Chapter 7 7

Cleo groaned as she blinked awake, her vision adjusting to the dimly lit bedroom. Something felt off. The usual chime of her alarm was absent.

She reached for her phone on the nightstand, her heart dropping the moment she saw the screen-**8:45 AM**.

She had overslept. Again.

"Shit!" she hissed, throwing the covers off and bolting upright.

Her heart pounded as she leapt out of bed and dashed toward the bathroom, nearly tripping over the slippers she had carelessly left by the door the night before. She had to be at work by 9:30, and given the unforgiving morning traffic, she was already on the brink of being disastrously late.

This wasn't the first time. Not the second. Not even the third. She had lost count of how many warnings she had received from her department head. One more slip-up, and she was as good as fired. After everything that had happened, losing this job would be the final nail in her coffin.

She couldn't let that happen.

Cleo scrubbed her face quickly, the cool water shocking her senses. If Sophie were still around, this wouldn't have happened. Her assistant had always ensured she was up and ready before dawn. But Sophie was gone now. So were the chef and the nanny. She had to cut back on expenses, meaning she had to let them all go. The only person she had kept was her driver-because, well, she couldn't drive. She needed at least one thing in her life to remain functional.

She shook off the thoughts and rushed to her closet, yanking the first outfit she could find. A fitted black blazer and a matching pencil skirt. Professional. Quick. Acceptable. She threw them on, barely bothering to fix the buttons properly, and slipped into a pair of black heels.

She grabbed her bag and sprinted out of her bedroom, nearly colliding with the hallway table. Her stomach growled, but there was no time for breakfast. She was halfway down the stairs when a sudden sharp sensation tickled her upper lip.

She wiped her nose absentmindedly and froze when she saw the smear of red on her fingers.

Damn it. **The medication.**

A fresh wave of panic shot through her. She had forgotten to take it last night. And again this morning. She cursed under her breath and sprinted back upstairs.

Ripping open the drawer, she grabbed the small pill bottle, popped a tablet into her mouth, and swallowed it dry before rushing back downstairs.

By the time she reached the car, she was breathless.

"Drive. Fast." She ordered, slamming the door shut behind her.

Her driver, Michael, threw her a knowing glance through the rearview mirror but said nothing as he pulled out onto the road. Cleo barely noticed the scenery flashing by. Her fingers tapped restlessly against her knee, her mind calculating the minutes she had left.

Twenty.

Twenty minutes to get to the office, rush through security, and make it to her department before the clock struck **9:30**.

She was doomed.

As expected, traffic was a nightmare. The roads were choked with impatient drivers, the honking and slow-moving vehicles only fueling her frustration. She drummed her fingers against the seat, muttering under her breath. If she lost this job, what the hell was she going to do?

After what felt like an eternity, they finally pulled up in front of **LX Group**-a massive glass tower that gleamed under the morning sun.

Cleo barely waited for the car to stop before she flung the door open and bolted toward the entrance.

She could already picture her department head's face, the disappointment and exasperation in his eyes. **I warned you, Miss Daniels. You're out of chances.**

Her stomach twisted.

She sprinted through the lobby, her heels clacking against the polished marble floor. The elevator doors were just about to close.

"Hold the elevator!" she gasped, pushing herself harder.

No luck. The doors slid shut just as she reached them.

Her heart sank.

**Now I'm definitely losing my job.**

"I see you're running late again, Miss Daniels."

Her body went rigid.

That voice.

She turned slowly, dread creeping into her bones.

Alex Carter

The CEO of **LX Group**.

Her new boss.

And, worst of all, the last person she wanted to see right now.

Tall, impeccably dressed, and exuding a level of authority that sent a chill down her spine, Alex stood a few feet away from her, arms crossed, an amused smirk playing on his lips. His piercing blue eyes studied her, his gaze lingering just long enough to make her squirm.

Cleo swallowed hard, trying to compose herself. "Mr. Carter, " she said, her voice betraying none of the internal panic raging inside her.

Alex raised a brow, his smirk deepening. "Cutting it close today, aren't we?"

She forced a polite smile despite wanting to curl up and disappear. "I-uh-there was traffic."

"Traffic?" He stepped closer, his presence suffocating. "Is that the same excuse you used the last time? And the time before that?"

Her stomach twisted painfully.

He knew.

Of course, he knew. He was the CEO. He had access to every department's performance records, which meant he knew exactly how many times she had shown up late.

Cleo clenched her jaw. "It won't happen again," she said firmly, standing straighter.

Alex studied her for a long moment before exhaling dramatically.

Her pulse thundered in her ears as the next elevator dinged open. She stepped inside quickly, desperate to escape the suffocating tension between them. Alex followed, casually pressing the button for his floor.

Silence stretched between them.

Cleo's mind raced. She couldn't afford to lose this job. She had already lost enough. Her hands curled into fists at her sides. No matter what, she had to prove herself.

The doors slid open, and Alex stepped out first. He hesitated, glancing back at her with an unreadable expression.

"I want to see you in my office now, Miss Daniels,"