Chapter 3 The Devils Bargain

While Valerie was drowning in her own thoughts, the atmosphere at the Noir Group was thick with confusion. Ellan Noir didn't just request a file; he demanded it.

The board of directors exchanged puzzled glances. Ellan rarely, if ever, concerned himself with entry-level or mid-management business. He was the Lord of the empire not the servant. Yet, there he sat, flipping through Valerie's credentials with a gaze that could peel , bore hole into anything.

Finally, he spoke. His voice was a low, dangerous calm. "We're hiring her."

The HR director cleared his throat. "For the Sales position, sir? We have more experienced-"

"No," Ellan interrupted, his eyes never leaving her photo. "Not Sales. She'll be my Executive Personal Assistant. Double the starting salary."

It wasn't because he thought she was the most qualified. It was because he needed her within his reach. He needed to know why this girl intrigued him so much .He needed answers that only closeness could provide.

At her apartment, Valerie was full of nervous energy. The place was a battlefield of takeout boxes and discarded tissues-remnants of her weekend of mourning. She spent the morning scrubbing every surface, the physical labor providing a temporary calmness for her mind.

She was just returning from the supermarket when her phone chimed. An email. Subject: Offer of Employment – Noir Group.

Her heart performed a couple of somersault. She didn't just get the job; she was being catapulted directly to the 123rd floor. Personal Assistant to the CEO. Double the pay.

"A win is a win," she whispered, though a small, intuitive part of her wondered why a man like Ellan Noir would want a stranger as his right hand.

She called Nora immediately. The two of them screamed into their phones, a chorus of pure, unfiltered relief. For the first time since her birthday, Valerie felt like the ground beneath her feet was solid. She spent the rest of her savings on a new professional wardrobe- for the life she was about to start.

Monday arrived with a crisp, intimidating chill.

Valerie stood before the Noir Group skyscraper, looking every bit the high-powered assistant in a mid-length black dress that hugged her curves and white stilettos that added a boost to her confidence. Tucked deep in her bag, the crisp handkerchief.

She walked into the lobby, head held high, and approached the desk. "I'm here to resume as the CEO's Personal Assistant."

The receptionist's eyes flicked from Valerie's face down to her shoes, a silent, icy judgment. "123rd floor."

Valerie turned toward the elevators. She reached for the nearest one-the gold-trimmed doors-when a hand clamped onto her arm.

"What are you doing?" a deep, melodic voice asked.

Valerie spun around, her breath hitching. Standing there was a man who looked like he'd stepped off a fitness magazine cover-tall, muscular, and wearing a pair of thick-rimmed glasses that gave him an air of approachable intelligence.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't know," she stammered, heart racing.

"No harm done," he said, his smile softening his features. "But don't make that mistake again. This lift is strictly for the CEO. Using it is a fast track to a penalty."

"I understand," Valerie said, her face heating up.

"I'm Eric, by the way. You the new recruit?"

"Valerie. My first day."

They rode the public elevator together. When Valerie mentioned the 123rd floor, Eric's eyebrow shot up, but he didn't pry. He just offered a playful wink as they parted ways. "Hoping to see you around, Valerie."

She was met at the top floor by Rose, a petite woman who moved with the efficiency of a Swiss watch. Valerie barely had time to set her bag down before the intercom on her desk crackled to life.

"Get in here." The voice was a dark devilish growl. The voice wasn't just a command; it was a dark, devilish growl that seemed to vibrate the very glass of the office walls.

Valerie smoothed her dress, her palms damp, and hurried toward the heavy double doors. She knocked softly-a courtesy he likely didn't care for-and entered.

The office was a cathedral of power, all floor-to-ceiling glass and polished obsidian stone. Ellan sat behind a desk that looked less like furniture and more like a fortress .

"Good morning, sir," she said, her voice trembling just enough to betray her.

