Selena Pov

You know how they say some forces in life are inevitable?

Like gravity pulling you down, or the ocean dragging you under its current, forces so powerful, so consuming, that resistance becomes futile.

I never believed in that kind of pull.

My hand shot out from under the covers, smacking blindly at my nightstand until blessed silence returned. I burrowed deeper into my pillow, sighing contentedly.

Three minutes later, the second alarm. I groaned, one eye cracking open to glare at the offending device. My finger jabbed the snooze button with more force than necessary.

"Oh, for the love o-" I bolted upright, suddenly wide awake as panic flooded my system. My eyes focused on the time displayed mockingly on my phone screen.

5:47 AM.

Today was not the day for my alarm habit to fail me. Today was my first day at Theller International, one of the most prestigious investment banks in the city. Today was supposed to be perfect.

I threw off the covers and stumbled toward the bathroom, my heart already racing.

First impressions mattered, and showing up late on day one was not the impression I wanted to make.

As I stepped into the shower, letting the hot water chase away the last remnants of sleep, I ran through my mental checklist.

Professional outfit, check.

Resume and documents, check.

Confidence, working on it.

An hour later, I stood before my full-length mirror, adjusting my black blazer one final time.

The black pencil skirt hugged my curves just right professional but not prudish. My pink blouse added a touch of femininity without being too soft. Black stilettos gave me an extra three inches I desperately needed for confidence.

My makeup was flawless, if I did say so myself subtle enough for a corporate environment but polished enough to show I cared. My glasses completed the look, making me appear both intelligent and approachable.

I tucked a strand of dark hair behind my ear and smiled at my reflection.

"You've got this, Selena Carter."

Then I glanced at my phone.

7:34 AM.

"No, no, no, no, no!"

The office was across town, and I needed to be there by 8:30 AM.

How had time escaped me so completely?

I grabbed my bag, shoved my feet back into my stilettos, having briefly taken them off because they were already pinching, and flew out the door. Breakfast would have to wait. My stomach would just have to forgive me.

~

The taxi ride was an exercise in anxiety management. Every red light felt like a personal attack. Every slow driver seemed to be conspiring against me. I watched the minutes tick by on my phone, doing mental calculations of arrival times and acceptable lateness thresholds.

"Theller International, miss," the driver announced, pulling up to a gleaming glass skyscraper that seemed to pierce the clouds.

I thrust cash at him and scrambled out, nearly twisting my ankle in the process. The building was even more impressive up close, all modern architecture and intimidating success. Taking a deep breath, I pushed through the revolving doors and entered the marble lobby.

"Good morning! You must be Selena Carter." A perky blonde woman behind the reception desk beamed at me.

Her name tag read, Anabelle.

"Yes, that's me. I'm here for my first day a-"

"Executive assistant to Mr. Theller, I know!" She handed me a folder and a visitor's badge.

"Your schedule is inside, along with directions to the executive floor. You'll want the elevator bank on the right, take it to the thirty-eighth floor. Mr. Theller's office is at the end of the hall. You can't miss it."

I glanced at my phone. 8:30 AM exactly.

Relief flooded through me.

"Thank you so much. By the way, is there anything I should know about Mr. Theller before I meet him?"

Anabelle's smile turned conspiratorial.

"He's brilliant but demanding. Keeps a low profile, you won't find any clear photos of him online, which is crazy for someone so young and successful. He became CEO at twenty-eight, can you believe it? He's thirty now." She leaned forward, dropping her voice.

"Just... don't be late. He's very particular about punctuality."

My stomach dropped hearing it from her.

"Right. Punctuality. Got it."

The elevator ride to the thirty-eighth floor felt like ascending into another world. Each floor that passed represented another tier of corporate hierarchy, and I was heading straight to the top. When the doors finally opened, I stepped into a hallway that screamed wealth and power. Thick carpeting muffled my footsteps. Original artwork lined the walls. Everything was sleek, modern, and undeniably expensive.

At the end of the hall, a set of imposing double doors bore a small placard.

Caleb Theller, Chief Executive Officer.

I knocked, the sound seeming too loud in the quiet hallway.

No response.

I knocked again, harder this time. "Mr. Theller?"

Silence.

I checked my phone unaware of what to do next.

Maybe I was supposed to wait?

But Anabelle had said to go straight to his office. I shifted my weight from foot to foot, indecision warring with curiosity.

What if he was in a meeting?

What if he was on a call?

What if he was testing me?

