Camilla Hart balanced two large coffees in one hand and her phone in the other, using her elbow to awkwardly nudge open the glass door of Blake Industries. Her heels clicked against the marble flooring as she stepped inside, taking a moment to catch her breath. It was only her third day on the job, and Dominic Blake's cold indifference already had her nerves on edge.
She swore he could hear her heartbeat when he walked past. The man moved like he owned the air around him.
Technically, he did.
"Miss Hart, you're late," barked his executive assistant, Marla, the moment she appeared near the elevator.
"I'm early," Camilla replied, holding up her phone to show the time—8:42 AM. "He asked for coffee before nine. I'm on schedule."
Marla gave her a tight-lipped smile. "Dominic likes his coffee on his desk before he walks in. And he just stepped off the elevator."
Crap.
Camilla sprinted the remaining distance to the private elevator and pressed the code. She made it to the executive floor just in time to see Dominic standing in front of his office window, already talking on the phone.
How he beat her upstairs every morning, she still had no idea.
"Mr. Blake," she called gently, setting his coffee down. "Americano, three shots, no sugar."
He ended his call without looking at her. "It's cold."
"I just got it."
"Then you walk slow."
Camilla bit her tongue and smiled tightly. "I'll walk faster tomorrow."
Dominic finally turned to face her, his eyes scanning her like she was a spreadsheet. "You're not here to make friends, Miss Hart. You're here to keep up."
"And I will," she replied confidently. "But I do walk in heels. That should earn me bonus points."
A flicker of amusement crossed his face—barely there, gone in an instant.
"Sit," he ordered.
She blinked. "Excuse me?"
"I want to test your memory. There's a board meeting in an hour. I need you to brief me without notes."
Camilla hesitated, then pulled the agenda from memory. "Three items. First, quarterly performance from the tech division. Second, the Salerno merger status. Third, HR's proposal on workplace restructuring."
Dominic crossed his arms. "Figures and projections?"
"Tech division exceeded targets by 8.4%. The Salerno acquisition is behind by two weeks due to legal reviews. HR's restructure reduces costs by 12%, but with morale trade-offs."
He stared at her for a beat longer than necessary.
"Impressive."
Camilla smirked. "Didn't doubt me, did you?"
"I doubt everyone."
That shut her up. The tension between them snapped taut like a violin string, vibrating in the silence.
"Anything else, sir?" she asked, rising.
"Yes. Fire Marla."
Camilla froze. "Fire... Marla?"
"She talks more than she works. I want her gone by noon."
She hesitated. "With respect, wouldn't that reflect poorly on your management? She's been here three years."
Dominic narrowed his eyes. "Are you questioning me?"
"I'm offering a better strategy," she said boldly. "Transfer her to the finance floor. She's got a sharp eye for expense reports, and she won't last a week in your spotlight."
Dominic tapped his chin. "You're manipulative."
"I prefer the term 'efficient.'"
His mouth twitched—just short of a smile. "Do it."
As she walked out of his office, Camilla allowed herself a grin.
Later That Day
Camilla sat at her desk, fingers flying over the keyboard. A tiny victory over Dominic Blake wasn't something to celebrate out loud—but inside? She was doing cartwheels.
"You're braver than I thought," said a deep voice.
She looked up to see Nathan, the lead analyst, grinning.
"I heard you negotiated Marla's fate."
Camilla shrugged. "I offered a solution. He took it."
"You'll either survive here or burn out like the rest of us. No in-between."
She laughed. "Well, I've never been good at quitting."
Just then, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Dominic.
Boardroom. Ten minutes. Bring coffee. And your wit.
Camilla chuckled to herself. "He's learning," she muttered.
Boardroom Wars
The boardroom was a sleek expanse of glass, leather, and tension. Men in tailored suits turned as Camilla entered behind Dominic, her heels echoing against the polished floor.
She placed his coffee next to him and settled into the corner, quiet but observant.
Thirty minutes into the meeting, the COO, Mr. Randall, raised a point Dominic clearly didn't appreciate.
"With all due respect," Randall said, "perhaps it's time someone else handled the Salerno merger."
Dominic's gaze turned glacial. "With all due respect, Randall, this company isn't a democracy. It's a meritocracy. And last I checked, your division was still failing Q3 targets."
The room stiffened. Randall's face reddened.
Camilla caught Dominic's eyes, giving him a subtle shake of her head. Not the time.
He tilted his head, and to her surprise, eased back in his chair. "We'll revisit the merger discussion offline."
It was subtle. But it was a shift.
He listened to her.
After the Meeting
Back in the office, Camilla dropped a file on Dominic's desk.
"You were almost charming in there."
He looked up. "That implies I'm not usually."
She smiled. "I'm trying to be polite."
He stood and walked around the desk, standing just inches from her. "Why are you here, Camilla?"
She blinked. "To do my job."
"No." His voice dropped. "You're overqualified. You could be running your own department."
Her pulse quickened. "Maybe I just like a challenge."
Dominic's eyes darkened. "Then you'll fit in just fine."
Before she could respond, he stepped back.
"Clear my schedule for tonight."
"Hot date?" she asked before she could stop herself.
He smirked. "Yes. With my spreadsheets."
Camilla rolled her eyes. "I'll cancel the candles."