The CEO
512 Words
"Who are you?" Suddenly, a stern voice sliced through the tension like a blade.
A woman sat near the handsome man at the head of the table, posture impeccably straight, a tailored navy dress hugging her figure.
Sophia Morgan. Head of the R&D department and one of Lloyd Group's top executives.
I recognized her from the employee directory, though I'd never spoken to her directly.
"You're now allowed to be here," she said coldly.
"I—I'm sorry," I stammered, clutching the files tighter to my chest."I was told to deliver these files to the top floor immediately."
Her perfectly shaped brows arched.
Before I could muster another apology, another voice cut in.
"You're scaring her, Sophia."
The man who spoke leaned back in his chair, his sharp features softened by the faint trace of a smile. James Parker—Lloyd Group's CFO. I'd overheard his name more than once in the office, always spoken with respect.
"She's clearly new here. Mistakes happen." His gaze flicked toward me, offering a reassuring smile, easing the tightening in my chest.
"Don't be ridiculous. Mistakes are not allowed at Lloyd Group."
Sophia bristled, then she turned to the handsome man at the head of the table, her expression softening in an instant.
"Especially in a meeting like this," Sophia continued, her voice softening further as if addressing him alone. "Alan's time is far too valuable."
Her words landed like a thunderclap.
Alan Lloyd.
I froze, the name reverberating in my mind.
The CEO of Lloyd Group. The man at the center of this empire. The man who could silence a room with a single glance.
And now, that gaze was fixed on me.
He hadn't said a word, but the room seemed to revolve around him. His dark eyes, piercing and dark, rested on me with a weight that made my knees feel weak. He leaned back in his chair, one hand resting casually on the table, the other steepled beneath his chin. The silence was deafening, as though everyone in the room was waiting for his verdict.
"Christa Hayes."
He finally spoke, his voice a deep, velvet timbre.
For a moment, I was stunned. Then I saw it—his gaze had flickered briefly at the small badge clipped to my chest, the one that bore my name in neat, printed letters.
His gaze met mine with an intensity that sent a chill down my spine. No words, no gestures. The weight of his stare pressed down on me, suffocating, as though I could no longer draw breath without his permission.
"Yes,"
I replied, fists clenched at my sides.
Alan Lloyd.
He was the key. The key to everything.
The truth about my father's disappearance, the answers to questions that had haunted me for over a decade.
No matter how dangerous, no matter the cost, I had to get closer.
Closer to the man who held all the answers.
Closer to the man who could destroy me with a word.
All of it was within reach—if I dared to take the risk.
- Writer
