.”

I stop.

“What?”

“When we’re alone. It’s Damien.”

And then he goes back to his laptop like he didn’t just rewrite Rule #1.

I make it to the elevator before my hands start shaking.

---

Coming next

*CHAPTER 3:One Room*