Rose had been at Wolfe Industries long before Kelvin Wolfe had ever taken over. She came in as an intern for his late father, Damian Wolfe, a strong-willed man and not so easy to please. As soon as she set her eyes on him, she knew.
She had watched his rise, first as the reckless heir who barely attended board meetings, then as the sharp, commanding CEO who turned the company into a powerhouse. She had waited, patiently, thinking that one day he would finally see her.
For years, she had played the role perfectly loyal, indispensable, always within arm's reach. She knew every preference he had, from how he took his coffee to the way he loosened his tie when he was stressed.
And yet, none of it had ever been enough.
Kelvin saw her, but only in the way one sees furniture. He was polite, professional, but never interested. Never tempted.
She told herself it was only a matter of time. That one day, he would wake up and realize no one understood him better than she did. That she could be the one to tame him, to mold him into a man who stayed.
But then she arrived.
Anna Banner.
From the moment the new intern walked through the doors, Rose knew something was different. She saw the way Kelvin's sharp eyes followed Anna's movements not with passing curiosity, but with something deeper.
At first, Rose thought it was just another fleeting attraction. Kelvin had a reputation; after all, women were drawn to him like moths to flame, and he never kept them around long enough to let the fire burn.
But as days passed, Rose noticed things she wished she hadn't.
The lingering stares. The amusement in his voice when he spoke to Anna. The way he let her challenge him and sit at meetings was something he never tolerated from anyone else.
And worst of all, the way Anna looked at him.
Rose clenched her fists, watching them from across the office. Anna was laughing at something Kelvin said, her posture relaxed, her expression open. Rose had spent years trying to get him to look at her that way, to share something real.
And now, a girl who had barely been here long enough to leave a mark was suddenly important to him?
No.
She wouldn't allow it.
Anna Banner didn't belong in Kelvin's world. Rose would make sure of it.
Anna Banner had to go.
Rose had spent years cultivating her place in Kelvin Wolfe's world. She was the one who knew his habits, his preferences, the way his mind worked. She had waited, played the long game, convinced that eventually, he would wake up and see her.
And yet, now, he was seeing Anna.
It started as a whisper, a suspicion that tightened in her chest every time Kelvin lingered near Anna's desk, every time his expression softened just slightly when she spoke. Rose could feel the shift, the way he listened to Anna, the way he respected her thoughts.
Respect wasn't part of Kelvin's dynamic with women. He didn't keep them around long enough for that. But Anna was different.
Rose wouldn't allow it.
The first step was subtle, small disruptions meant to frustrate Anna, to make her feel unwelcome. Missing documents, wrong meeting times, whispered doubts in the break room about whether Anna was truly qualified.
But it wasn't enough.
So Rose escalated.
She began inserting herself into conversations that had nothing to do with her, making sure she was always present when Kelvin and Anna interacted. She cut into discussions, interrupted when Anna spoke, and undermined her suggestions with pointed, passive-aggressive remarks.
And yet, Anna never wavered.
Rose watched in growing frustration as Anna held her ground, as she adapted, as she thrived despite the subtle war being waged against her.
Worse, Kelvin noticed.
At first, he didn't seem to understand what was happening. But then Rose saw the flicker of confusion in his gaze, the moments where his sharp eyes lingered on her too long, as if piecing something together.
Then, one evening, as the office emptied and the tension between them stretched too thin, Kelvin finally spoke.
What's your problem with her, Rose? His tone was casual, but his eyes weren't
Rose forced a laugh, tilting her head as if he were imagining things. Problem? I don't have a problem with anyone.
Kelvin didn't smile. He just watched her, unreadable. Then, after a moment, he said something that made her stomach twist.
You should be careful.
That was all. No accusation. No confrontation. Just a warning, laced with quiet knowing.
Rose felt the air shift, the ground beneath her tilt.
Kelvin Wolfe was starting to see her.
But not in the way she had hoped.