The heir of the Wolfe

Chapter four: Too close

Jane arrived early. Earlier than she needed to. The office floor was quiet, almost empty, the kind of silence that made every sound feel louder than it should be.

She walked to her desk, set her bag down, and exhaled slowly. Today would be different. It had to be.

Yesterday had shaken her more than she wanted to admit—not because of the job, but because of him.

Adrian Wolfe. The way he looked at her. The way he spoke. The way he seemed to see straight through every layer she tried to keep in place. She didn’t like that. She couldn’t afford that.

So today, she would be better. Sharper. Untouchable.

“You’re early.” Jane turned.

He was already there. Of course he was. Adrian stood a few feet away, jacket off, sleeves rolled, his presence filling the space as he had always been there.

“So are you,” she replied calmly.

His eyes held hers for a second longer than necessary. “I don’t waste time.”

“Neither do I.” A brief pause.

Then he walked past her and placed a file on her desk. “Good. Then keep up.” Jane glanced down at the file, already reaching for it. “What is it?”

“Your first real task.” She opened it quickly, scanning the contents.

Schedules. Meetings. Deadlines. Tight ones. Very tight. “This is a full executive schedule,” she said, looking back up at him.

“Yes.” “For today?” “Yes.” Jane frowned slightly. “A term usually handles this .”

“You’re the team.” Her grip on the file tightened slightly, but she didn’t argue. “Understood.” Adrian studied her, like he was waiting for resistance.

When it didn’t come, something in his expression shifted—just slightly. “You have three hours,” he said.

“Everything needs to be organized, confirmed, and adjusted where necessary.” “Three hours is enough.” His brow lifted slightly.

“Confident.” “Efficient.” A pause.

Then he nodded once. “We’ll see.” He turned to leave. “Mr. Wolfe.” He stopped but didn’t turn. “Any preferences?” she asked.

“Priorities. Changes. Anything specific?” Now he turned. “Yes.” Jane waited.

“Don’t make mistakes.” The words were simple. Cold. Final. Jane met his gaze. “I won’t.” He held her eyes for a moment longer, then walked away without another word.

The pressure settled in immediately. Jane looked back down at the file, her mind already moving, organizing, calculating. This wasn’t just a task. It was a test. And she wasn’t going to fail.

Time moved fast. Faster than usual. Calls. Emails. Adjustments. Confirmations.

Jane worked without stopping, her focus sharp, her movements precise. Every detail mattered. Every second counted.

She didn’t notice how quiet the office had become until a voice broke through her concentration.

“Still working?” Jane looked up.

Adrian stood in front of her desk, watching her. She checked the time quickly. Three hours. Exactly.

“Finished,” she said, sliding the organized schedule toward him.

He took it without a word, his eyes scanning the pages. Jane watched him carefully, reading every small shift in his expression. Silence stretched.

Then—he closed the file. “Acceptable.” Jane exhaled quietly. Not praise. But not failure either. She’d take it. “Anything else?” she asked.

Adrian didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he placed the file back on her desk, his fingers brushing the edge slowly.

“You work fast,” he said.

“You expected less?” “I expected mistakes.”

Jane held his gaze. “You won’t find any.” Another pause. Then something changed in his expression—subtle, but there. Interest.

“We’ll see about that,” he said quietly. Jane frowned slightly. “Meaning?” He stepped closer to her desk.

“Meaning this job doesn’t get easier.” “I didn’t expect it to.” “Good.” His voice lowered slightly.

“Because the pressure only increases from here.” Jane stood slowly, matching his level without thinking. “I can handle pressure.” Adrian’s eyes darkened just a fraction.

“Everyone says that.”

“I’m not everyone.” Silence. Heavy. Charged. Neither of them moved.

“Be ready,” he said finally. “For what?” Jane asked. A slight pause. Then—“Tonight.” Jane’s brows pulled together.

“What happens tonight?” Adrian’s lips almost curved, but not quite. “You’ll find out.” He turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, the weight of his words settling in.

Jane stared after him for a moment, her mind already racing. Another test. Another unknown. But this time, it felt different. More personal. More dangerous.