Chapter 2 A CLASH OF WILL

Elijah Blake didn't believe in distractions.

Especially not ones with wide brown eyes, too much wit, and a smile that made the corners of his control start to slip.

And yet... Amara Lane was now seated just outside his office, typing away, the steady rhythm of her fingers on the keyboard threading under his skin like a sound he couldn't ignore. It had been only one morning, and already, she'd managed to throw his mental equilibrium off balance.

His previous assistant had cried by day three. The one before that ghosted during lunch. But this one? She was organized, unbothered, and annoyingly... present.

Not in a loud, attention-seeking way. But in the way you notice the sky change colors before a storm.

Elijah shut his laptop with a quiet snap.

"Miss Lane," he said, just loud enough to carry through the glass wall.

A moment later, she appeared in his doorway, notepad in hand.

"Yes?"

Her voice didn't waver. He appreciated that. Most people stammered when he spoke. Or worse, giggled.

"I have a board meeting in thirty minutes. I need a condensed summary of quarterly projections, a list of priority investors, and a crisis report on the Brazil branch. One hour ago."

She blinked. "You need all of that in thirty minutes?"

"I did say 'one hour ago.'" He turned back to his desk, already dismissing her.

Amara didn't reply. She simply left.

That was new.

Twenty-nine minutes later, a folder landed on his desk-color-coded tabs, printed graphs, footnotes, and a list of three bullet-point suggestions that were actually... impressive.

He flipped through it in silence.

Foot tapping. She waited.

Finally, Elijah looked up.

"Well done."

Amara blinked. That wasn't on her CEO Bingo Card.

"Thank you," she said slowly.

He watched her like he was trying to find the flaw in her armor. "Don't let it go to your head. One good hour doesn't make you consistent."

Amara bit her tongue. She wanted to tell him that one compliment didn't make him human. But she nodded and walked away.

Still, her heart beat faster than usual.

Because she didn't care about his approval.

So why did it matter that he'd noticed?