Mine To Protect
1495 Words
By now, everyone inside Stormfield Corporations had noticed.
The special treatment.
The attention.
The way Adrian Stormfield called Elena’s name more than anyone else’s on the executive floor.
And people were talking.
Especially the women.
“Elena Hart got transferred too quickly.”
“She’s always inside his office.”
“Did you see the flowers?”
“She’s definitely sleeping with him.”
The whispers followed Elena everywhere now.
But Elena ignored them.
Or at least tried to.
That morning, she arrived wearing a fitted white shirt tucked neatly into a black short skirt paired with soft black heels Adrian had sent weeks ago.
Simple.
Elegant.
Professional.
Yet somehow dangerously beautiful.
Her long dark hair rested softly over her shoulders while light makeup enhanced her dusky skin naturally.
And unfortunately—
Adrian noticed immediately.
The moment she entered his office with his morning schedule, his eyes paused on her for half a second too long.
White looked beautiful on her.
Especially against her skin.
The realization irritated him instantly.
Because lately—
Everything about Elena Hart seemed distracting.
“You changed the Singapore meeting time?”
His deep voice finally broke the silence.
“Yes. The investors requested one extra hour.”
Adrian nodded once.
Professional.
Controlled.
As always.
But throughout the morning, his attention kept drifting toward her unconsciously.
The way she pushed her hair behind her ear while reading reports.
The soft perfume lingering around his office now.
The way sunlight touched her skin through the glass walls.
Distracting.
Very distracting.
Meanwhile outside his office—
The jealousy on the executive floor had become unbearable.
Especially for the same two women Adrian had warned before.
One of them watched Elena walk toward the elevator during lunch break with narrowed eyes.
“She thinks she owns the floor now.”
The other scoffed.
“She’s just another pretty intern.”
“Mr. Stormfield never treats anyone like this.”
“And that’s exactly the problem.”
---
Inside the executive washroom, Elena stood near the sink quietly washing her hands.
The cold water helped ease the headache forming behind her eyes.
She was exhausted lately.
University.
Stormfield.
Florista.
Everything together was becoming overwhelming.
Then suddenly—
The washroom door opened behind her.
Elena looked up through the mirror.
The two women.
Again.
Immediately, tension settled inside her chest.
One of them folded her arms.
“You’re getting quite comfortable around Mr. Stormfield.”
Elena stayed calm.
“I’m only doing my job.”
The women laughed coldly.
“Right.”
“You think we don’t see the favoritism?”
Elena turned around slowly.
“There’s nothing going on.”
“Oh please.”
One woman stepped closer.
“You suddenly dress better, work beside him all day, attend meetings with him—”
“That’s enough,” Elena interrupted quietly.
The woman’s expression hardened instantly.
Then suddenly—
Without warning—
A bucket of dirty mop water was thrown directly onto Elena.
Ice cold water drenched her instantly from head to toe.
Elena gasped sharply in shock.
Her white shirt clung immediately against her skin while dirty water dripped from her hair onto the marble floor.
The women stared at her coldly.
“You should learn your place.”
Then they walked out laughing softly.
Leaving Elena standing there completely soaked.
Humiliated.
Alone.
For several long seconds, Elena couldn’t move.
Her hands trembled slightly as water continued dripping onto the floor beneath her heels.
The humiliation hurt more than the cold.
Slowly, she moved toward the sink again.
But suddenly dizziness hit her hard.
Her vision blurred briefly.
Exhaustion.
Stress.
Lack of sleep.
Everything finally crashing together.
Elena held onto the counter weakly before slowly sliding down near the wall.
And eventually—
Everything went dark.
---
Exactly one hour later—
Adrian looked up from the contract in front of him.
Something felt wrong.
His eyes moved toward Elena’s empty desk outside the glass office again.
Still empty.
Too long.
“She hasn’t returned yet?”
Ethan looked up from his tablet.
“…No.”
Adrian’s expression darkened instantly.
“Find her.”
Within minutes, the executive floor became tense.
Employees searched conference rooms, meeting halls, lounges—
Nothing.
No Elena.
Then suddenly—
“CCTV.”
Adrian’s voice cut sharply through the silence.
Moments later, security footage appeared on the office monitor.
The footage showed Elena entering the executive washroom.
Then the two women entering afterward.
But Elena never came out.
Adrian’s face became terrifyingly cold.
Before anyone could react, he was already walking quickly toward the hallway.
No.
