The Blackwood Corporation towered over the city like a silent ruler—cold, untouchable, and terrifyingly powerful. People whispered about the man who ran it, a man with no patience for weakness and no tolerance for mistakes.

Lucian Blackwood.

A name that sent shivers down spines.

Inside his office, the air was thick with tension. The man himself sat behind his massive desk, exuding authority without effort. His dark eyes skimmed through reports, his jaw tight with irritation. Everything in his world was precise, controlled.

Until today.

Because today, she walked in.

The doors opened without hesitation, heels clicking against the marble floor. She didn’t wait to be invited in, didn’t hesitate like the others did.

Eleanor Hayes.

His new secretary.

Lucian didn’t look up immediately. He wanted to make her sweat, to let the silence stretch until discomfort settled in.

But when he finally did look up—his world tilted just slightly.

She wasn’t what he expected.

Confidence radiated off her like heat from a fire. She stood tall, gaze unwavering, lips curved into the faintest smirk. Unlike the others who had stepped into this office before her, she wasn’t afraid.

That irritated him.

“You’re late,” he said, voice like steel.

She glanced at the clock on the wall, then back at him. “It’s exactly 9:00 AM.”

Lucian’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I expect my employees to be here before time, not just on time.”

Her expression didn’t falter. “Duly noted.”

A storm brewed in his eyes, but Eleanor didn’t flinch. Instead, she placed a neatly organized file on his desk. “Your schedule for the day. I’ve also reorganized the meeting briefs. Your previous assistant’s work was... subpar.”

Lucian arched a brow. Bold.

He picked up the file, flipping through it. To his surprise, it was impeccable. Efficient. Flawless.

Still, he wasn’t impressed so easily.

“You won’t last long,” he said, leaning back in his chair, watching her like a predator sizing up its prey.

Eleanor met his gaze, unwavering. “Try me.”

| Flashback |

Lucian Blackwood had never been the type to let anyone meddle in his affairs. His life was built on discipline, control, and a ruthless ability to cut out anything—or anyone—that threatened his order.

But his father?

His father was the one person he couldn’t ignore.

“You will hire her,” his father had said, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. “She’s smart, capable, and exactly what this company needs.”

Lucian knew better. This wasn’t about the company.

It was about her.

Eleanor Hayes.

His father’s best friend’s daughter. The woman he was being forced to tolerate.

Lucian clenched his jaw as he leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping impatiently against the polished wood of his desk. His father’s intentions were obvious—placing her in his office, pushing them together under the pretense of work, all because he and Eleanor’s father had already decided on something he never agreed to.

Marriage.

The very word left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He didn’t need a wife. He didn’t need a personal distraction sitting outside his office every day. What he needed was for his father to stop interfering in his life.

| Fb ended |

HIS POV ~

I wanted silence.

Peace.

But with her in my office, I wasn’t going to get it.

Eleanor Hayes sat across from me, too damn comfortable for someone who had just been forced into my space. She didn’t fidget. Didn’t look nervous. Instead, she sat there like she had every right to be here.

She didn’t.

I didn’t bother looking up from the document in my hand. “I don’t recall asking you to sit.”

A pause.

Then, in that maddeningly smooth voice of hers, she said, “You also didn’t ask me to stand.”

I clenched my jaw.

Lifting my gaze, I met hers. She wasn’t mocking me outright, but there was something in her expression—defiance. A quiet, stubborn challenge that made my fingers twitch with irritation.

“You don’t belong here,” I said coldly. “If you think your father’s friendship with mine gives you any special privileges, let me make one thing clear—you are nothing but an unwanted presence in my office.”

She didn’t even blink.

If anything, she smirked. “Good. That means we’re on the same page.”

My eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”

“I don’t want to be here either,” she said simply, tilting her head. “But since I am here, I might as well do my job.”

Then, before I could stop her, she reached for the stack of files on my desk, flipping through them like she owned them.

I barely resisted the urge to snatch them back.

“Since you’re so against me being here,” she continued, still flipping pages, “let me prove that I’m not just some ‘unwanted presence.’ Give me a task. Something impossible, something you don’t think I can handle. If I fail, you can tell our fathers that I wasn’t competent enough and have me fired.”

I leaned back in my chair, folding my arms. Bold.

But boldness wouldn’t save her.

A slow, cold smirk tugged at my lips. “Fine,” I said smoothly. “Since you’re so eager to prove yourself, let’s see how well you handle drowning.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Drowning?”

I pulled out a thick folder, placing it in front of her. “These are proposals from the last two months. Revise them all, filter out the useless ones, and have a detailed report on my desk by tomorrow morning.”

If she expected me to go easy on her, she was a fool.

She looked at the folder. It was an impossible workload for a single night.

But instead of looking overwhelmed, she smiled.

Not a fake, polite smile. A real one.

Like she was actually enjoying this.

My smirk faded slightly.

“I’ll have it done,” she said, standing up and tucking the folder under her arm. Then she glanced back at me, amusement flickering in her gaze. “Oh, and Mr. Blackwood?”

