CHAPTER 3
1300 Words
Mia arrived early the next morning—again.
If she’d learned anything in twenty-four hours, it was that Alexander Sinclair didn’t tolerate delays, excuses, or incompetence. There was no grace period. No second chances.
So she made it a rule to beat him to the office, even if that meant catching a 5:45 a.m. train, even if her feet were sore from yesterday’s heels, and even if her nerves hadn’t let her sleep a wink.
She sat at her desk by 7:45 a.m., already answering emails and confirming his noon conference call with a Japanese investor. The building was mostly silent. Peaceful, even.
Until the elevator chimed.
Mia glanced up.
He stepped out, briefcase in hand, dressed in charcoal again—this time with a slate-gray tie and matching pocket square. Crisp. Focused. Icy, as ever.
But then, his gaze landed on her.
His steps slowed.
“You’re early,” he said, voice low and unreadable.
“I wanted to be prepared.”
He tilted his head slightly. “You’re not like the others.”
Mia raised a brow. “You’ve said that twice now.”
“I’ve thought it more than twice.”
She wasn’t sure what to say to that. A compliment? A warning? With him, it was impossible to tell.
He stepped past her, the subtle scent of cedar and something expensive lingering in the air.
“I’m stepping out at ten,” he said. “Brief meeting with our legal team on Park Avenue. I need you to compile a summary of our active litigation cases before then. One page. No fluff.”
She nodded. “You’ll have it by nine thirty.”
“Good.”
He disappeared into his office.
And Mia exhaled.
Every second with him felt like walking on a high wire—one misstep, and it was a long drop down. But the crazy part? Somewhere deep down, a part of her liked the pressure. The precision. The way it demanded her full focus.
Back when she waited tables to cover tuition, she’d learned to anticipate people’s moods by their body language, to guess if a couple was going to leave a tip based on a glance. That same instinct was serving her well now.
Alexander Sinclair didn’t say much—but he didn’t need to. His silences were full of meaning. His looks, full of calculations.
And Mia couldn’t stop noticing them.
---
At 9:29 a.m. sharp, she knocked once and slid the single-page report onto his desk.
He didn’t look up. Just scanned it quickly, then paused.
“This is good,” he said.
“Thank you.”
“You distilled six cases into something useful. Most lawyers can’t even do that.”
“Not a lawyer. Just a fast reader.”
He glanced at her, the corner of his mouth twitching again. “You’re also modest. That’s rare here.”
She offered a polite smile. “I find it safer than arrogance.”
He folded the paper and slipped it into his jacket. “If anyone asks, I’m gone until eleven.”
“Understood.”
He moved to the door, then paused. “And Mia?”
“Yes?”
“Watch Jacqueline.”
She blinked. “I’m sorry?”
“She plays nice. Until she doesn’t.”
Mia’s mouth went dry. “Why are you telling me this?”
Alexander’s gaze didn’t waver. “Because you’re useful." And she hates useful women.
Then he was gone.
---
Mia tried to focus on the rest of the morning, but her mind kept drifting back to his words.
Watch Jacqueline.
She hadn’t liked the woman’s fake smile or thinly veiled warning yesterday. But she hadn’t expected Alexander himself to confirm her suspicions. What kind of CEO warned his assistant about internal politics?
One who saw threats before they happened. That much, she was starting to understand.
By the time noon rolled around, Jacqueline reappeared.
This time, unannounced.
She didn’t knock—just breezed in like she owned the surrounding air. She leaned one elbow on Mia’s desk and gave a slow, sugar-sweet smile.
“Settling in, I see.”
“I am. "Thanks,” Mia said, keeping her tone neutral.
Jacqueline glanced toward Alexander’s office. “Is he in?”
“Out for a meeting. He’ll be back shortly.”
“Ah. So you’ve already memorized his schedule. Quick learner.”
Mia gave a noncommittal nod.
Jacqueline’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You know, you don’t have to play the golden girl to survive here.”
“I’m not playing anything,” Mia said calmly. “Just doing my job.”
“Right.” Jacqueline’s smile faded. “Let me give you some advice, then.”
Mia met her gaze. “I’m listening.”
“There are unwritten rules here. The higher you rise, the more people want to pull you back down. Some people… don’t like sharing proximity with power.”
Mia tilted her head. “Are you one of them?”
Jacqueline’s expression shifted—just a flicker—but enough.
“No, darling,” she said, her voice cool. I own my proximity. I earned it.”
And with that cryptic remark, she left.
---
Alexander returned at 11:02. He walked in without a word, removed his jacket, and loosened his tie with a sigh.
Mia watched him from the corner of her eye.
He looked tired. Not in the physical sense—but the way people look when they carry too much and never set it down.
“Coffee?” she asked.
He blinked at her. “You drink coffee?”
“Not at your level. But I pour a decent cup.”
He hesitated, then nodded once.
She slipped into the break room down the hall, brewed a fresh espresso, and took it back in a white ceramic mug. No sugar. Just the way he liked it.
He took it, surprised. “You didn’t spill a drop.”
“I used to carry trays in six-inch heels. Balance is kind of my thing.”
He chuckled, a real sound this time, low and brief.
“You’re full of surprises, Mia Carter.”
She didn’t know what possessed her, but the words came out before she could stop them.
“So are you.”
He looked at her, a flicker of something unreadable in his expression.
Then: “Close the door.”
Her breath caught.
She did.
He stood behind his desk, coffee in hand, looking like a man who’d built empires but never learned how to let someone in.
“Why did you really hire me?” she asked softly.
A long silence followed.
Then he said, “Because you looked me in the eye when you walked in.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s everything.”
Mia’s chest tightened.
“You’re not afraid of me,” he added. “That’s rare.”
“I probably should be.”
“Maybe.”
Another pause.
“You don’t belong here,” he said finally.
Mia frowned. “Excuse me?”
“I mean it as a compliment.” His voice lowered. “You’re not like others. You still believe in things. That’s going to get you hurt in this world.”
She took a slow breath. “Then I’ll learn to be tougher.”
He stared at her for a beat. “Don’t. It would be a waste.”
A knock shattered the moment.
Mia opened the door. It was someone from finance—dressed sharply, all business.
Alexander’s mask slid back into place like armor.
And Mia?
She returned to her desk—heart racing, thoughts tangled.
Because in that one brief moment behind closed doors, she saw the truth:
The man the world feared most?
Was hiding behind something far more dangerous than power.
Desire.
- Writer
