one night, one desire

chapter ten

As the clock struck noon, Rebecca decided to take a break and grab a cup of coffee from the office kitchen. She needed a few moments to clear her head and gather her thoughts. As she filled her mug, she couldn't help but notice a familiar presence behind her.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Hartley," a smooth voice said from behind her.

Rebecca nearly dropped her mug in surprise. She turned around to see Isaac standing there, looking as cool and collected as ever in his tailored suit. His eyes were locked on hers, a hint of amusement dancing in their depths.

"Mr. Nikolia," Rebecca managed to say, trying to mask her shock. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Isaac raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I find that hard to believe. Seeing as this is, my, company."

Rebecca felt a blush creeping up her neck. Of course he would remind her of that. "Yes, of course. What I meant was..." She trailed off, unsure of how to salvage the situation.

Isaac took a step closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "What you meant was that you were hoping to avoid me." It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.

Rebecca's blush deepened. "I wouldn't say 'avoid,'" she said, trying to sound casual. "But I can't deny that things are a bit... complicated between us."

Isaac chuckled, a low, throaty sound that sent shivers down Rebecca's spine. "Complicated? That's one way of putting it." He took another step forward, invading her personal space. "But I find that the best things in life are often the most complicated, don't you agree?"

Rebecca's heart raced as she found herself unable to look away from Isaac's piercing gaze. His words were intoxicating, but she knew she had to keep her wits about her.

"I suppose you could say that," she said, taking a small step back to put some much-needed distance between them. "But in a professional setting, complications can be... distracting."

Isaac's smile widened. "Distracting, indeed." He glanced down at her outfit, his gaze lingering on her curves. "And speaking of distractions, I must say that your new look is quite... captivating."

Rebecca felt a surge of satisfaction at his words, mixed with a hint of annoyance at his brazenness. She crossed her arms over her chest, lifting her chin in defiance. "Thank you, Mr. Nikolia. But let's not forget that I'm here to work, not to be ogled."

Isaac held up his hands in mock surrender. "My apologies, Ms. Hartley. I wouldn't dream of objectifying you." But the gleam in his eye told Rebecca that he was anything but apologetic.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to attend."

With that, he turned on his heel and strode out of the kitchen, leaving Rebecca to gather her thoughts and her composure. She had a feeling that this was just the beginning of a long and complicated dance between them.

The coffee break was a short one as she returned bACK to her cubicle, only to discover Isaac had sent even more work to her. Rebecca stood at her desk, her shoulders slumped in exhaustion as she stared down at the stack of files that Isaac had sent over. She had been working non-stop, but it didn't seem to be enough. And it was just her first day. Elise wasn't kidding when she said this job was demanding! But Rebecca hadn't imagined receiving this much work on just her first day. Was Isaac trying to scare her away from the job? If this was infact a challenge, Rebecca had only one thing to say to that;

"Bring it on, you sneaky bastard..."

Toiling hard over the files, over and over again, making sure she hadn't missed anything, Rebecca finally looked up at her clock to find out time had passed by.

"It's almost 7 pm," she muttered to herself. "I've barely had time to breathe today."

She tried to shake off the sense of dejection that was creeping in, but it was hard to ignore the fact that she was one of the last people in the office, and Isaac hadn't been around all day. She couldn't help but wonder why he had given her such an overwhelming workload and then disappeared.

As she trudged toward the elevator, her mind racing with the tasks she had just completed, Rebecca caught a glimpse of Isaac's office. The lights were still on, but there was no sign of him. She felt a twinge of irritation. Was he working late, too? Or had he gone home hours ago, leaving her to struggle alone?

Rebecca couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration swell up Within her as placed all the files on Isaacs desk.

His office was incredibly furnished with minimalistic interior designs, with a floor to ceiling window that had a stunning view of the city metropolis. Rebecca let out an exhausted sigh as she scratched the nape of her neck. She had come to this job eager to prove herself and make a positive impression, but it seemed that her new boss, Isaac would prove to be a bit elusive and hard to please.

"Maybe I'm just being too sensitive," she thought to herself. "He's a busy man, after all. Come on Becca, don't let one thing inconvenience ruin your chance." She encouraged herself, the flames of determination igniting within her once again.

