MARRIED TO MY RUTHLESS BOSS

SEVEN; Clover’s Introduction

Clover had been working at Mallik Empire for six months, and she'd spent most of that time studying the office like it was a chessboard and she was planning her takeover.

She was smart about it. Never obvious. She smiled too much and asked the right questions. She volunteered for extra projects and stayed late, the kind of employee who made other people look lazy by comparison. And she'd learned, very quickly, that the only way up was through attention from the man at the top.

Clover had set her sights on Daniel Mallik like he was a target, and she didn't miss.

She'd positioned herself to be useful to him, strategically present in meetings, quick with brilliant ideas that she made sure to credit to him. She dressed carefully—not too provocative, just professional enough that he'd notice she was a woman, not just an employee.

But Daniel hadn't noticed. He'd been too busy being cold and efficient and unreachable.

Then something changed.

Clover noticed it in the way Sephora was suddenly present in his office more. In the way he'd started taking breakfast breaks instead of working through them. In the way he smiled—actually smiled—when Sephora was around.

Clover felt it like jealousy, sharp and specific.

She approached Sephora's desk on Monday morning with a coffee that wasn't asked for and a smile that looked genuine.

'Hey, Sephora. I thought I'd bring you coffee. Those late nights must be exhausting.' She set the cup down, watching for a reaction.

'Thanks, but I don't drink coffee,' Sephora said without looking up.

'Oh, I thought... I saw you with a cup yesterday.'

'That was tea.'

Clover smiled, tucking the rejection away for later use. 'Well, I'm trying to get to know everyone better. We should grab lunch sometime. I'd love to hear about you—where you're from, your background, things like that.'

'That's nice of you.' Sephora's voice was polite and distant. 'Let me know when you have time.'

She wouldn't make time. Sephora was smart enough to know when someone was fishing for information. But Clover didn't mind. She already knew most of what she needed to know.

She knew Sephora lived with her sick mother. She knew her father had died when she was young. She knew Sephora made approximately $85,000 a year and that wasn't enough, not for medical bills and rent and a life.

And she knew that if there was one thing Sephora was, it was desperate.

Later that week, Clover found Daniel alone in the break room. She poured herself a coffee and stood next to him, all casual friendliness.

'How's the Ashford merger looking?' she asked.

'On schedule.'

'That's great. Sephora seems really involved with it. She's been working late, doing analysis. That girl has serious talent.'

Daniel turned to look at her. 'She does.'

'I just worry sometimes. You know, the way she looks at you. I think she might have... feelings.' Clover said it gently, like she was delivering important information, not planting seeds. 'I don't mean to be weird, but I noticed, and I thought maybe you should be aware of it? It could make things complicated.'

'I appreciate the concern,' Daniel said, and he didn't sound concerned at all. 'But Sephora is a professional.'

'I'm sure she is. I just wanted to make sure you knew.' Clover smiled and excused herself, leaving Daniel standing in the break room with exactly the seed of doubt she'd intended to plant.

Clover was patient. She was also very, very good at waiting for the right moment to strike.