Episode2
657 Words
Monday morning hit Elena Cruz like a tidal wave. Her phone buzzed nonstop with emails, reminders, and calls she had put off over the weekend. She had barely finished her second cup of coffee when the receptionist called her into the conference room.
“Ms. Cruz, your new client has arrived,” the assistant said, her tone polite but knowing.
Elena froze.
Harrison Black.
The same man from the gala, the one-night stand that burned through her memory all weekend, stood there in the doorway, impeccably dressed, his gray-blue eyes scanning the room until they landed on her.
She straightened her shoulders. “Mr. Black,” she said, forcing a professional tone into her voice.
“Ms. Cruz,” he replied, his smirk subtle but undeniable. “I see you remembered me.”
“I don’t forget easily,” she said, her heart racing even as she tried to focus on the papers in front of her.
He walked in, casually dropping into the chair across from her, his presence filling the room. Every time he moved, every glance he gave her, made it impossible to concentrate. She was supposed to be a professional. She was supposed to keep this strictly business. But Harrison had a way of breaking every rule she tried to set.
“I hear you are the best at handling high-profile accounts,” he said, opening his laptop and typing effortlessly. “I need someone who can manage every detail without me hovering.”
“I can handle it,” Elena said firmly. “I will provide updates and ensure everything runs smoothly. You can trust me.”
“Trust,” he repeated, leaning back in his chair and giving her a long look. “Interesting word, especially after our… encounter at the gala.”
Elena’s stomach twisted. “That was one night. I am here for work now.”
“Of course,” he said smoothly, though the way he said it sent shivers down her spine. “Work comes first. But don’t think I’ve forgotten last Saturday.”
She tried to focus, scribbling notes as he outlined the campaign: a luxury product launch, multiple events, media coverage, and strict deadlines. Her mind kept drifting, imagining him behind her, close, whispering. She clenched her pen to stay grounded.
Hours passed in a blur of planning, calls, and emails. Harrison never left the room entirely. He hovered just enough to be distracting, asking pointed questions about details, offering suggestions in that calm, commanding voice that made her pulse spike. Every time she looked up, he was watching her.
“You’re very… precise,” he said at one point, tilting his head. “And stubborn. I like that.”
Elena blinked. “I get the job done. That is what matters.”
He smirked. “True. But sometimes precision needs a little… flexibility.”
Her pulse quickened. She knew exactly what he meant. And she hated that she did.
By the end of the day, Elena was exhausted, mentally and emotionally. Harrison had left, but only after handing her a contract to sign, giving her instructions that left little room for error. She was still shaking when she walked back to her office.
Her phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number:
“Don’t think this is over. I want more than work from you.”
Elena froze. She knew immediately who it was. Her head snapped up, but the office was empty. She could feel his presence lingering in her thoughts, like a shadow she could not shake.
She shoved the phone into her bag. One night. That was all it should have been. She had to keep it that way. She had to survive working with him without letting desire ruin everything.
But deep down, she knew it wouldn’t be that simple. Harrison Black never let anything go. Not people. Not promises. Not desire.
And now he had her in his world.
- Writer