Deciding it was better not to linger in his office any longer than needed, Rebecca decided to call it a night and return back home, Luna most surely be starving now and Rebecca felt guilty. Now that she had a job, she realised she won't be able to spend as much time with her dear cat.

But as she started to move, the glimmer of the picture frame which sat on his desk caught her attention. There were five people in it. Two older couple of which Rebecca assumed to be his parents and two younger girls. If she was to make a guess, they should have been around the ages of sixteen and eighteen years. Then the last person of whom Rebecca had already crossed paths with. Issac Nikolai. She sighed as she studied him longer. He really was a handsome man, his dark eyes held much mystery. Rebecca wondered what went on in that head of his, because from their interactions, he was the kind of man who liked to play games...dangerous games.

As Rebecca rode the elevator down to the ground floor, she stepped out into the cool evening air, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Isaac's behavior than just a demanding work ethic. Something about his hot-and-cold attitude, his ability to appear and disappear at will, was starting to unnerve her. And as she made her way home, she couldn't help but wonder what kind of boss she had gotten herself into working for.

As the days turned into weeks, Rebecca found herself increasingly intrigued by Isaac's behavior. He would be all business one moment, cold and distant, and then the next he would soften, showing a rare glimpse of warmth and humor. It was like trying to solve a puzzle, and Rebecca couldn't help but be drawn in.

But it wasn't just her boss's behaviours that intrigued her, it was general air of the company. Because From her first day at Luxe Estate, Rebecca had been thrown into the deep end of the high-end real estate world. The company was known for its luxurious properties and demanding clientele, and Rebecca quickly learnt that she would need to be on her A-game at all times.

The days were long and the work was challenging, but Rebecca found herself thriving in the fast-paced environment. She loved the thrill of closing a deal and the satisfaction of helping her clients find their dream homes.

But working at Luxe Estate wasn't all sunshine and roses. The competition was fierce, and Rebecca had to be constantly on the lookout for potential backstabbing from her coworkers. And then there was Isaac, with his enigmatic behavior and tendency to keep her on her toes.

One afternoon, as Rebecca was poring over yet another stack of files, her phone buzzed with a text message. She glanced down and felt a jolt of surprise when she saw Isaac's name on the screen.

"Meet me in my office," the message read. "We need to talk."

Rebecca felt a surge of nervous excitement as she gathered her things and made her way to Isaac's office. She knocked on the door, and a moment later heard his voice on the other side.

"Come in."

She opened the door and stepped inside, feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline that always seemed to accompany her whenever she was with Isaac.

..

"Have a seat," Isaac said, gesturing to the chair across from his desk. His voice was neutral, but his eyes were locked on hers with an intensity that made her heart race.

Rebecca sat down, crossing her legs and trying to ignore the way her skin tingled under his gaze.

"So," Isaac began, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers under his chin. "I've been impressed with your work so far. You're a quick learner and you have a knack for problem-solving."

Rebecca felt a wave of relief wash over her. She had been hoping for some kind of feedback, and Isaac's words made her feel like she was on the right track.

"Thank you," she said, smiling slightly. "I'm glad to hear that."

"But," Isaac continued, his tone hardening slightly, "I need to know if I can trust you."

Rebecca's smile faded, replaced by a feeling of uncertainty. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Isaac leaned forward, his gaze boring into hers. "In this business, loyalty is everything. I need to know that you're on my team, that you have my back no matter what."

Rebecca felt a shiver run down her spine. There was an intensity to Isaac's words that made her feel both frightened and intrigued.

"Of course," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I would never betray your trust, Isaac."

He studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "Good," he said finally. "Because I have a special assignment for you."

Rebecca felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension as she waited for him to continue. Whatever this assignment was, she knew it wouldn't be easy. But she was determined to prove to Isaac that she was up for the challenge.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked, her voice low and steady.

Isaac smiled, a slow, predatory grin that sent a thrill down her spine. "I need you to spy on one of our competitors," he said. "I need you to find out everything you can about their strategies, their clients, their weaknesses. And then I need you to report back to me."