Against my better judgment, a decision I would replay in my mind countless times later, I turned the handle and pushed open the door.

The office was breathtaking. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the city skyline.

A massive mahogany desk dominated the space, its surface pristine except for a sleek laptop and a few leather-bound folders. Expensive artwork adorned the walls, and the subtle scent of cedar and something darker, more masculine, permeated the air. Everything spoke of power, wealth, and impeccable taste.

But Mr. Theller was nowhere to be seen.

I noticed another door on the far side of the office, slightly ajar. Light spilled from the opening, and I heard, was that voices?

Before I could think better of it, my curiosity propelled me forward.

I should have knocked.

I should have announced myself.

I should have done literally anything else.

Instead, I pushed open the door and froze.

The room was some kind of private lounge leather couches, a bar, mood lighting. And there, pressed against the wall, was a man in an impeccably tailored grey Armani suit, his hands tangled in the hair of a woman in a skintight red dress.

They were kissing with the kind of passion that made me feel like I was intruding on something far more intimate than a simple kiss.

"Oh my God!" The words escaped before I could stop them.

They sprang apart. The woman's lipstick was smeared, her eyes flashing with fury as they landed on me.

"Who the hell is she?"

The man turned, and the breath left my lungs entirely.

He was gorgeous.

No, gorgeous didn't even begin to cover it.

He was tall, easily over maybe six feet, with dark hair styled in that effortlessly perfect way that probably required an obscene amount of product and time. But it was his eyes that pinned me in place.

Striking green, like jade, but cold. So cold. They assessed me with an intensity that made me want to shrink into the floor.

"Get out," he said to the woman, his voice a low command that brooked no argument.

"But Caleb-"

"Now."

The woman grabbed her purse and stormed toward the door, her shoulder slamming into mine as she passed.

"Good luck with him, sweetheart. You're going to need it."

I barely registered her departure. I was too busy trying to remember how to breathe as the man, Caleb, apparently, straightened his tie and fixed those devastating green eyes back on me.

"You must be Miss Carter."

His voice was like dark velvet, smooth but with an edge that promised danger. He moved toward me, each step measured and predatory, until he stood close enough that I had to tilt my head back to maintain eye contact. He towered over me, even in my stilettos, and the sheer presence of him was overwhelming.

"I-I'm so sorry," I stammered, taking an instinctive step backward. "I knocked, but no one answered, and Anabelle said to come straight up, and the door was ope-"

"Do you make it a habit of walking into rooms uninvited, Miss Carter?"

The coldness in his tone made me flinch. There was something dark about him, something that screamed danger and do not mess with me. This was not the kind of boss who would appreciate excuses or nervous rambling.

"No, sir. I apologise. It won't happen again."

He studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, to my horror, a slow smile curved his lips. It wasn't a friendly smile. It was the smile of a predator who'd just found particularly interesting prey.

"Caleb Theller," he said, extending his hand.

"CEO of Theller International. And your new boss."

My hand trembled as I shook his, trying to ignore the jolt of electricity that shot up my arm at the contact. His grip was firm, warm, and entirely too distracting.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Theller."

"Is it?" He released my hand and moved back to his desk, settling into his chair with the ease of someone who owned not just the office but the entire world. "You're late."

I checked my phone. "It's 8:30, sir. I was told to arrive at-"

"You were told to arrive at 8:30. You walked into this office at 8:37. That's seven minutes late, Miss Carter. Seven minutes on your first day."

"I apologize. The elevator-"

He held up a hand, silencing me. "I don't accept excuses. I accept results. And your first result is that you've managed to be late and interrupt a private moment. Not exactly the impression I'd hoped for from my new executive assistant."

Heat flooded my cheeks. "I understand, sir. It won't happen again."

"You're right. It won't." He leaned back in his chair, those green eyes never leaving mine.

"Because there will be consequences for being late. Consider it your first lesson at Theller International every action has a consequence. Every mistake has a price."

"W-what kind of consequences?"

His smile widened, and something dark flickered in his gaze. Something that made my stomach flutter with a mixture of fear and something else I didn't want to name.

"That, Miss Carter, is what you're going to spend the rest of the day finding out. Welcome to Theller International. I have a feeling your time here is going to be very... educational."

I stood there, frozen, as the full weight of my situation settled over me. This was my boss. This gorgeous, intimidating, clearly ruthless man was going to be my boss. And I'd already managed to anger him on day one.

What the hell had I gotten myself into?