Chapter 5: My Billionaire Boss
1247 Words
Bonny’s POV
I barely slept.
Every time I closed my eyes, my mind replayed the chaos of the last twenty-four hours.
Seth abandoned me.
Marrying Adrian.
Dinner with the Knights.
And now the newest disaster—
I was apparently starting work as my husband’s secretary.
Who did that?
Who married a billionaire one day and reported to his office the next?
Me, apparently.
I groaned into the pillow and dragged myself out of bed.
By seven-thirty, I was dressed in the most professional outfit Mara could find in the penthouse closet: a fitted cream blouse, black pencil skirt, and modest heels. My hair was tied neatly into a low ponytail.
I looked competent.
I did not feel competent.
Mara handed me coffee as I entered the kitchen.
“You look nervous.”
“I am nervous.”
“You’ll be fine.”
“Your confidence in me is suspicious.”
She laughed.
“Mr. Knight doesn’t keep people close unless they are capable.”
“That may be the nicest insult I’ve ever received.”
Before she could reply, Adrian entered.
My breath caught for one embarrassing second.
He wore a navy suit, crisp white shirt, silver watch, and the same expression of controlled indifference he always seemed born with.
How was it legal for someone to look that expensive before eight in the morning?
His gaze flicked over me once.
“You’re late.”
I looked at the clock.
“It’s seven fifty-two!”
“You should have been ready at seven forty-five.”
“You need hobbies.”
He took the coffee Mara handed him.
“I have businesses.”
“Those don’t count.”
He ignored me.
Naturally.
“Come.”
I grabbed my handbag.
“Do you know any other word?”
“Yes.”
“Impressive.”
---
Knight Holdings towered over the city like it owned the sky.
Maybe it did.
The glass skyscraper gleamed in the morning sunlight, its silver logo stamped boldly above the entrance.
My stomach tightened as our car stopped outside.
Employees in suits streamed in and out with purpose. Security guards nodded the moment Adrian stepped out.
No one smiled.
Everyone moved faster.
I hurried after him, trying not to look overwhelmed.
The lobby alone was larger than my entire apartment building. Marble floors, modern art, polished steel, and quiet efficiency filled the space.
Adrian didn’t slow down once.
People parted for him like water.
“Good morning, Mr. Knight.”
“Morning, sir.”
“Sir.”
“Mr. Knight.”
No one addressed me.
Fine.
I prefer invisibility right now.
We entered a private elevator.
The doors closed.
I exhaled dramatically.
He glanced sideways.
“Breathing is usually done more discreetly.”
“I hate you before nine a.m.”
“Schedule it after lunch.”
I stared.
“Was that humor?”
“No.”
Liar.
The elevator opened directly into the executive floor.
Everything here was quieter, sharper, richer.
A sleek reception desk sat outside a set of double glass doors. Behind it sat a woman so polished she looked professionally intimidating.
Blonde hair in a perfect bun. Red lipstick. Ice-blue eyes.
She stood immediately.
“Good morning, Mr. Knight.”
Then she saw me.
Her smile vanished.
“Who is she?”
Rude.
Adrian handed her his briefcase.
“This is Bonny.”
The woman waited.
Adrian continued.
“My wife.”
The room went silent.
If a pin had dropped, it would have filed a formal complaint.
Her eyes widened before narrowing dangerously.
“I’m sorry?”
“You heard correctly, Vanessa.”
So. Vanessa.
Noted.
Her gaze moved to the ring on my finger, then to my face, then back to Adrian.
“When did this happen?”
“Yesterday.”
“You got married yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“And brought her here today?”
“Yes.”
He sounded bored already.
I, however, was fascinated.
Vanessa took a slow breath through her nose.
“I assume there’s a reason.”
“There usually is.”
She looked like she wanted to stab him with office supplies.
Instead she turned to me.
“I’m Vanessa Cole. Executive assistant.”
“Bonny Knight,” I said sweetly.
Her jaw twitched.
Delicious.
Adrian opened his office doors.
“Inside. Both of you.”
We followed him into a massive corner office overlooking the city.
Dark wood. Clean lines. Floor-to-ceiling windows.
No personal photos.
No clutter.
No softness.
Exactly what I expected.
Adrian sat behind his desk while Vanessa and I remained standing.
“Vanessa, reschedule the ten o'clock.”
“It’s with the board.”
“Then they can learn patience.”
She made a note with visible irritation.
He turned to me.
“You’ll work directly with me.”
“Still processing that sentence.”
“You’ll manage scheduling, correspondence, calls, and internal coordination.”
“I just got here.”
“You’ll adapt.”
“I may also scream.”
“That can be scheduled later.”
Vanessa looked offended that I was still alive.
“I already handle those duties,” she said tightly.
“You handle executive operations,” Adrian replied. “Bonny will handle my direct schedule.”
Her expression hardened.
Translation: demotion adjacent.
Interesting.
“I see,” Vanessa said.
She absolutely did not.
Adrian leaned back.
“You start now.”
I blinked.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
“I thought there might be training.”
“There is.”
He looked directly at Vanessa.
“She’ll shadow you.”
Vanessa’s smile became lethal.
“Of course.”
Wonderful.
---
The next two hours were torture wrapped in designer heels.
Vanessa moved quickly, spoke faster, and explained things like she hoped I’d fail.
“This is the internal calendar.”
Click.
“These are approval chains.”
Click.
“These are priority clients.”
Click.
“These are color-coded urgency tags.”
Click.
“Try to keep up.”
I gritted my teeth.
At one point she handed me three ringing phones.
“All for him.”
“How do I know which line first?”
She smiled coldly.
“You don’t.”
I guessed.
Wrongly.
One caller was a senator’s office.
Another was an investor.
The third was Adrian himself from inside his office.
“How did you call from there?” I hissed when I entered.
He lowered his phone.
“Technology.”
“I dislike you deeply.”
“Get line two back.”
I stormed out.
By noon, I wanted either lunch or violence.
Possibly both.
I carried a folder into Adrian’s office and dropped it onto his desk.
“I have concerns.”
“I expected many.”
“Your assistant hates me.”
“She hates most people.”
“She hates me specially.”
“That means you’re memorable.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“You enjoy this.”
“A little.”
I gasped theatrically.
“There it is. Evil.”
He almost smiled.
Again.
It was unsettling how rare that was.
Then his phone rang.
He answered, listened briefly, and his expression turned glacial.
“Send him up.”
He ended the call.
“Who was that?” I asked.
He looked at me coolly.
“Your past.”
Before I could respond, the office doors burst open.
Seth walked in.
His eyes landed on me first.
Then on the ring.
Then on Adrian behind the desk.
And his face went white.
- Writer
