Chapter 1 The Encounter

Melissa hesitated for a moment, then walked through the enormous glass doors. Bathed in the sterile light from tall windows, the area was spectacular, spacious, glistening with icy marble floors. The air was heavy with riches, power, and something she couldn't exactly identify.

Her shoes tapped on the slick surface as she carefully stepped forward. Walking, her eyes roamed the space, quickly absorbing the modern touches that suggested a guy who controlled everything around him, the exquisite art, and the high-end furniture.

Alex Vance, however, was the one who really caught her eye. From behind a large mahogany desk, his piercing gaze met hers with no sign of feeling. Tall, he sat in the high-backed chair with square shoulders. His dark hair was styled to imply both carelessness and accuracy, and his black suit clung to his well-defined frame.

"Melissa Rhodes," he said in a deep, smooth, unwavering voice. He did not get up to welcome her. He just looked at her as if he had been waiting for her all along. I hope you are prepared to begin?

The way he gazed at her had her heart skip a beat. It was with anticipation, not interest or curiosity. As though she were already included in a bigger scheme he was running. His intense stare held her motionless, as though she were a specimen under a microscope.

"I'm ready," she said, her voice calm even if his proximity caused her stomach to clench.

Alex simply pointed to the chair across from him. Unsure of what to do with herself, she sat down. As she sank into the chair, his gaze stayed fixed on her.

His gaze was like an unseen pressure stifling her in a way she could not define.

Then, just as fast as the tension started, it broke. Though it didn't change his look, Alex's lips twisted into the tiniest of smirks. Rather, it increased her sense of victim.

He moved forward ever so little, his lips hardly moving when he spoke, before she could speak again. Melissa, I expect nothing less than perfection. Anything less... will not be permitted.

Long after he spoke, the menace in his tone lingered in the air.

The meeting started. Speaking to his staff members, Alex's voice was quiet and measured; every word was steeped with frigid power. He didn't have to; he didn't raise his voice. His very presence made everyone in the room pay close attention, like marionettes to their puppet master.

From the sidelines, Melissa discreetly observed Alex's effortless respect command with only his tone and the sharp glance darting from one person to the next. His power was an invisible force radiating from him.

Alex waved off his colleagues with a basic, nearly unconcerned gesture when the meeting concluded. Just a cold order, no greetings or thanks. Melissa remained behind as the others left the room, hoping for her time to be addressed.

"Miss Rhodes," Alex began, turning to her with unexpected intensity. I assume you have seen how this functions. His eyes were relentless, scanning her face for any indication of doubt.

"Yes," she said, standing a touch straighter. I get it.

Studying her, Alex's eyes narrowed just slightly and he didn't answer right away. "Good," he murmured, his voice heavy with finality. Your participation in this will call for more than only your abilities, hence I hope you are ready to make difficult choices. It will call for your loyalty.

His use of the word "loyalty" made her spine tingle. It was an expectation, not a plea.

What if I don't provide it? Melissa enquired, unable to control herself. An unspoken challenge hanging between them, the words escaped her mouth before she could stop them.

Though the look didn't show in his eyes, Alex's lips parted as though he were going to smile. Then I will look for someone who will.

He didn't have to go into detail. The danger was obvious. His tone's firmness gave her no chance to dispute.

Then he got up as though nothing had occurred. He ordered, "Come with me." The words were an order, not a request, and she felt herself following him towards his office, her heart racing faster than before.

Being in Alex's office was very different. The door shut behind her with a gentle click, and the quiet between them became more and more oppressive. Though the intensity between them was obvious, Alex turned to his desk and searched through papers with his back to her.

Melissa couldn't help but look at him. She saw the way his fitted suit clung to his body, the sharp shoulder lines, and the back tightness as he toiled. He had a magnetic quality that pulled her even against the barricade he had erected about himself. It made her feel both attracted to him and repelled at the same time, but she couldn't quite identify it.

Any enquiries? Alex enquired unexpectedly, shattering the stillness.

Though his voice was very quiet and controlled, there was a sharpness to it that made her feel as though she was being assessed right now.

Unsure of how to respond, she moved uneasily. "No, I don't believe so," she responded, even if it wasn't quite accurate. There were a hundred questions she had regarding the business, his motivations, and the seeming tension between them.

But as Alex turned to face her, his eyes locking with hers, she lost the opportunity to say more. Time seemed to have stopped. His gaze on her made her feel open, vulnerable, and yet oddly... recognised.

For the briefest moment, his eyes softened, nearly imperceptibly. But just as fast, it stiffed again and the power dynamic changed back.

"Then we start," he remarked, facing his desk once again. The words seemed like an order, and Melissa understood she was already too deep.

She saw movement in her peripheral vision just as she was about to stand. Quick, purposeful, and just out of sight, a shadow crossed the office door.

She gasped.

Alex was oblivious. He was too preoccupied on the papers before him. But Melissa was aware; she was aware that she was no longer alone.

Someone was waiting, watching her.

Long after the figure had gone, the coldness of someone's stare hung in the air.

Was this her existence now? Always judged, always observed?

The corridor outside Alex's office seemed chilly, in stark contrast to the penthouse's warmth. Her thoughts raced with all she had just seen as Melissa walked towards the lift, her footsteps echoing. She had wanted to avoid the stress of the meeting, but as she walked past the door to Alex's office, something stopped her in her tracks.

Half shrouded in the shadows; a man stood just beyond the door. Though their face was somewhat hidden, the person's stance was stiff and something about the presence seemed too familiar. Her pulse raced and a shiver ran down her back. Though she couldn't identify the face, she was sure this person knew Alex well, perhaps too well.

Hoping not to be seen, Melissa automatically retreated, her heart racing. But for a little while, the figure's gaze moved towards her, an instant too long verifying her suspicion. They were familiar with her. She was aware of it.

Though her breath caught in her throat, she pushed herself to go ahead, her speed increasing as she attempted to dispel the unsettling sensation. Passing the stranger, she looked back and only saw the slightest flash of the person's face. One man. A cold, calculating look that made her whole-body quiver.

The door to Alex's office slammed shut, leaving her unable to understand it. The person faded into the shadows, leaving Melissa standing there trapped in the moment's intensity with her pulse still pounding.

She couldn't help but think whatever was happening in Alex's life was more deeper than she had thought. She looked around for one more glance as she approached the lift. The shape had vanished.

Melissa punched the ground floor button, her hand shaking.

The trip down on the lift seemed to last forever. Melissa's mind was racing; the stare of the person was tormenting her ideas. Hoping the fresh air would help clear her thoughts, she walked out onto the street. But a text on her phone caused her to freeze.

A single line of writing on the glowing screen said, "Stay away from him."

A chill crept up her back. She scanned the street, half hoping to find someone observing her, but it was as bustling and impersonal as always. There was no one present. The message yet seemed too intentional, too near.

Typing a fast response, Melissa's fingers shook. Who is this person? She waited, her eyes darting between the screen and the crowded street, but no answer came. The message popped up a minute later, causing her breath to catch in her throat.

You have no idea what you're getting into.

A dark knot turned in her belly. This was personal, not only a random threat. It was aimed at her and related to Alex in some way. She had believed she could manage the power, the stress, the risk, but this... this seemed like a warning. She was in deep, not only in over her head.

She gazed up at the looming structure in front of her, the site she had only recently departed. The universe of Alex. It was much more risky than she could have thought.

Her phone buzzed once more; this time, Alex was calling.

She looked at the screen and paused.

Was she prepared for whatever followed? Or had she already gone too far into a game not under her control?