The CEO I Swore to Hate

Chapter 1 — The Interview Three years ago, Alexander Blackwood destroyed my family. At least, that was what I believed. For three years, I had carried his name like a wound. Alexander Blackwood. Billionaire. CEO. Business genius. And, according to me, the man who had taken everything from us. Now I stood inside the marble lobby of Blackwood Enterprises, staring at the enormous golden letters displayed behind the reception desk. BLACKWOOD ENTERPRISES. My fingers tightened around the résumé in my hands. I took a slow breath. Don't be nervous, Amelia. You've prepared for this. I hadn't come here because I needed a job. I had come here because I needed answers. My father's company, Hartwell Industries, had once been one of the most respected companies in the city. I had grown up watching him work late nights, attend endless meetings, and sacrifice everything to build his dream. Then Alexander Blackwood appeared. Within months, Hartwell Industries was no longer ours. My father lost his company. Then he lost his confidence. And eventually, he stopped talking about business altogether. I remembered the night he sat alone in the living room, staring at the papers in front of him. "It's over," he'd whispered. I had been twenty-one. I hadn't understood everything then. But I understood one thing perfectly. Alexander Blackwood was responsible. Or at least, I thought he was. I had spent the past three years studying his company, his business deals, his employees, and even his public appearances. I learned everything I could about him. Alexander was thirty-one years old and already one of the most powerful CEOs in the country. He was known for being ruthless. He rarely gave interviews. He didn't attend parties unless business required it. And according to the women who had tried to date him, he was emotionally unavailable. Perfect. A man like that would never suspect someone like me. My plan was simple. Get inside his company. Earn his trust. Find the evidence. Then destroy everything he had built. "Miss Hart?" The receptionist's voice pulled me back to reality. I looked up. She smiled politely. "Mr. Blackwood is ready for you." My stomach tightened. "Already?" She nodded. "He's been expecting you." Expecting me. The words made me uncomfortable. I forced a smile. "Thank you." I followed her toward the private elevator. The doors opened silently. I stepped inside. As the elevator climbed higher and higher, I stared at my reflection in the polished metal. Dark hair. Simple black blazer. White blouse. Nothing about me looked threatening. Good. That's exactly what I wanted. The elevator stopped. The doors opened. The receptionist wasn't with me anymore. I stepped onto the top floor alone. Everything was quiet. Too quiet. A long hallway stretched in front of me, ending at a pair of enormous black doors. I walked toward them. Before I could knock, a deep voice came from inside. "Come in." I froze. His voice. I had heard it countless times through interviews and videos. But hearing it in person was different. I pushed the door open. And there he was. Alexander Blackwood. He stood beside the floor-to-ceiling windows with his hands in his pockets, looking over the city. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit. His dark hair was slightly messy, as if he'd run his fingers through it several times. He looked younger than I expected. And more attractive. I immediately hated myself for noticing. He turned. His eyes met mine. For a moment, neither of us spoke. His gaze traveled over me before returning to my face. "Amelia Hart." My heart stopped. I hadn't introduced myself. I recovered quickly. "Yes." He studied me. "You can sit." I walked toward the chair opposite his desk and sat down. Alexander remained standing. That somehow made the room feel smaller. He picked up my résumé. "You have impressive qualifications." "Thank you." "You graduated with honors." "Yes." "You worked at two different companies before applying here." "That's correct." He looked up. "Yet you chose Blackwood Enterprises." I smiled politely. "I've heard it's a great company." His expression didn't change. "That's not an answer." My fingers curled slightly against my knee. He was testing me. I had expected that. "I believe your company offers opportunities for people willing to work hard." "Do you?" "Yes." Alexander placed my résumé on the desk. "Then why do I get the feeling you don't actually want this job?" My heartbeat became louder. He was good. Very good. "I wouldn't have applied if I didn't want it." "People lie." His eyes remained fixed on mine. "Especially during interviews." I swallowed. "Are you accusing me of lying?" A faint smile appeared. "I'm asking a question." "Then I'll give you an honest answer." I leaned forward. "I want the position because I know I can do the job." Silence. His eyes narrowed slightly. "And if I don't hire you?" "I'll find another job." "Confident." "Realistic." For the first time, his expression changed. He almost smiled. Almost. Then he picked up a folder from his desk. "I looked into your background." My body went rigid. "You did?" "Of course." He opened the folder. "Your father was Daniel Hart." The air left my lungs. I hadn't expected him to say it so casually. Alexander watched my reaction carefully. "CEO of Hartwell Industries." I forced myself to remain calm. "Yes." "And now you're applying to work for me." I said nothing. He closed the folder. "Interesting." I looked directly at him. "My father's business has nothing to do with my qualifications." "Maybe." His voice was calm. "But it has everything to do with your motivation." I stood. "If you think I'm here because of my father, then you shouldn't hire me." Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Why?" "Because you'll spend the entire time wondering whether you can trust me." He stared at me. "And can I?" I didn't answer immediately. Because the truth was no. He couldn't trust me. Not when I had spent three years planning to expose him. Not when I had entered this building with a secret. Not when I had promised myself I would never forgive him. "I suppose you'll have to find out," I said. Something flickered in his eyes. Curiosity. Maybe suspicion. Then he stood. He was taller than I had realized. He walked around the desk and stopped directly in front of me. I had to tilt my head slightly to meet his gaze. "You're hired." I blinked. "What?" "You're hired." My carefully prepared plan had worked. I should have felt victorious. Instead, I felt uneasy. "When do I start?" "Tomorrow." He walked past me and opened the office door. Then he paused. "One more thing." I turned. "Yes?" His expression had become completely serious. "I don't tolerate dishonesty." My heart skipped. "If I discover that you've lied to me about anything, you'll be out of this company immediately." I forced a calm smile. "Understood." His eyes remained on mine. "I hope so." I walked out. The moment the elevator doors closed, I released the breath I'd been holding. I had done it. I was inside Blackwood Enterprises. Tomorrow, my real investigation would begin. But as the elevator descended, one question kept bothering me. How had Alexander known my name before I introduced myself? The next morning, I arrived early. I expected my first day to be ordinary. It wasn't. The moment I entered the marketing department, a woman approached me. "You must be Amelia." I smiled. "Yes." "I'm Sophie. Your assistant." "My assistant?" She laughed. "Don't look so surprised. Mr. Blackwood personally requested that you work directly with him on a new project." My smile disappeared. "Personally?" "Yes." She handed me a folder. "Apparently, you're joining his executive team temporarily." I opened the folder. A single project was listed. PROJECT HART. My hands went cold. Hart. My family's name. I looked up. "Who created this project?" Sophie shrugged. "Mr. Blackwood." My heart began pounding. Why would Alexander create a project with my family's name? And why had he specifically hired me? I turned the page. There was a note written in black ink. Amelia, If you're going to investigate me, at least try to be subtle. My blood ran cold. I looked toward the glass office at the end of the hallway. Alexander was standing inside. Watching me. He lifted his coffee cup. And smiled. For the first time, I realized something terrifying. Maybe I hadn't infiltrated Alexander Blackwood's company. Maybe... he had invited me in.