A Deal with the Devil.

The forest was still, the air damp with the promise of rain. Selene froze when she spotted a man slumped against an oak, his shirt torn, blood staining his side. For a second, instinct told her to turn away. But he wasn't armed, and his eyes.sharp even in pain.held no malice. With a sigh, she crouched beside him, tearing fabric from her sleeve and pressing it to the wound. "Hey it’s okay , i don’t bite ," she muttered. "Little girl what are you doing here alone ?," he rasped. "Exactly,oh. I'm not a little girl" she shot back. "Makes it easier to walk away if you bleed out." A low laugh escaped him, surprising her. When she finished, she stood and wiped her hands. "Try not to die in the middle of the woods. It's inconvenient." Before he could reply, she was gone.vanishing into the trees like a shadow. Elias Crowns leaned his head back against the tree, a faint smile curving his lips. Interesting girl.she didn't even ask for rewards. And fast. A Few Days Later – Crowns Industries: Selene straightened her borrowed jacket as she entered the skyscraper. She needed a job.something ordinary, something that gave her money without bloodstains on her hands. In the lobby, she noticed a tall man in rolled-up sleeves juggling a stack of papers. He looked tired, like just another employee. "You new here too?" she asked, stepping into the elevator with him. His eyes flickered with amusement. "Something like that." Selene exhaled, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "Well, let's hope you don't end up near the CEO. Word is he's unbearable." The man's brow arched. "Unbearable?" "Yeah. Elias Crowns." She rolled her eyes. "Probably some arrogant tyrant who thinks his face is worth more than his employees' paychecks.they said he's old and refuses to have a wife .I bet girls don't want him because he's very dangerous." He couldn’t help but murmur to himself , lips twitching. " Old? . I’m only 25 years old ." She grinned, emboldened. "What do you mean by that?." The elevator dinged, and he gestured for her to step out first, hiding his smirk. Elias's POV (Hiring Her) The elevator doors slid shut behind her, leaving Elias alone with his thoughts. He could still feel the sting of her blunt words. Arrogant tyrant. Cold. Pretty face. He almost laughed out loud. "Sir?" His assistant, Marcus, approached cautiously, holding a tablet. "You... actually let her talk like that?" Elias's mouth curved into a slow smile. "She doesn't know who I am. That makes her useful." Marcus blinked. "Useful?" Elias set the papers on the desk and steepled his fingers. His mind flicked back to that night in the woods.the girl's quick hands pressing fabric against his wound, her sharp voice telling him not to die. She hadn't stared at him long enough to remember his face, but he remembered hers. Every detail. "She's different," Elias said at last. "Hire her." Marcus hesitated. "For the typing pool? Or.." "No." Elias's eyes gleamed. "Make her my secretary." Marcus stiffened. "Your... personal secretary? Elias leaned back in his chair, letting the silence stretch until his assistant swallowed nervously. "Yes. I want her right here." He tapped the polished desk with one finger, where Selene would soon sit, organizing his world under his watch. Marcus glanced at him warily. "Do you want me to tell her why?" Elias's smirk sharpened. "No. Let's keep it a surprise. The Reveal: The next morning, Selene was escorted into the CEO's office. Her heart stuttered. Behind the desk sat him. The man from the elevator. The stranger from the woods. But now he was in a black suit, every inch radiating power, the Crowne name gleaming on the gold plaque beside him. Elias looked up, calm and composed. His gaze lingered on her, sharp with amusement. "So..." he said smoothly, leaning back in his chair. "Do I still look like an arrogant tyrant?" Selene's stomach dropped, heat crawling up her neck. She opened her mouth, but words betrayed her. His smirk widened. "Don't worry. I appreciate honesty. In fact... it's what got you this job." Her pulse hammered. She'd helped a stranger. Badmouthed the CEO. And now she was standing in front of both. Selene's throat went dry. The man behind the desk was no ordinary stranger, no faceless coworker. He was Elias Crowne.the man she had insulted without mercy. "Sit," he said simply, gesturing to the chair across from him. His tone wasn't harsh, but it left no room for argument. Selene obeyed, pulse hammering. "You'll start today," Elias continued, signing a document without even glancing up. "My schedule, my calls, my files.you'll handle everything. I trust you can manage that?" Her mouth opened, then closed. Trust? He doesn't even know me. "Yes," she said stiffly. Finally, he looked at her. His eyes were unreadable, sharp but calm, like he was studying a puzzle he already knew the answer to. "Good. Then let's see if your honesty works as hard as your tongue." Selene swallowed hard, heat rushing to her face. "About what I said... I didn't know it was you." "I'm aware." His smirk deepened. "That's why I enjoyed it." The rest of the morning was chaos. Files stacked high, calls ringing, his assistant dumping tasks on her desk faster than she could write them down. Selene had handled difficult house chores .but something about Elias's gaze through the glass wall of his office rattled her. Every time she looked up, she caught him watching her. Not in a cruel way, not even in suspicion. Just... watching. By evening, her head ached, but the work was done. She carried a file into his office, setting it on his desk. "That's the last of it." Elias leaned back in his chair, star tattoo glinting as he reached for the folder. His gaze flicked to her face, lingering. "You're quick. Efficient.His lips curved. "You're exactly what I expected." Her brow furrowed. “Expected? You didn’t