UNDER HIS WATCH
720 Words
Chapter Two: Under His Watch
Luna stared at her reflection in the elevator’s mirrored wall, adjusting the thin chain around her neck and smoothing her blouse for the third time. Her first day at Moretti Enterprises felt surreal — the kind of opportunity that could change everything.
You got this job, she reminded herself. Don’t mess it up.
When the doors opened, she was met by the same polished silence as before, but this time, she noticed details she’d missed: the quiet murmurs that died when she walked past, the way people glanced away too quickly, and the faint tension that clung to the air like smoke.
“Miss Evans.”
Luna turned to see a tall woman with sharp eyes and a headset — Mrs. Carter, Liam’s executive coordinator.
“Mr. Moretti asked me to bring you to your desk,” Mrs. Carter said crisply. “You’ll be working directly under him from today.”
Luna blinked. “Directly under him?”
Mrs. Carter’s tone softened, just barely. “Yes. You’re his personal secretary now.”
Her stomach fluttered — nerves or excitement, she wasn’t sure. “I’ll do my best.”
“I’m sure you will.”
They walked through a corridor lined with glass offices until they reached a private area just outside Liam’s. The space was immaculate — minimalist, sleek, and far too quiet. Her new desk was positioned directly opposite a pair of heavy doors.
“Mr. Moretti prefers privacy,” Mrs. Carter said. “You’ll handle his calls, emails, and schedule. Don’t enter unless he calls for you.”
Luna nodded, sitting down and booting up her computer. The first emails appeared instantly — financial meetings, board memos, and coded reports she couldn’t begin to understand.
She was scrolling through them when the intercom on her desk crackled.
“Miss Evans.” His voice was low, smooth, and calm — but somehow it made her spine straighten instantly.
“Yes, Mr. Moretti?”
“Bring in the files from your inbox. The ones marked ‘Confidential.’”
Her heart skipped. “Right away, sir.”
She gathered the files and stepped into his office.
Liam was seated behind his vast mahogany desk, his jacket off, shirt sleeves rolled up to reveal strong forearms. The faint scent of his cologne hung in the air — dark and addictive.
He didn’t look up as she approached. “Set them down.”
She placed the folders on his desk carefully. Her fingers brushed the edge of one, and for a moment, she felt his gaze lift — steady, assessing.
“Have a seat, Miss Evans,” he said quietly.
She obeyed, sitting across from him.
“You did well organizing these. Most new hires struggle.”
“Thank you.”
He leaned back, his expression unreadable. “You surprise me.”
“How so?”
“Most people in this building are… predictable. You’re not.”
Luna frowned slightly, unsure if it was a compliment. “I just try to do my job.”
His lips curved — not quite a smile, but close. “Keep doing that.”
The silence stretched between them again — that same charged quiet from their first meeting. The kind that made her skin prickle and her pulse quicken.
Then he said, almost casually, “You live alone, Miss Evans?”
The question startled her. “Yes, sir. Why?”
He tilted his head. “No reason. My employees’ safety matters to me.”
But something in his tone made her wonder if that was really all he meant.
A knock interrupted the moment. Mrs. Carter stepped in. “Sir, your two o’clock meeting is here.”
Liam’s gaze flicked back to Luna. “You’re dismissed for now. We’ll continue later.”
She nodded quickly and left, closing the door behind her.
As she sat at her desk again, she tried to shake the strange heaviness in her chest. Why had he asked if she lived alone? And why did it feel like the air changed every time he looked at her — like he knew something she didn’t?
Luna took a deep breath, staring at the closed door.
She didn’t know it yet, but working for Liam Moretti was the best — and most dangerous — decision of her life
- Writer