"My schedule for today," he said, sliding a tablet across the desk without looking up. His movements were swift , efficient. "You have a meeting in fifteen minutes. Take these documents to the executives for signatures. And book my lunch at a five-star restaurant. Somewhere private."

"Yes, sir."

She turned to leave, but her conscience pulled at her like a lead weight. She stopped, reached into her bag, and pulled out the silk handkerchief, neatly folded. She stepped closer, invading the sterile space of his desk to place it on the oak surface. "Sir... I'm here to return this. And I'm truly sorry about the elevator. I didn't know the rules."

Ellan finally looked up. For a second, time seemed to stretch, thin and fragile. He looked at the handkerchief, then at her. She stood there-a mix of professional poise and raw, wide-eyed honesty.

"How do I make it up to you?" she asked softly, the words hanging in the heavy air.

Ellan stood up. His massive frame cast a long, intimidating shadow that seemed to swallow her whole being . He took a step closer, and the air in the room suddenly stilled, as if the building itself was holding its breath.

"Sir..." she stammered, her heart hammering against her ribs.

"You want to make it up to me?" he asked, a predatory, devilish smirk across his lips. "I'm feeling particularly charitable today, Valerie."

He sat back down,swellving round in his chair . He didn't reach for the handkerchief. Instead, he tossed a thick, silver-embossed file across the table.

"Open it," he commanded.

Valerie's fingers shook as she flipped the first page. Her eyes widened, the breath hitching in her throat.

"I could sue you," he continued, his voice low ,predatory and lethal. "For breaching executive security, for putting the safety of this lift-and my life-in danger. I could fire you right now and ensure you never hold a job in this city again. You'd be blacklisted before the sun sets."

He paused, letting the weight of the threat settle in her marrow.

"Or," he leaned forward, "you can redeem yourself. I'm giving you a choice. One phone call from me, and the best cardiac surgeons in the country are flown in to fix Nora's failing heart. I pay for the surgery, the recovery, and the debt you've been drowning in. Or... I let the elevator penalty ruin you."

Valerie was speechless, her world tilting on its axis. She looked down at the contract, reading the words in a voice that was barely a whisper, yet loud enough to echo in the silent office.

...To be at Ellan Noir's beck and call 24/7. To never refuse a request, regardless of time or nature. Total professional and personal availability. Any breach of contract results in immediate blacklisting... or worse.

"This is absurd," Valerie whispered, the sting of tears blurring her vision. "This is... slavery."

Ellan stood up again, taking slow, calculated steps toward her. "You should have thought about the cost before you stepped into my lift, Valerie. Or before you offered to pay me back."

He moved with the speed of lightning, pinning her against the edge of the desk. The mahogany was cold against her lower back, but he was heat. His breath fanned her skin, and the scent of his expensive, manly cologne drifted into her nostrils, making her head feel fuzzy, her brain refuse to function at a very important time.

His gaze dropped to her lips. He was about to say something-to seal the bargain with words she couldn't take back-when the world outside their bubble exploded.

SLAM!

The office doors flew open.

"Ellan, darling!"

Bella strutted in, her presence like a splash of acid in a clean room. She stopped dead when she saw Valerie.

Rage, hot and immediate, surged through Ellan. Valerie tried to shrink back, her wrist caught in the crossfire as she tried to excuse herself, but Ellan's grip on the situation was iron-clad. He didn't let Valerie leave just yet, leaning in to whisper something inaudible to her before turning his fury on the intruder.

Bella lunged forward, grabbing Valerie's wrist with claws disguised as nails. "Who the fuck do you think you are?! Stay away from him if you value your life, you little slut"?

Valerie didn't cower. She twisted her arm, breaking Bella's grip with a sharp, practiced motion.

"Bella!!!" Ellan's voice was thunder. The walls seemed to shake. "Who gave you permission to breathe my air, let alone question my staff?"

Bella recoiled, her face turning a sickly shade of pale. Ellan stepped toward her, his hand ghosting over her neck-not a caress, but a threat.

