The Devil Behind the Desk
1039 Words
The cab slowed to a halt in front of the towering glass structure of Skybase Company. Lana stepped out, heels clicking softly on the pavement as she tilted her head back to take in the skyscraper’s height. Her heart thumped wildly, the building looking more like a fortress than a place of work. The morning sun glared off its obsidian glass walls, as if the company itself was daring anyone to try stepping in.
She smoothed the front of her gown—a deep green bodycon that hugged her curves in all the right places. It was the most daring thing she owned, and she wore it with a confidence that she didn’t entirely feel. Still, she straightened her shoulders and walked in.
The lobby was quiet and cold, almost clinical in its elegance. Polished marble floors. A chandelier that looked like it belonged in a royal palace. Staff walked by in hurried silence, dressed to impress, eyes forward.
The receptionist glanced up from behind a glowing desk, her hair tied back in a sleek bun.
“Good morning,” Lana said, stepping closer. “I was told to resume today. The manager, Julia, called me.”
The receptionist looked her up and down. “Name?”
“Lanora Everlyn.”
She typed something quickly, then picked up the phone. “Yes… she’s here.” A pause. “Right away.”
She gave Lana a strained smile. “Julia is on her way. Take a seat.”
Lana sat on one of the ivory couches in the lobby, but only for a few seconds. Julia burst into the lobby a moment later, her heels slapping the floor in hurried steps. Her hair looked like it had been pulled back in a rush, her blazer slightly crooked.
“Miss Everlyn!” Julia called.
Lana stood quickly. “Yes?”
“Come with me. Quickly.”
She led her through a maze of glass corridors, elevators, and open spaces. Her movements were fast, frantic even. It was clear something had shaken her.
“I assume you know why you’re here?” she asked without looking at Lana.
“I… was hired as the CEO’s secretary?”
Julia stopped, turned to her sharply. “Let me make something clear. This is not a game. Mr. Vale doesn’t tolerate failure. He doesn’t tolerate lateness, weakness, stupidity, or anything remotely close to incompetence.”
“I—”
“He just fired his last secretary. And when I say fired, I mean ruined. She leaked company secrets. She’s probably somewhere crying in a dark corner. Or in jail. Either way, don’t be like her.”
Lana blinked. “I won’t.”
Julia’s eyes scanned her outfit. “You dress like you’re walking into a nightclub.”
“It’s fashion.” Lana smiled sweetly.
Julia scoffed. “Don’t flirt with him. Don’t play smart. Just do your job. Follow me.”
They entered a smaller office where Julia began a hurried orientation. She handed Lana a notepad. “You’ll organize his meetings, take notes, manage calls. Never interrupt unless asked. He hates noise. Keep your phone on silent. No chewing gum. Always knock. And if he’s in a mood, which he usually is, just stay invisible.”
Before Lana could respond, the landline on Julia’s desk rang. The screen lit up with one name: Mr. Vale.
Julia nearly dropped the notepad. “God, already?” She picked up quickly. “Yes, sir?”
His voice came through, deep and razor-sharp. “Send the new girl in. Now.”
Julia hung up, wide-eyed, then shoved a sleek black folder into Lana’s hands. “File delivery. Take it to his office. Say little. Move fast. And don’t faint.”
Lana gave a shaky nod and stepped out. Her heart pounded.
---
The double doors to Kaelion Vale’s office loomed like gates to another world. Lana took a deep breath and pushed them open.
The office was enormous. The walls were black stone and chrome. There was a massive glass window behind the desk, stretching from floor to ceiling, revealing the skyline like a living painting.
And there he was.
Sitting behind his desk.
He didn’t look up.
Just the curve of his jaw, the fall of dark brown hair brushing over his face. His posture was statuesque. Sharp suit. Broad shoulders. His fingers were long, elegant, as they tapped on his keyboard.
Lana stared.
He wasn’t soft. He wasn’t gentle. He was something more lethal. Commanding. Striking. The kind of man who could make empires bend with a whisper.
His lips were perfectly shaped—firm, defined, almost cruel. The kind of mouth that could seduce or destroy without changing expression. His nose was straight, jawline as sharp as cut obsidian. His skin was pale under the office lighting, untouched by the chaos he ruled.
She was in a trance.
Her eyes traveled lower—to his shoulders, broad and commanding, the tailored suit clinging to muscle and confidence. His presence filled the room even in silence.
Then…
“File.”
His voice was deep. Smooth, yet sharp. Like whiskey poured over a blade. It had a growl beneath the polish, a sound that wrapped around her spine and made her forget what air was.
But she didn’t respond.
She was still staring. Still trapped in her thoughts. Still wondering what it would feel like to run her hands through that hair. To hear that voice say her name. To taste the words shaped by those lips.
“File.”
His voice came again, colder this time. Commanding. It sliced through her daze.
Lana blinked, reality snapping back.
“Oh—sorry, yes,” she stammered, stepping forward, heels echoing in the quiet office. As she got closer, she noticed the way his eyes flicked up—and then their gazes locked.
Everything froze.
Her breath hitched.
She recognized him.
The man from the elevator.
The same eyes. The same dangerous aura.
Kaelion Vale.
Her brain stuttered. Her legs turned to jelly.
“You…” she whispered.
Kaelion’s eyes narrowed.
Lana’s world tilted. The recognition hit her like a slap—and the shock overwhelmed her senses.
Her knees gave way.
Darkness swallowed her.
And she fainted.
- Writer