I exhaled impatiently. “What?”

She leaned slightly over my desk, lowering her voice.

“Try harder next time.”

Then she turned and walked out, leaving me staring after her, irritation simmering under my skin.

I clenched my jaw.

If she thought this was just some game, she had no idea what she was up against.

Because I wasn’t just going to make her fail.

I was going to make her regret ever stepping into my office.

HER POV ~

I barely had a moment to breathe.

The second I stepped into the small apartment my father had arranged for me in the city, exhaustion slammed into me. Every muscle in my body ached, my head throbbed, and my fingers were stiff from typing nonstop.

Yet, despite all of that… I wasn’t defeated.

Lucian Blackwood had thrown me into the fire, expecting me to burn. But instead, I adapted. Survived. Fought back.

Collapsing onto my couch, I stared at the ceiling, my mind replaying every moment from today. The way he had sneered at me, the way his cold, sharp eyes had watched me like I was nothing more than a nuisance.

It should have angered me. Maybe even broken me a little.

But all I felt was determination.

If he thought I would crumble just because he wanted me gone, he had no idea who he was dealing with.

A sharp buzz from my phone pulled me out of my thoughts.

Dad: How was your first day, sweetheart?

I sighed, my fingers hesitating over the keyboard. Should I tell him? Should I let him know how his so-called ‘future son-in-law’ had treated me?

No.

Because that would mean admitting that Lucian had gotten to me. And I refused to give him that power.

Me: It was fine. Just a lot of work.

A second later, the typing bubbles appeared.

Dad: That’s expected. Lucian is one of the best in the business. Learn from him, Eleanor. You’ll thank me later.

I scoffed, shaking my head. Learn from him?

Lucian wasn’t some wise mentor. He was a storm—reckless, destructive, and impossible to control.

But fine. If my father wanted me to learn from Lucian Knight, I would.

I would learn everything. His strengths. His weaknesses. His limits.

And when the time came… I’d prove that I wasn’t someone he could break.

With that thought, I grabbed the reports from my bag, set them on the coffee table, and got back to work.

Because if tomorrow was going to be another battle, I’d be ready.

THE NEXT MORNING

Sleep? I barely got any.

By the time I finished reviewing the reports Lucian had dumped on me, it was already past 3 AM. And even then, my mind wouldn’t shut off. His words, his piercing glare, the way he made it so obvious he wanted me gone—it all replayed over and over again.

So when my alarm blared at 6 AM, I wasn’t surprised that I felt like death warmed over. But giving up? Not an option.

With sheer willpower, I dragged myself out of bed, took a quick shower, and threw on a fitted navy-blue dress that screamed professionalism. Look the part, play the part—even if your boss is the devil himself.

By 7:30 AM, I was out the door, coffee in one hand and my bag in the other. The city was already alive with traffic, but I was too focused to care.

Today, I had one goal—prove to Lucian Blackwood that I belonged in his office. That no matter how much he hated it, I wasn’t going anywhere.

When I arrived at Blackwood Enterprises, I took a deep breath, straightened my shoulders, and walked inside.

The receptionist gave me a small smile, already aware of who I was. "Good morning, Ms. Hayes. Mr. Blackwood is already in his office."

Of course, he is. The man practically lived there.

I nodded, forcing a polite smile. "Thank you."

As I stepped into the elevator, I mentally prepared myself for whatever hell awaited me today.

But nothing—nothing—could have prepared me for what happened next.

Because the second I stepped onto the executive floor, before I even made it to my desk, Lucian's office door swung open.

And there he was.

Towering, ruthless, and looking like he hadn’t slept either. His cold, stormy eyes landed on me instantly, and for a brief second, something flickered in them—something unreadable.

Then, his jaw tightened.

"You’re late."

I blinked. Late?

I quickly glanced at my watch. 7:55 AM.

I was early.

My eyes snapped back to him, and for the first time, I let a slow, defiant smirk curl on my lips.

"Good morning to you too, Mr. Blackwood," I said, stepping closer. "And for the record, I’m an hour early!."

He crossed his arms, his expression unimpressed. "You're late if I say you are."

Ah. So this was his game. Control. Power. Making sure I knew he was the one calling the shots.

Fine. If he wanted to play, I’d play.

I tilted my head slightly, keeping my voice calm. "Noted. Next time, I’ll arrive at sunrise to avoid upsetting your delicate sense of time."

His eyes darkened. "Watch it, Hayes."

I smiled sweetly. "Of course, sir."

A muscle ticked in his jaw, and for a brief moment, I swore I saw something else in his eyes—annoyance? Amusement?

Before I could figure it out, he turned on his heel. "Inside. Now."

And just like that, the battle for the day had begun.

HIS POV ~

The door clicked shut behind her, sealing us in my office. I didn’t bother looking up from the file I had just picked up. If I did, I might lose whatever patience I had left.

I could feel her standing there, waiting, probably with that smug look still on her face.

"Take a seat," I said, flipping a page.

"I’ll stand."

Of course, she would.