"You think I don't know about the other night? The drugging? The setup?" His voice dropped to a lethal whisper. "You're a slut, Bella. A dirty whore who thinks she can trap a king. You'll never be more than a footnote."

Bella's eyes bugged out. She gasped for air, her body trembling. "You... you loved me once..."

"I made a mistake once," Ellan snapped, shoving her back toward the door. "Get out. Now!"

He didn't wait for her to leave. He dialed security. Within minutes, a man escorted a weeping, screaming Bella out of the building. But the look in Bella's eyes as she left wasn't one of defeat-it was a promise of war.

As soon as she reached her car, she dialed a burner number. "I want everything on the girl in Ellan's office. Every debt, every secret, every ghost in her closet. Now!"

Back inside, Valerie was rubbing her bruised wrist. The adrenaline was fading, leaving behind a cold realization: her dream job had come with a nightmare attached. She asked Rose about the woman.

"The Boss's ex," Rose whispered, eyes darting toward the closed doors. "A top-tier scandal. She cheated, he found out, and the world went quiet. Just... stay out of her way."

Lunchtime arrived so fast . Valerie knocked on Ellan's door to announce the reservation.

"Give me a few minutes," he replied. Valerie turned to go, but his voice stopped her. "Did I dismiss you?"

She froze. "I... sorry, sir."

"Wait for me at my car."

In the garage, she ran into Eric again. He was leaning against a sleek SUV, looking remarkably relaxed.

"Hey, Eric," she greeted, a small smile finally breaking through her stress.

"Look at you! PA to the Big Bad Wolf," Eric joked, his eyes gleaming. "How's the first day? Survived the Bella-storm yet?"

Valerie laughed faintly, grateful for the distraction. Eric was a chatterbox, and apparently, he was the only person in the building who wasn't terrified of Ellan.

When Ellan arrived, the air chilled again. "Let's go."

They headed to a VIP section of an upscale restaurant. The meal was served in a tense, rhythmic silence, punctuated only by Eric's constant chatter, which Valerie used as a shield to keep from looking at Ellan.

When Valerie excused herself to the restroom, Eric leaned in, his voice dropping. "So? Do you like her? She's different, Ellan."

Ellan's gaze hardened into flint. "Don't question me, Eric. Go to the warehouse. Get me the data on the man we trailed. Now. And don't let me ask again."

Eric nodded, the playfulness vanishing as he took his leave.

When Valerie returned, the table felt empty. "Where's Eric?"

"Errands," Ellan said shortly. He set his fork down and leaned forward, his eyes locking onto hers. Valerie stiffened " Do we have a deal?

Valerie nodded, her throat dry. "Yes."

"Accompany me to the banquet tomorrow evening."

It wasn't an invitation. It was a command.

"Sir, I don't think-" Drop the signed contract on my table after lunch ."My driver will take you to a stylist," he continued, cutting her off with a tone of finality . "I will pick you up when you're finished."

"But I-"

"will you like me to remind you that I'm not to be questioned "

She swallowed hard. It felt like a weight. She looked at him-at the cold, calculating beauty of his face-and gave no answer. Silence was her only surrender.

That evening, the apartment felt smaller. Nora was already there, a surprise visitor who wrapped Valerie in a hug the moment she walked through the door.

"I wanted to surprise you!" Nora chirped.

They spent the evening over dinner, the air filled with laughter as Valerie recounted the chaos of the office, the "handkerchief man," and the job. But she kept the birthday-and the blood on the sheets-locked away in the dark.

As Valerie tried to sleep but she couldn't she thought about the contract "all of this is for you Nora I can't bear to loose you , miles away, a phone rang in a dark room.

"We're trailing her, Miss Bella. We'll have the full report by morning."

"Good," Bella hissed, staring at a photo of Valerie on her screen. "Let's see how long she lasts once the world knows who she really is."