Velvet Shadows

The first time Heaven Ofili spoke to Jace Daniels, he was comfortably reclined in her office chair legs crossed, phone in one hand, coffee in the other, and a smug look like he'd just closed a million-dollar deal.

She stood at the doorway, heels silent on the hardwood, eyes scanning the desk she kept immaculate

Coffee ring on her report.

Granola crumbs by her keyboard.

Someone's lipstick-kissed sticky note stuck to her monitor.

He hadn't even noticed her walk in.

Heaven cleared her throat. Once.

He looked up, only mildly startled. "Oh. Didn't think anyone used this office."

"I do," she replied, voice even. "Every day. Because it's mine."

He stared for a beat, then smiled. The kind of smile designed to disarm. "Right. Heaven, yeah?"

"Yes." Her tone didn't offer a handshake.

He stretched as he stood, tall and annoyingly put together. "Was just taking a quick call. Nice space you've got here. Didn't mean to intrude."

"You did more than intrude," she said, walking past him and picking up the coffee cup with two fingers, like it was biohazardous. "You left a mess."

Jace tilted his head. "Didn't think it'd be a big deal. Chill out a little. No harm done."

She set the cup down and faced him fully. "You left your trash, invaded a private office, and now you're telling me to 'chill' like it's my reaction that's the problem?"

His eyes narrowed slightly, smile shifting into something more defensive. "I didn't expect such a... dramatic response."

There it was.

Heaven didn't blink. "Of course you didn't. Men like you rarely do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She took a step closer, not intimidated in the slightest. "The kind of man who walks into a space that doesn't belong to him, makes a mess, and assumes it'll be cleaned up without consequence. The kind who thinks charm is a substitute for accountability."

Jace folded his arms. "Wow. Harsh judgment for a guy needing a quiet place to take a call."

"No," she said, soft but sharp. "It's a fair one. And honestly..." She let her eyes drift over him for the first time, unimpressed. "I pity your wife."

His smile faltered. "I'm not married."

"That's not surprising," she replied, turning back to her desk. "But unfortunate. Someone, someday, will have to teach you basic respect."

She didn't spare him a glance as he left.

Jace paused at the door, jaw tight, ego bruised.

He'd been called many things. Arrogant. Confident. A little too smooth for his own good.

But this? This was new.

And for the first time in a long while, Jace Daniels didn't have a comeback.

*******************************

The door clicked shut behind him, but Heaven didn't lift her head.

She picked up the stained report and sighed. The pages were ruined corner creased, ink smudged from the moisture of his carelessness. That file had taken her three nights to finalize.

She tossed it into the shred tray and began pulling up the digital version.

Five minutes passed.

Then ten.

Her fingers hovered over her keyboard when a shadow crossed her door again.

Heaven looked up.

Jace stood there, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable.

She gave him nothing.

"Just out of curiosity," he said slowly, "what gives you the right to talk to me like that?"

Heaven leaned back in her chair, arching a brow. "Excuse me?"

"I'm not being hostile," he added quickly. "I just... You came at me like I committed a felony."

"You disrespected my space. That's not a felony, but it's telling."

"Telling of what?"

"That you're not used to hearing no. Or being held accountable."

He looked at her like he was studying a rare artifact. "You talk like you know me."

"I don't," she said plainly, "and I plan to keep it that way."

A pause. Just long enough for the air to thicken between them.

"You're beautiful when you're pissed off, you know that?"

Heaven didn't even blink. "And you're predictable when your ego's bruised."

He smiled again, slower this time, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You're dangerous."

She tilted her head. "You have no idea."

Another pause. Jace lingered clearly not used to being dismissed, much less by someone who didn't find him fascinating.

When he finally turned to leave, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding not from nerves, but from sheer annoyance.

She turned back to her computer, about to resume her work when something caught her eye.

A folder sat in the corner of her desk. Cream-colored. Unmarked.

She hadn't left that there.

Frowning, she opened it.

Inside were three printed pages. Not hers. Not formatted in any company style. Not even addressed.

But the top line of the first page made her pulse flick.

Daniels Holdings Internal Review: Confidential

Her eyes narrowed.

Why would something like this be in her office? It wasn't her department. And no one had mentioned anything confidential related to Daniels Holdings in this week's reports.

Her gaze drifted back to the door Jace had just walked out of.

And stayed there.