The CEO'S RULEBOOK

Silver-Grey Eyes

Mila’s POV

Waking up the next morning felt like a punch to the gut. The remnants of last night clung to me like a heavy fog, and every foolish decision I’d made came rushing back, slamming into my chest with the force of a tidal wave.

What am I going to do? How will I face him now? I choked back a sob as I pushed myself out of bed, my legs shaky, and walked to the mirror.

“Goodness... I look terrible,” I muttered to my reflection. But even I knew it wasn’t just sleep deprivation staring back at me. It was Mr Harris, his presence haunting me, leaving a mark deeper than I cared to admit.

I stepped into the shower, letting the warm water cascade over me, drowning out the chaos in my mind. For a few blissful moments, I felt the tension in my muscles release, the silence of the water a balm to my stormy thoughts.

But reality crashed in like a cold gust of wind. I couldn’t stay in this bubble forever. I had to face him. Had to confront the mistake I made. I turned off the water, the weight of what lay ahead settling heavily on my chest.

Dressing quickly, I breathed deeply, trying to steady my nerves, though the pounding of my heart betrayed me.

When I stepped out of my room, I glanced at his door, my gaze fixed on it like a magnet, willing my feet to move, to carry me closer, even as every instinct screamed at me to turn away.

I made it a few steps, my heart thundering in my chest, but froze. The voices in my head were louder now, more insistent. Don’t do it. Go back. It’s not worth it.

“No. I can do this,” I whispered to myself. “I can do this.”

Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t remember last night. Maybe he’d pretend it never happened. I raised my hand, ready to knock.

But before my fingers could touch the door, it swung open.

And there he stood.

Mr. Harris.

His navy-blue suit fit him perfectly, the black stripes subtle but undeniable. His tie, dark and unyielding, matched his commanding presence. As always, he looked...dashing. Too dashing. His silver-grey eyes met mine, catching the light just enough to make them gleam like sharp blades.

For a split second, he smiled. A flicker of something softer in his expression, a c***k in his usual icy armour. But then, just as quickly, that smile vanished, replaced by the scowl I dreaded.

“Miss Brown,” he drawled, slipping his hands into his pockets and leaning against the doorframe, his gaze sweeping over me, assessing, judging.

The way his eyes trailed down my body made something stir deep within me, something I couldn’t name, something I didn’t want to acknowledge. It was pure desire.

I opened my mouth, but no words came. I was paralysed, rooted to the spot, my mind scrambling to find the right thing to say.

“Miss Brown...” he said, his voice laced with an authority that made my insides twist. “You should learn not to stare so freely at people.”

He took a step forward, and instinctively, I took a step back, my pulse quickening.

“I... I’m sorry for last night, Mr. Harris,” I blurted out, desperate to fill the space between us, desperate to make things right. But instead of softening, his gaze only sharpened.

His eyes didn’t flicker with recognition or regret. They were cold, calculating.

“So, what’s on my agenda today?” he asked, his voice laced with a tension I couldn’t place.

I fumbled with my tablet, the device shaking in my hands. “You have two major meetings today, Sir.”

“Fine then,” he replied curtly, “But first breakfast.” Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving me no choice but to follow.

At breakfast, he ate as if nothing had happened, his focus entirely on the meal before him. I sat in silence, unable to touch my food, watching him as if he were a puzzle I couldn’t solve.

The drive to our first appointment was quiet, save for the click of my phone as I began texting Maya. I needed a distraction, anything to escape the unbearable tension in the air.

But as I laughed at one of Maya’s jokes, I felt it, the heat of his gaze on me, relentless, heavy. My smile faltered, then bloomed again. Stop it, I told myself. This is all in your head.

When the car pulled up to the building, I was momentarily stunned by the grandeur of the structure. I was so absorbed by the sight that I didn’t even hear Mr. Harris calling my name.

“Miss Brown... Miss Brown!”

His voice snapped me back to reality. I jumped out of the car, flustered.

“I’m so sorry, Sir,” I mumbled, my cheeks burning.

But instead of the usual scorn, I saw a flicker of amusement in his eyes. He wasn’t angry. He wasn’t even annoyed. He looked... pleased?

“Let’s go, Miss Brown,” he said, his tone softer than usual.

I followed him, still trying to make sense of the shift in his demeanour, but it was impossible to keep up with him. He was a whirlwind of confidence, winning over investors like a true professional. I was just his shadow, watching, always watching.

After the meeting, I was lost in a sea of faces, investors, CEOs, and media personnel. But it wasn’t their faces that caught my attention. It was her.

The woman who approached Mr. Harris, throwing herself into his arms in an embrace that was too intimate, too familiar. Her laughter, bright and melodic, made something twist in my gut.

Jealousy, the one emotion I refused to acknowledge, but there it was, raw and undeniable.

She was perfect. Tall, striking, confident, with her black hair cascading down her back in waves, her red dress hugging every curve.

Mr. Harris didn’t even flinch as she wrapped her arms around him again, and I found myself staring at them, lost in the image they made together.

And then, just as easily, he introduced her. “Alexis Lynn,” he said. “Miss Brown will take the details from you.”

His words stung more than I expected.

I told Alexis what she needed to know, my words tripping over themselves, desperate to be over with the exchange. When she finally walked away, I exhaled, relieved. But Mr. Harris didn’t let me go so easily.

“Miss Brown, what’s next?” he asked, but this time his voice was different. Softer. Almost... gentle?

I gave him the next task on the agenda, but the confusion inside me only deepened. What had happened to the man I’d known?

The rest of the day went by in a blur. But at the bar later that evening, I met someone unexpected.

Armando Rayas, handsome, charming, with a dangerous gleam in his hazel eyes.

We shared a brief, awkward conversation, but then, like a bolt from the blue, Mr. Harris appeared again, his presence commanding, his eyes burning with something I couldn’t quite name. I excused myself from Armando, feeling the weight of Mr. Harris’s glare on me as I approached.

“Will I see you again?” I heard Armando ask as I walked away, his voice smooth and taunting.

I wanted to respond, but my body was already moving. Towards Mr Harris.

The tension between us was unbearable. Something had shifted, something dark and dangerous between us.

And as we left the venue, silence fell between us, thick and suffocating. The air between us was charged, crackling with tension, but neither of us spoke.

Back at the hotel, when I was about to enter my room, Mr. Harris turned me around with a force I hadn’t expected. We were face-to-face now, and I couldn’t escape.

He was so close, too close, and I could feel the heat radiating off of him. My pulse raced as I stared into his eyes, those silver-grey eyes that were so intense, so unreadable.

And just as quickly, he pulled back, his expression cold and hard once more.

“Stay away from Armando Rayas,” he said, his voice low, commanding.

He didn’t wait for my response. He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving me standing there, my heart hammering in my chest.