Mr. Grumpy is Not a Monster Afterall

Have I Been Caught Already

Emillia

Miss Rachel pushed open a glass door and stepped aside.

“This is your office.”

I walked in, my eyes sweeping across the room.

It was larger than I’d expected.

Cream walls.

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking London’s skyline.

A sleek oak desk sat at the center of the room, a laptop resting neatly on its polished surface. Fresh white lilies stood in a crystal vase beside a leather planner, their delicate scent filling the air.

Everything looked…Perfect. Too perfect.

“This is beautiful,” I admitted.

Miss Rachel smiled. “Mr. Ashford designed every executive office himself.”

Somehow, that didn’t surprise me.

She walked farther inside before stopping beside another door tucked into the far wall.

I frowned. “Where does that lead?”

“Mr. Ashford’s office.”

My brows lifted. “It connects directly to his office?”

Miss Rachel nodded.

“Every CEO’s personal assistant works beside the CEO. You’ll have access that almost no one else in this company has.”

A knot tightened in my stomach.

Exactly what my father wanted.

Miss Rachel reached into her blazer pocket and handed me a slim black access card.

“You’ll need this.”

I accepted it, turning the sleek black card between my fingers as if I were simply admiring it.

In reality, I was studying it.

How easily could someone duplicate it?

How quickly would they notice if it disappeared?

I looked up, keeping my expression innocent.

“What happens if I lose it?” I asked casually.

Her smile disappeared. “You don’t.”

I blinked.

“If an executive access card is misplaced, Mr. Ashford immediately changes every security code on this floor.”

“For one access card?”

“For any security breach.”

The certainty in her voice made it impossible to tell whether she was exaggerating.

She glanced around the office before adding,

“Mr. Ashford likes order.”

I looked around the spotless room.

“He notices everything.”

“Everything?”

Miss Rachel smiled knowingly. “If a file is moved an inch from where he left it…he knows.”

My heartbeat skipped.

The confidential file. Had he noticed?

No. He couldn’t have. If he had… I wouldn’t be standing here.

Miss Rachel crossed to the desk and picked up a company-issued tablet.

“This contains Mr. Ashford’s daily schedule.”

She handed it to me.

“You’ll need to know where he is throughout the day.”

I wrapped my fingers around it and looked down.

7:30 a.m. — CEO Morning Briefing

8:00 a.m. — Board Meeting

9:15 a.m. — Private Investor Call

Every hour of Adrian Ashford’s life…laid out in front of me.

Exactly what I wanted…I guess

My phone vibrated inside my blazer.

I glanced down.

Dad.

One message waited for me.

Take a picture of his schedule. Send it now.

I froze.

A chill crept slowly down my spine. How…?

I’d been handed the tablet less than a minute ago.

Miss Rachel hadn’t left my office.

No one even knew I’d received the schedule.

I resisted the urge to look around.

Instead, I locked my phone and slipped it back into my pocket.

Not now. Miss Rachel was still standing beside me.

I swallowed the unease rising in my throat.

Maybe…maybe he’d guessed. He’d always been one step ahead.

“Miss Carter?”

I jerked slightly, nearly dropping the tablet.

Miss Rachel frowned. “Are you alright?”

I forced a smile. “Just first-day nerves.”

A small laugh escaped her. “You’ll get used to it.”

I wasn’t so sure.

She gestured toward the desk. “You can take a few minutes to settle in.”

She started toward the door before pausing. “Oh… and one more thing.”

I looked up.

“Mr. Ashford values punctuality almost as much as loyalty.”

“I’ll remember that.”

“I’m sure you will.”

With a polite smile, she stepped out of the office.

The door clicked shut behind her.

Silence. Finally….

I exhaled slowly.

Then reached into my blazer and pulled out my phone.

One picture. That was all Dad wanted.

No one would know.

I unlocked my phone and raised it toward the tablet.

Just before my thumb touched the camera—

The connecting door opened.

My heart lurched.

The phone slipped from my fingers.

I caught it just before it hit the floor, my pulse pounding so hard I could barely think and shoved it back into my blazer pocket.

Footsteps. Slow. Measured.

I didn’t need to look. I knew exactly who it was.

“Miss Carter.”

I turned.

Adrian Ashford stood in the doorway connecting our offices.

For one terrifying second, neither of us spoke.

His gaze settled on the tablet on the desk. Then drifted to my face…. His expression unreadable

Every muscle in my body locked.

Did he notice? Did he know?

“I trust Miss Rachel has shown you around.” He said finally

“Yes… sir.” My voice sounded steadier than I felt.

He gave a single nod. “Good.”

His eyes lingered on me for another brief moment. Long enough to make my pulse race.

Then he spoke again. “Tomorrow morning.”

I waited.

“Seven-thirty.”

“The briefing starts exactly on time.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Don’t be late.”

Without another word, he turned and walked back into his office.

The connecting door closed softly behind him.

The office fell silent again

Only then did I realize…I’d been holding my breath.

I remained frozen, staring at the connecting door.

My pulse refused to settle.

The familiar tightness crept into my chest, stealing my breath one slow inch at a time.

Not now.

I reached into my handbag with trembling fingers and pulled out my inhaler.

One quick puff. Then another slow, steady breath.

The pressure in my chest eased just enough for me to breathe normally again.

I rested both hands on the edge of the desk and closed my eyes.

“That was too close,” I whispered.

One careless move…one small mistake

And everything would have been over before it had even begun.

My phone vibrated again.

Dad.

Of course. Who else?

I closed my eyes.

Why haven’t you sent it?

I typed back quickly.

Miss Rachel was with me. Mr. Ashford walked in before I could.

Three dots appeared almost instantly. Then disappeared. Appeared again.

My stomach tightened.

Finally, his reply came.

Excuses won’t get our company back.

I stared at the screen.

No concern. Not even Are you alright?

I locked my phone and placed it face down on the desk.

For some reason…it stung.

The telephone on my desk rang. The sharp sound sliced through the silence.

I jumped.

For a heartbeat, I simply stared at it. Then I reached for the receiver.

“Hello?”

“Miss Carter.” His deep, composed voice flowed through the line.

My grip tightened around the receiver. “Y-Yes, sir?”

A brief pause. “Come to my office.”

My eyes drifted instinctively to the connecting door.

“…Now.”

The line went dead.

I slowly lowered the receiver back into its cradle.

“Have I been caught already?” I swallowed.