STRICTLY BUSINESS

Tasha Williams: The first thing I learned about Cole Enterprises was that the building was ridiculously expensive. The second thing I learned was that everyone inside it looked like they could afford to own it. I stood in the middle of the marble lobby, clutching my handbag and trying very hard not to look like the nervous new employee I actually was. Twenty-four years old. First day at my dream job. And already five minutes late. “Great,” I whispered. My heels clicked against the marble as I hurried toward the reception desk. “Excuse me. I’m here for—” “Ms. Williams?” I turned. A woman in a perfectly tailored black suit stood behind me, holding a tablet. “Yes?” “Mr. Cole is expecting you.” My stomach dropped. “Mr. Cole?” She nodded. “The CEO.” Of course. Because apparently getting hired wasn't enough. I had to meet the CEO on my first morning too. “Is that normal?” I asked. She gave me a polite smile. “No.” That somehow made me more nervous. She turned and walked toward the elevators. I followed. The elevator doors opened almost immediately. We stepped inside. “Which floor?” “Forty-two.” I pressed the button. As the doors closed, I caught my reflection in the mirrored wall. White blouse. Black pencil skirt. Simple gold earrings. Hair pulled neatly into a low ponytail. Professional. Confident. At least, that was what I was trying to convince myself. I'd spent years working toward this moment. Scholarships. Internships. Late nights. Rejections. More applications than I could count. And finally, an offer from one of the biggest companies in the city. Cole Enterprises. I wasn't going to let one intimidating CEO ruin my first day. The elevator stopped. The doors opened. The woman stepped out. “His office is at the end of the hallway.” “Thank you.” She nodded and walked away. I stared down the long corridor. This was it. I took a deep breath and knocked. “Come in.” The voice was deep. Calm. Cold. I opened the door. And stopped. The man standing beside the floor-to-ceiling windows had his back toward me. He was tall, dressed in a dark suit, with one hand in his pocket and the other holding a phone. “Ms. Williams.” He turned. And my entire brain stopped working. Not because he was handsome. Although he was. It was because I knew him. I had seen that face before. Three months ago. At the charity gala. The night I had accidentally spilled champagne on a stranger's suit. The stranger who had looked at me like I'd personally declared war on him. The stranger I'd called arrogant before walking away. Oh no. No. Absolutely not. His eyes narrowed. “You.” I swallowed. “You remember me.” “I remember you.” His expression didn't change. I forced a smile. “That's... unfortunate.” For half a second, something almost resembling amusement appeared in his eyes. Then it disappeared. “You're late.” I glanced at the clock. “By three minutes.” “Four.” I looked at the clock again. It was definitely three. I decided not to argue. First day. First impression. Don't get fired. “I'm sorry.” He walked toward his desk. “Close the door.” I did. He picked up a file. “Tasha Williams. Twenty-four. Business administration. Three years of experience in corporate strategy and development.” He looked up. “Excellent academic record.” “Thank you.” “You applied for this position twice.” I blinked. “Three times.” His eyebrows lifted slightly. “Three?” “The first two positions weren't the right fit.” “And this one is?” I held his gaze. “Yes.” “Why?” Because I needed a job wasn't an acceptable answer. Because I had bills wasn't either. So I told him the truth. “Because I don't want a position where I'm simply told what to do. I want to learn how decisions are made at the highest level.” Silence. He studied me for several seconds. Then he closed the file. “Interesting.” I couldn't tell whether that was good or bad. He walked around the desk. “Your direct supervisor will be Daniel Reed. You'll be working with the executive strategy team.” “Okay.” “There will be long hours.” “I expected that.” “Pressure.” “I can handle pressure.” “Criticism.” “I can handle that too.” He stopped in front of me. “Can you handle being wrong?” That question caught me off guard. I looked at him. “Yes.” “Most people say they can.” “I didn't say I wouldn't be embarrassed.” For the first time, his mouth twitched. Almost a smile. Almost. Then his expression became serious again. “Good.” He handed me the file. “Welcome to Cole Enterprises.” I took it. “Thank you.” I turned toward the door. “Tasha.” I stopped. I looked back. His eyes were fixed on me. “We've met before.” “I know.” “And I don't care about what happened at the gala.” I raised an eyebrow. “Really?” “No.” I almost laughed. He continued. “But I'll expect you to keep your personal opinions about me outside this office.” I stared at him. “Then you'll have nothing to worry about.” “Good.” I opened the door. “And Tasha?” I looked back one last time. “Don't disappoint me.” Something about the way he said it irritated me. I smiled politely. “Don't give me a reason to.” I walked out before he could respond. The moment the elevator doors closed behind me, I exhaled. “Who does he think he is?” “Your boss.” I jumped. A man standing beside the elevator laughed. “Sorry.” I pressed a hand against my chest. “You scared me.” “First day?” “Yes.” He smiled. “I'm Daniel.” I looked at his ID badge. Daniel Reed. My supervisor. Of course. “I'm Tasha.” “I know.” I sighed. “Does everyone in this building know who I am?” “Mr. Cole does.” That wasn't exactly comforting. Daniel pressed the elevator button. “So…” “So?” “You survived.” I laughed. “Barely.” The elevator doors opened. We stepped inside. As we descended, I looked down at the file in my hands. I had finally made it. My dream job. My chance to prove myself. I had no idea that within a few weeks, I would question everything I thought I knew about Cole Enterprises. I had no idea that the CEO I couldn't stand would become the one person I couldn't completely ignore. And I definitely didn't know that my father's name was hidden somewhere inside that company. A secret that had been buried for twenty years. A secret Adrian Cole already knew. And one that would eventually make me wish I'd never walked through those glass doors.