Monday morning at Vanguard Holdings didn't feel like a corporate office; it felt like an observation ward. Julian hadn't just moved my desk into his executive suite; he'd annexed my entire existence. From my new seat in the corner of his sprawling office, I could feel his gaze—heavy, dark, and perpetually questioning—drifting from his dual monitors to the back of my neck."You're three minutes late with the coffee, Arya," he rumbled, not looking up from a contract. His voice had that low, possessive rasp that made my skin itch with the Soul Pull."I was waylaid by 'The Vultures' in the breakroom," I snapped, setting the mug down with a sharp clackon his mahogany desk. "Sarah seems to think my new desk comes with a side of... executive benefits."Julian finally looked up. His eyes were clinical, but the heat behind them was undeniable. He leaned back, his expensive suit jacket straining against his shoulders. "And what did you tell her?""I told her I'm here to work, Mr. Vance. Not to be your pet."A slow, predatory smirk tugged at his mouth. "A pet? No. You're far too sharp for that." He stood up, walking around the desk until he was inches from me. The scent of woodsmoke and expensive scotch—even at 9:00 AM—wrapped around me like a tether. "But I haven't forgotten that night at the lounge, Arya. 'How much for a groom?' you asked. You thought I was for hire."My face burned. "I was drunk, Julian. People say ridiculous things when they've had too much bourbon.""You didn't look drunk," he whispered, leaning in until his breath stirred the loose strands of my hair. "You looked like you were hunting. And I'm still trying to figure out if I'm the predator in this office... or if you are."The tension was broken by the sharp click of heels. Sophie, Julian's high-powered Chief of Staff, marched in without knocking. She was the only person who didn't seem intimidated by Julian's aura, mostly because she'd been his right hand for years."Julian, the Belthazaar bid is live. We need to move," Sophie said, her eyes sliding over me with a mix of professional coldness and underlying suspicion. She turned to me, her voice dropping an octave. "Arya, isn't it? I've seen your file. It's... remarkably thin for someone working this close to the CEO. You might want to focus on those analytics instead of the decor."I felt a felt surge of anger rush through my body
" did this bloody human just call me a whore ??", i huffed in annoyance as she walked passed me swaying her full hair in the process,I could just make her entire hair disappear if I wanted to. I simply chose not to.
Julian watched the whole scene unravel in front of him with amusement. He watched me like I was some adorable cat , the moment I notice him staring I turn on my heels and storm off making sure to sway my voluptuous hips giving him an opening to swallow me whole as I make my way to my desk .
….
By Thursday, the "corporate war" had taken its toll. Julian had been working twenty-hour days to block the Belthazaar takeover, and it showed. When I walked into the suite that afternoon, the usual electric hum of his presence was replaced by a heavy, suffocating silence.Julian was slumped on the leather sofa, his tie pulled loose, his face unnervingly pale."Julian?" I dropped my tablet, rushing to his side. When I touched his forehead, I gasped. He was radiating heat like a furnace. "You're burning up.""I'm fine," he rasped, his eyes fluttering open. They were bloodshot, stripped of their usual cold authority. "Just... the stress. I need to finish the memorandum for Sophie.""You're not finishing anything," I commanded, my "human mask" slipping as my protective instincts took over. "Lie back. Now."I spent the next three hours in a blur of care. I fetched cool water, pressed damp cloths to his neck, and sat on the edge of the sofa, watching his chest rise and fall. As I wiped the sweat from his brow, his hand shot out, gripping my wrist. Even weak with fever, his grip was a reminder of the man who owned half the city."Why are you here, Arya?" he whispered, his voice thick. "Most girls would have run for the elevators the moment I stopped being 'The CEO'.""I'm not most girls," I whispered back, my heart hammering against my ribs."I know," he muttered, his thumb tracing the pulse point on my wrist. "I keep thinking about what you said... about needing a body. A sacrifice. You look at me sometimes like you're deciding which part of me to break first."He didn't know how right he was. He was the perfect "Groom" for my mission, but as I looked at his vulnerable form, the thought of sacrificing him felt like a blade to my own soul.The door swung open again. Sophie stood there, her expression hardening as she saw me sitting so close to him."I've called the private doctor," she said sharply, stepping into the room. She looked at my hand on Julian's forehead and then at Julian's hand on my wrist. "Arya, I think your 'shift' is over. I'll take it from here. I've known Julian since he was a junior associate; I know how to manage his... crises.""He needs rest, Sophie, not more spreadsheets," I said, standing my ground."What he needs," Sophie countered, stepping closer until we were face-to-face, "is someone who doesn't have 'Belthazaar' falling out of her mouth in her sleep. I'm watching you, Arya. Don't think for a second your little 'nurse' act has fooled me."As the doctor arrived and Sophie pushed me toward the door, I caught Julian's eye one last time. He looked haunted, caught between his growing obsession with me and the dark suspicions Sophie was whispering in his ear.Across the street, the lights in the Belthazaar tower flickered. They were waiting for him to break. And I was realizing that to save Julian, I might have to destroy the very woman who was trying to protect him.