By Monday morning, Amanda felt the shift the moment she walked into Black Enterprises. The air was different — not the usual hum of ambition, but something sharper, heavier. Conversations hushed when she passed, eyes lingered longer than usual, and smiles carried an edge she hadn't noticed before.
It didn't take long for her to understand why. Rumors had begun to spread.
She overheard two assistants whispering near the break room: "She was at the gala with him."
Another voice chimed in: "And at his mansion. Don't tell me that's just work."
Amanda's stomach tightened. She wanted to defend herself, to insist it was professional, but she knew how it looked. Greyson Black didn't invite just anyone into his world.
When she entered Greyson's office, he was already aware. He leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "They're talking," he said simply.
Amanda froze. "About us?"
Greyson's gaze locked with hers, steady and unflinching. "Yes. They think you're more than my secretary."
Her pulse quickened. "I don't want this to damage your reputation. Or mine."
Greyson stood, moving toward the window. The city stretched beyond the glass, indifferent to the whispers inside the building. "Reputation is fragile. People will always talk. What matters is whether we let it control us."
Amanda hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. "But it feels like they're waiting for me to fail."
Greyson turned back to her, his eyes intense. "Let them wait. You'll prove them wrong."
The words steadied her, but the tension remained. Throughout the day, Amanda felt the weight of every glance, every hushed conversation. Yet beneath the scrutiny, she also felt something else — a quiet defiance. Greyson hadn't denied her. He hadn't distanced himself. Instead, he had stood firm, as though daring the world to challenge them.
That evening, Amanda stayed late again, determined to show her worth. As she packed her things, Greyson appeared at her desk. His voice was low, almost intimate.
"Rumors are dangerous, Amanda. But sometimes... they reveal the truth people are too afraid to say aloud."
Her breath caught. "And what truth is that?"
Greyson's gaze lingered, heavy with meaning. "That I see you as more than an assistant."
The silence between them deepened, charged with unspoken desire. Amanda's heart raced, torn between fear and longing. She knew the rumors would only grow louder, but in that moment, she realized something undeniable: the whispers weren't just speculation. They were the beginning of a story neither she nor Greyson could escape.