Not walking.
Rushing.
Employees moved aside immediately as Adrian Stormfield strode toward the executive washroom with a terrifying expression nobody had ever seen before.
Ethan followed silently behind him.
Adrian pushed open the washroom door hard enough for it to hit the wall.
Then froze.
Elena sat unconscious against the corner wall completely drenched.
Water soaked through her clothes while strands of wet dark hair clung to her face.
For one horrifying second—
Adrian’s chest tightened violently.
Something dark and dangerous rose instantly inside him.
“Elena.”
No response.
He crossed the room immediately and crouched beside her.
Cold.
She was freezing cold.
Adrian removed his coat instantly before wrapping it around her soaked body carefully.
Then without hesitation—
He lifted her into his arms.
The executive floor outside went completely silent.
Because Adrian Stormfield never touched anyone.
Yet now—
He carried Elena through the office himself.
Like something precious.
Something his.
Inside his office, Adrian walked directly toward one of the black bookshelves near the wall.
Click.
The shelf shifted open silently, revealing a hidden private room behind it.
Even Ethan rarely entered this room.
It contained:
- a luxury resting suite,
- private shower,
- bedroom,
- medical supplies,
- and emergency facilities Adrian used during overnight work emergencies.
Adrian carefully laid Elena onto the bed immediately.
“Call Edward.”
Ethan nodded instantly.
Within twenty minutes, Adrian’s personal doctor arrived.
Dr. Edward Hayes quickly examined Elena while Adrian stood nearby with terrifying silence.
“She collapsed from exhaustion and stress,” Edward explained calmly. “Her body is severely overworked.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened dangerously.
Then Edward glanced toward the soaked clothes.
“And whatever happened before this didn’t help.”
The room became colder instantly.
Hours later, Elena slowly regained consciousness.
The first thing she saw was Adrian sitting beside the bed.
Still wearing the same black shirt.
Still terrifyingly silent.
Yet somehow—
His eyes looked darker than usual.
“Elena.”
His voice was dangerously calm.
“What happened?”
For a moment, Elena hesitated.
Then quietly—
She told him everything.
Every word.
Every insult.
Every humiliation.
And with each sentence—
Adrian Stormfield’s expression became colder.
Deadlier.
By the time she finished, the room felt suffocating.
Adrian stood slowly.
“Stay here.”
His voice alone made chills run down Ethan’s spine.
Because Ethan had worked beside Adrian for years.
And he had never seen him this angry before.
---
The two women were dragged into the executive floor conference hall less than twenty minutes later.
Every employee stood frozen silently.
Nobody understood what was happening.
Until Adrian Stormfield entered.
The atmosphere became terrifying instantly.
His gray eyes looked absolutely merciless.
“Humiliate employees inside my corporation?” Adrian’s voice remained calm. “Interesting.”
The women immediately started trembling.
“Sir—we didn’t mean—”
“Silence.”
One word.
Enough to make both women cry instantly.
Adrian stepped closer slowly.
“You assaulted someone under my protection.”
The entire room froze.
Under my protection.
The words echoed heavily through the office.
“You embarrassed Stormfield Corporations with childish behavior.”
His gaze became terrifyingly cold.
“You’re fired.”
One woman broke down immediately.
“Sir please—”
“Security.”
Within seconds, guards escorted them out publicly while the executive floor watched in complete silence.
Nobody dared speak.
Nobody dared breathe loudly.
Because now everyone understood something very clearly.
Elena Hart was untouchable.
---
That evening, Adrian personally handed Elena a new shopping bag containing fresh clothes.
Soft sweaters.
Comfortable dresses.
Warm fabrics.
Less corporate.
More gentle.
Elena stared at the bag quietly.
“You didn’t have to do this.”
“Yes,” Adrian replied calmly. “I did.”
And somehow—
That affected her deeply.
Later that night, Adrian himself drove Elena to Florista.
Mrs. Waynes immediately rushed toward Elena worriedly the moment she saw her pale face.
“Oh sweetheart…”
Adrian watched silently as Mrs. Waynes carefully touched Elena’s hair gently.
Softly.
Protectively.
Then Adrian finally spoke.
“Take care of her tonight.”
Mrs. Waynes looked toward him with slight surprise before nodding slowly.
“I will.”
For a brief second, Adrian’s eyes met Elena’s again.
And for the first time since knowing him—
She saw something terrifying inside them.
Not anger.
Not control.
Possession.
- Writer
