Dark Obsession

Selene's POV Rain. It always rained whenever my life was about to change. Maybe it was coincidence. Maybe the universe enjoyed making dramatic entrances. Either way, by the time I stepped off the bus, my shoes were soaked, my curls were beginning to frizz, and I was standing in front of the tallest building I'd ever seen. Blackwood Tower. I tilted my head back until my neck protested. The glass building disappeared into thick grey clouds, making it look less like an office and more like a warning. "Run while you still can." I almost laughed at my own thoughts. Running wasn't an option anymore. Not after the landlord's final warning. Not after watching my mum pretend she wasn't hungry so I could eat dinner. Not after promising myself that one day we'd stop surviving and actually start living. I adjusted the strap of my handbag and walked inside. The lobby looked like it belonged in a luxury magazine. White marble floors. Golden lights. Fresh flowers that probably cost more than my monthly grocery budget. Everyone looked expensive. Everyone except me. I kept my chin high anyway. Confidence wasn't something I owned. It was something I borrowed whenever life demanded it. The receptionist smiled politely. "Good morning. How may I help you?" "I'm here for an interview." "Your name?" "Selene Carter." Her fingers flew across the keyboard before she nodded. "Thirty-second floor. Mr Blackwood will see you shortly." Mr Blackwood? I blinked. The CEO? I thought Human Resources handled interviews. Apparently not. Great. Now I had to impress the richest man in the city. No pressure. The lift climbed so quietly that I could hear my own heartbeat. By the time the doors opened, my palms were damp. An assistant led me to a waiting area outside enormous black doors. "Please wait here." Easy for her to say. She wasn't about to be interviewed by a billionaire. Five minutes passed. Then ten. I was beginning to wonder if he'd forgotten about me when the doors finally opened. "Miss Carter." I stood so quickly I nearly tripped over my own feet. Smooth, Selene. Very smooth. I followed the assistant into the office. The first thing I noticed wasn't the furniture. It wasn't the city view either. It was him. He stood with his back to me, staring out at the rain-covered skyline. Tall. Broad shoulders. Perfectly tailored charcoal suit. There was something about the way he carried himself that made the room feel smaller. More dangerous. Without turning around, he spoke. "Sit." His voice was deep. Calm. The kind of voice that didn't need to be loud to be obeyed. I sat. He turned around. And for one strange second... I forgot how to breathe. His eyes met mine. Dark. Unreadable. Like they had seen things no one should ever have to see. He didn't smile. Didn't greet me. Didn't even pretend to be friendly. Instead, he opened the file in front of him. "Selene Carter." "Yes." "Twenty-one years old." "Yes." "Graduated with honours." "Yes." "You've worked three jobs." "Yes." He looked up. "Do you always answer with one word?" Heat rushed to my cheeks. "I... only when I'm nervous." A tiny smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. It disappeared almost immediately. "I don't like lies." "I wasn't lying." "I know." Silence settled between us. Then he asked the question I'd been rehearsing all week. "Why do you want to work here?" I took a slow breath. "Because I'm tired of choosing which bill can wait another month." His expression didn't change. "I don't want sympathy." "I want a chance." "I'll work harder than anyone you hire." "I'll stay late." "I'll learn." "And one day..." I smiled despite myself, "...I'll build something people remember." For the first time, I saw genuine interest in his eyes. He closed the file. "You're ambitious." "I have to be." Another silence. Then he stood. "You start Monday." My heart skipped. "I... got the job?" "You did." Relief hit me so hard I almost cried. "Thank you." "You'll thank me after your first month." I laughed softly. "I'll survive." Something flashed across his face. Not amusement. Worry. "You have no idea what you've just walked into, Miss Carter." I frowned. Before I could ask what he meant, his phone rang. He answered without taking his eyes off me. "Speak." The voice on the other end said something I couldn't hear. His jaw tightened. "I told you never to call me here." I quietly stood. "Congratulations," his assistant whispered as she escorted me out. I smiled all the way to the lift. I had no idea that getting this job wasn't the beginning of my new life. It was the beginning of a war. Damien's POV The moment the lift doors closed behind her, I let out the breath I'd been holding. She had no idea who I was. Good. She had no idea I'd known her name for years. Better. I reached into the bottom drawer of my desk and pulled out an old photograph. A little girl with wild curls and a missing front tooth smiled at the camera while clutching a handmade flower crown. On the back, one sentence was written in faded ink. Protect her. Whatever it costs. I looked towards the rain-covered city. "They've found her," I murmured. The office door opened without a knock. "They're moving sooner than expected," my head of security said. I slipped the photograph back into the drawer. "No one touches Selene Carter." "What if they come after her?" I looked out at the storm. "They won't get the chance." Because this time... I wasn't watching from the shadows. I was stepping into the fight.