BETWEEN TWO DEVILS

BLACK COFEE

The coffee burned her tongue.

First trip to Mateo Vance’s office: “Too much sugar, Ms. Delgado.” His voice was flat, eyes never leaving the report on his desk. Olandria Delgado forced a smile, nodded, and walked out. She dumped the mug in the sink and started over.

Second cup: “Black. No sugar.”

She swallowed her pride, handed it over. He took one sip. “Too hot.”

Her first day at Vance Enterprise and he was already testing her. On purpose. She could feel it in the way his jaw tightened when she left his office. By 11am he’d sent her back three times. Third cup: “Too bland.”

“Sure as hell,” she muttered under her breath in the pantry. He sure as hell made her first day at work frustrating. Every instruction felt like a trap. Every glance felt like a reminder of the last time they’d been alone together.

At exactly 1pm he looked up from his laptop and said, “Be on time tomorrow, Ms. Delgado. And report to me every day after work. I want a rundown of everything you did.”

“Okay, Mr. Vance,” she replied, professional mask on. Inside, she was screaming.

Lunch break was her escape. In the staff cafeteria she met Maddison from marketing. Loud laugh, bright red lipstick, zero filter. Maddison slid into the seat across from her and whispered, “Girl, you work for Mateo Vance? Avoid that man like the plague if you want to keep your job. Cold. Intimidating. He eats assistants for breakfast.”

Olandria laughed and nodded. She didn’t tell Maddison that Mateo Vance was the same man who once kissed her in the rain outside her old apartment. That their “history” was messy and unfinished. That she was hired at Vance Enterprise because of a recommendation he didn’t know she’d accepted.

5:30pm. Time to go home. But not before the daily report.

She stood outside his office door, folder in sweaty hands. The glass was tinted but she could see his silhouette. CEO. Ex. Problem.

“Come in,” he said before she knocked.

She gave him the rundown: meetings scheduled, emails sorted, files organized. He listened, steepled fingers under his chin. Then, out of nowhere: “How do you know Noah?”

Her spine locked. “What does that have to do with work? Or how does that affect my performance?”

“Nothing,” he said, finally looking at her. Those dark eyes pinned her in place. “But you should know he owns 40 percent of shares in this company. He’s also indirectly your boss. And the number one rule in this company is no work romance.”

“Okay, boss,” Olandria replied, sarcasm dripping. She turned to leave before he could see her face heat up.

In the elevator her mind raced: _Is it the fact that it’s against the rules that made him tell me to stay away from Noah? Or does he have other intentions?_ She hated that a small, traitorous part of her hoped he was a bit jealous. She hoped, lol. Because if Mateo Vance was jealous, that meant he still felt something.

The lobby doors slid open and cool evening air hit her skin. She was digging for her keys when a black Range Rover pulled up beside her. Window rolled down. Noah. Navy suit from the club, now loosened at the collar.

“Need a ride, Miss Olandria?”

She thought about Mateo’s warning. 40 percent shares. Indirect boss. No work romance. Then she thought: _f**k it._

She got in.

The drive was quiet for two minutes. Then Noah broke the ice, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. “There’s so many things I’d love to ask you. But let’s start with: how did you know my best friend Mateo?”

“Best friend?” Olandria choked on the words. Shock hit her chest like cold water. Mateo never mentioned that. Not once. She’d assumed they were just work mates. Colleagues. Rivals, maybe.

Best friend?

The word hung between them as city lights blurred past the window. And suddenly her first day felt a lot more complicated than bad coffee.