THE FIRST COLLISION
Emilia Grace had never been late a day in her life—until the day she started working for the most terrifying man in the entire city.
Her heels slapped against the marble floor of Blackwood Industries as she hurried toward the elevator, her bag hanging off her shoulder, her breath uneven.
She kept whispering to herself, "Don't be late, Emmy. Not on your first day. Please, God, not today."
The elevator doors were closing.
"Hold it!" she shouted, reaching out her hand.
A strong hand blocked the doors just in time, forcing them open again.
She rushed inside, muttering breathlessly, "Thank you, thank you—"
Then she looked up.
Her gratitude died immediately.
The man standing beside her wasn't just tall. He wasn't just handsome.
He looked like someone carved out of ice and dressed in a ten-thousand-dollar suit.
His eyes were cold, sharp, and annoyingly perfect.
And he was staring directly at her.
Emilia blinked. "I—I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. I just… didn't want to be late."
He said nothing.
Not a word.
Just kept staring at her like she was a file he needed to delete.
She swallowed hard and stepped as far away from him as possible.
The elevator was quiet. Too quiet.
The air felt heavy with his presence.
She played with the strap of her bag, trying to distract herself.
Just five more floors, she told herself. Then she could escape.
Ding.
The elevator doors opened.
He walked out first. His steps were confident, precise, like a man who owned the entire building.
She didn't know his name.
Not yet.
But about ten seconds later, she found out.
Because when she reached the reception desk of the 27th floor, the blonde woman behind the counter looked up at her with wide eyes and whispered:
"You… bumped into him?"
"Who?" Emilia asked, confused.
The receptionist leaned forward, lowering her voice.
"Alexander Blackwood. The CEO. Your boss."
Emilia froze.
Her boss.
Her boss who stared at her like she was a mistake.
Her boss who she had literally pushed inside an elevator.
"Oh no…" she whispered under her breath.
The receptionist nodded sympathetically.
"Welcome to Blackwood Industries."
Emilia suddenly wished the elevator had eaten her alive instead..