I finally lifted my eyes, meeting hers across the room. She had crossed her arms, head tilted slightly—like she was studying me, like she was amused.

I set the file down. "You think this is a joke?"

"No, Mr. Blackwood," she said, voice smooth. "I think this is a waste of my time."

That made me smile—cold and sharp. "Your time? That’s interesting. Because as far as I know, you don’t have a choice in this."

Her expression flickered, just for a second, before she masked it with indifference. "Neither do you."

A direct hit. My fingers curled into a fist.

She was right. This wasn’t my choice. My father had backed me into a corner, and now she was my problem.

"Let’s get one thing straight, Eleanor." I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk. "You might have been handed this job, but that doesn’t mean I’ll make it easy for you."

She didn’t flinch. Didn’t shrink.

"I never expected it to be easy, Mr. Blackwood." Her lips curved into a smirk. "But you should know—I don’t break easily either."

HIS POV ~

She held my gaze, unwavering, as if daring me to push her limits.

Fine. Let’s see how long she lasts.

I leaned back in my chair, fingers tapping against the desk. "Then let’s get to work, shall we? Since you're so eager to prove yourself."

She lifted an eyebrow. "You’re the boss."

Her voice was laced with mockery, but I ignored it. For now.

I grabbed a thick stack of files from the side of my desk and shoved them toward her. "Start with these. I want summaries on each of them by the end of the day."

She took the files without hesitation. "That’s it?"

I smiled, slow and taunting. "For now."

She let out a breath, almost like she was disappointed. Then, without another word, she turned and walked out of my office, the click of her heels fading into the hallway.

I watched her go, my jaw tightening.

The moment she walked out of my office, my phone buzzed on the desk. I sighed, rubbing my temples before glancing at the screen.

Mother.

Just great.

I exhaled sharply and picked up. "Yes?"

"Lucian, darling." Her voice was all too sweet—too deliberate. That meant trouble. "I hope you're not giving the poor girl a hard time."

I leaned back in my chair, gripping the phone tighter. "If you're referring to my so-called secretary, then no. She’s handling herself just fine."

"Hmm." She sounded amused. "Good. Because I expect you to treat her well. You do remember why she's there, don't you?"

My jaw clenched. How could I forget?

"She’s there to prove herself," I muttered.

"No, dear," she corrected, her tone light but firm. "She’s there because your father and I have already decided—"

"I don’t need a reminder." My voice dropped to a warning.

She sighed. "Lucian, you can be as stubborn as you want, but this marriage is happening. Whether you like it or not."

Silence.

"At least try to be civil," she added, softer this time. "I know you haven’t been the same since—"

"I have work to do."

I hung up before she could finish.

Memories threatened to claw their way back, but I shoved them down. I wouldn’t go there.

Not now. Not ever.

My grip tightened on the phone.

This wasn’t just a battle of wills anymore.

It was a war.

HER POV ~

The moment I stepped out of his office, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

Lucian Graves was just as insufferable as everyone said. Cold. Arrogant. Impossible.

And unfortunately, my new boss.

I glanced down at the heavy stack of files in my hands, my lips curling into a smirk. So this was his attempt at breaking me? Overloading me with paperwork like some petty dictator?

Pathetic.

Shaking my head, I made my way to my temporary office, dropping the files onto the desk with a loud thud. The sheer weight of them told me he wasn’t playing around.

"Summaries by the end of the day," I muttered mockingly, rolling my eyes.

Did he really think I’d back down that easily?

He had no idea who he was dealing with.

Sitting down, I opened the first file, my fingers tightening around the pages as I scanned through the contents. If he wanted to test me, fine. I’d show him just how capable I was.

AUTHOR'S POV ~

The hours ticked by as Eleanor remained glued to her desk, her eyes scanning through pages upon pages of reports, contracts, and company records. The soft glow of her desk lamp illuminated her determined expression, the slight furrow in her brow showing the concentration she poured into each document.

Lucian had clearly intended this as a challenge—a way to push her, maybe even frustrate her—but if anything, it only fueled her drive.

She refused to let him win.

As the evening deepened, the once-busy office floor emptied, leaving only a few employees working overtime. Eleanor, however, remained steadfast, her fingers dancing across the keyboard as she drafted each summary with precision.

Meanwhile, in his own office, Lucian leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled together as he glanced at the clock. It was far past the usual working hours, yet he could still sense her presence in the office.

Interesting.

He had half-expected her to give up, to storm into his office with complaints or, better yet, quit. But she hadn’t.

Instead, she was still here.

Something about that made a strange satisfaction curl in his chest—though he would never admit it.

With a sigh, he stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, the city lights reflecting against the glass. His thoughts drifted back to the reason she was even here in the first place. His father’s insistence, the quiet pressure of expectations he had long since stopped caring about.

Marriage.

The word alone left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Eleanor was nothing but a pawn in a game he had no interest in playing. Yet, despite knowing that, he found himself intrigued by her stubbornness, her unwillingness to break under pressure.

Still, it wouldn’t change anything.

She was temporary. Just another name that would eventually fade into the background.

And he had no intention of making this easy for her.