CH 3

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.

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