ADRIAN'S POV
The office was unusually quiet.
Too quiet.
The kind of silence that pressed against the ears and forced a man to hear his own thoughts—something I wasn't particularly fond of. The soft hum of the air conditioner filled the space as I sat behind my desk, scrolling through my schedule for the day.
Meetings.
Board calls.
Overseas shipments.
Weapons contracts disguised as logistics agreements.
All routine. All boring.
I was about to close the tablet when a new file slid into view.
APPLICATION – PERSONAL SECRETARY
I frowned slightly. I rarely reviewed applications myself. That was Oscar's job. But something made me stop.
Name: Kissabel Hilson.
My fingers stilled.
For a brief second, the office faded, replaced by a pair of expressive eyes, flushed cheeks,sharper mouth and a stubborn glare that had challenged me without fear.
Her.
The girl from the gala.
The girl from the bar.
The girl who had slept in my bed and kissed me then walked away without knowing who I really was.
I leaned back in my chair slowly, my gaze sharpening as I opened her file.
Her résumé was… surprisingly impressive.
Academic excellence.
Leadership experience.
Fluent in three languages[Spanish,French and English].
Sharp recommendations—despite the recent scandal attached to her name.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
This wasn't coincidence. I didn't believe in coincidence but is rather fate.
She was running—from something, or someone. And somehow, she had walked straight into my orbit again.
I tapped my fingers once against the desk, eyes narrowing.
"Fate has a twisted sense of humor," I muttered.
Oscar appeared almost instantly at the door. "You called, sir?"
I didn't look away from the screen. "Schedule her for an interview."
He blinked. "Her?"
"Kissabel Hilson," I said evenly. "Two weeks from today. Make it formal. Boardroom A."
Oscar hesitated. "Sir… with the media attention surrounding her—"
"I said schedule it," I cut in coldly.
"Yes, sir."
As the door closed behind him, I stared at her name again.
Two weeks.
Plenty of time to prepare.
Plenty of time to observe.
Plenty of time to decide if bringing her into my world was a mistake.
But one thing was already clear.
I wanted to see her again.
And this time… she wouldn't walk away so easily.
---
KISS'S POV
My phone felt heavier than usual as I stared at the screen.
I needed Augustina.
If there was one person who knew how to untangle the chaos in my head, it was her.
She answered on the third ring.
"Kiss?" Her voice sharpened instantly. "What's wrong?"
That alone nearly broke me.
I sank onto the edge of my bed, hugging a pillow to my chest. "Augustina… I don't know what to do anymore."
"Hey," she said gently. "Breathe. Start from the beginning."
So I did.
I told her about my father showing up uninvited.
About the threats.
About Ella's call.
About the scandal spreading like wildfire.
By the time I finished, my throat hurt and my hands were shaking.
There was silence on the other end of the line—dangerous silence.
"Kiss," Augustina finally said, her tone sharp now, protective. "You need to stop letting them control the narrative. Your father and that witch of a sister are cornering you."
"I know," I whispered. "I can feel it. Every move I make feels watched."
"And what about him?" she asked carefully. "The man you mentioned before."
My grip tightened around the phone.
"Adrian," I admitted. Saying his name still did strange things to my chest. "I don't want him involved. I can't afford… feelings."
Augustina sighed. "Men like that don't just help for free, Kiss."
"I know," I said quickly. "That's why I need to escape. Before I get tangled in something worse."
"Where will you go?"
I swallowed. "Abroad."
There was another pause. Then, softer, "Your mom's family?"
"Yes."
"That might be smart," she said slowly. "But running isn't a solution forever."
"I just need time," I whispered. "Time to breathe. Time to heal."
"Kiss," Augustina said firmly, "promise me one thing."
"What?"
"If Adrian comes close again… be careful. Men like him don't let go easily."
I closed my eyes.
"I know."
---
KISS'S POV
By nightfall, my decision was made.
I couldn't stay in this city—not with my father tightening his grip, not with Ella pulling strings in the shadows. If I wanted answers about my mother… if I wanted peace… I had to leave.
My bed was covered with documents:
My passport.
Old letters from my mother.
Bank statements she had hidden.
A faded photograph of her smiling, younger, freer.
Switzerland.
That was where it all began.
I opened my laptop and searched for flights, my fingers moving fast, mechanically. I checked visa requirements, calculated expenses, planned exit routes like someone preparing for war.
"I'll disappear," I whispered to myself. "Just for a while."
A clean break.
No drama.
No men like Adrian Goodwill looking at me like I belonged to them.
📩 Ding.
I frowned at the email notification and clicked it without thinking.
SUBJECT: INTERVIEW INVITATION – PERSONAL SECRETARY POSITION
My heart skipped violently.
I read it once.
Then again.
My eyes landed on the company name at the top.
GOODWILL INTERNATIONAL GROUP
The world tilted.
Goodwill.
Something about that name felt heavy. Dangerous. Familiar. Yet quite distant.
I scoffed softly. "Just a company," I muttered.
But my eyes drifted down.
The salary.
My breath caught.
It was more than enough.
Enough to hire lawyers.
Enough to protect my mother's legacy.
Enough to fight my father without begging or hiding.
I stared at the flight confirmation on my screen.
Then, slowly, I canceled it.
The confirmation vanished.
So did my escape.
I leaned back against the headboard, heart pounding.
"I can't keep running," I whispered. "Not if I want to win."
Two weeks.
That was all I needed.
I replied to the interview invitation with a simple confirmation.
I had no idea…
That by doing so, I had just stepped directly into Adrian Goodwill's territory.
And this time—
There would be no escape.