Chapter 3 The Unspoken Agreement

The Unspoken Agreement

Isabella

I should have walked out of his office the moment he uttered the words, You're hired.

But I didn't.

Instead, I shook his hand, feigning a confidence I wasn't sure I actually possessed. The warmth of his skin against mine was unnerving, sending an unwelcome jolt through my body. I fought to keep my expression neutral, but for a brief second, I was transported back to that night-to the way his hands had gripped my hips, the way his mouth had claimed mine like a man possessed.

A shiver ghosted down my spine, but I forced myself to breathe, to push those thoughts aside. This is a professional setting. That night was a mistake. Nothing more.

Adrian released my hand, his gaze lingering for a fraction too long before he leaned against his desk. His arms crossed over his broad chest, muscles shifting beneath the expensive fabric of his tailored suit. There was something unreadable in his expression, something calculating.

"There's one condition to your employment, Miss Reed," he said smoothly.

Of course, there was.

I schooled my features into careful neutrality. "What is it?"

His smirk was slow, deliberate-almost predatory. "Whatever happened between us-" his gaze flicked over me, as if he could still see the remnants of that night "-stays in the past. We don't acknowledge it. We don't discuss it."

A lump formed in my throat, but I swallowed it down.

"Agreed."

The word left my lips too quickly, but I needed this job. I needed the salary, the stability. And the last thing I wanted was for anyone to think I had slept my way into this position.

Adrian studied me for a moment longer, as if testing my resolve. His gray eyes-cool and assessing-held mine captive, and for a second, I wondered if he was waiting for me to say something more. But I wouldn't.

I couldn't.

Finally, he gave a sharp nod. "Good. Human Resources will send over your contract by the end of the day. You'll start Monday."

Just like that.

It was a done deal.

Relief and unease waged war inside me. I had secured the job, but in doing so, I had put myself in Adrian Sinclair's orbit. A man who-despite the businesslike façade-had the power to unearth emotions I had long since buried.

I straightened my shoulders, forcing a polite smile. "Thank you, Mr. Sinclair."

His lips twitched. "Adrian," he corrected. "If we're going to work together, you should get used to calling me by my first name."

I hesitated, the weight of his words settling in. Calling him Adrian felt too personal, too intimate. But arguing would be pointless.

"Alright. Adrian."

His smirk deepened, but he said nothing more. Instead, he pressed a button on his desk, summoning his secretary. Moments later, the same red-haired woman who had initially led me into his office reappeared, her gaze flitting between us with thinly veiled curiosity.

"Mr. Sinclair?"

"Miss Reed is now an employee of Sinclair Enterprises," he said smoothly. "Ensure she gets everything she needs before she leaves."

The woman-Melissa, if I remembered correctly-barely concealed her surprise but nodded. "Of course."

I turned back to Adrian, my polite smile firmly in place. "I'll see you Monday."

His gray eyes gleamed, the amusement in them making my stomach twist. "Looking forward to it."

I left his office without another word, heart pounding in my chest.

I had gotten the job.

But at what cost?

---

Adrian

She thought she could pretend that night meant nothing.

That was cute.

I had spent years perfecting the art of control, of keeping emotions at bay. But Isabella Reed-she was a storm I hadn't anticipated. A storm that had crashed into my world without warning.

And now, she was working for me.

I should have let her walk away. Hell, I should have never hired her in the first place. But I didn't become the CEO of Sinclair Enterprises by following the rules.

I made my own.

And Isabella? She was now playing my game.

I picked up my phone and dialed a number.

"Ethan," I said as soon as my right-hand man picked up. "Look into Isabella Reed's departure from Westford & Co. I want every detail."

A pause.

"She's working for you now?" Ethan asked, sounding mildly surprised.

"Starting Monday."

He let out a low chuckle. "You never mix business with pleasure. What's different about her?"

I glanced at the chair she had just vacated, the scent of vanilla and something undeniably her still lingering in the air.

"Find out why she left," I repeated, ignoring his question. "I want the truth."

Because I had a feeling Isabella Reed was hiding something.

And I intended to find out exactly what it was.

---

Isabella

By the time I stepped out of Sinclair Enterprises, my mind was still reeling.

I had a job. A fresh start.

But I also had a boss who knew exactly how to push my buttons.

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows over the bustling Manhattan sidewalk. People moved in controlled chaos, lost in their own worlds, their own routines. I blended in, but inside, I felt anything but invisible.

As I reached the corner, my phone buzzed in my purse. I pulled it out, grimacing when I saw the caller ID.

Mia.

My best friend.

And the only person who knew the full extent of my disastrous past.

I sighed and answered. "Hey, Mia."

"Don't hey, Mia me," she huffed. "I texted you three times! How did the interview go?"

I hesitated. "I got the job."

There was a beat of silence before she practically screeched, "That's amazing! But why do you sound like you just signed your soul away?"

I rubbed my temple, already dreading the reaction I was about to get. "Because, Mia... my new boss is him."

Silence.

Then-

"Wait. Him?"

I sighed. "Yes."

"The one-night stand him? The hot stranger you couldn't stop thinking about him?"

I groaned. "Yes, Mia. That him."

She let out a low whistle. "Damn. That's either fate or a cruel joke from the universe."

"Probably both," I muttered.

"So what now?" she asked.

I glanced up at the towering skyscraper behind me, my stomach twisting.

"Now?" I exhaled. "Now, I pretend that night never happened."

---

Adrian

I leaned back in my chair, scrolling through the file Ethan had sent over.

Westford & Co. had been quick to scrub any official reason for Isabella's departure, but there were whispers.

Rumors of a scandal.

A senior executive had been forced out months before Isabella left. There were no direct ties between them in the report, but something about the timeline didn't add up.

I tapped my fingers against my desk, intrigued.

Isabella Reed wasn't just running from a bad job.

She was running from something else. Something bigger.

And now that she was under my roof...

I intended to find out exactly what she was hiding.