Chapter 5

• Lillian’s POV
• I barely made it back to my desk before the ping of an incoming email echoed on my screen.
• I took one last sip of my lukewarm coffee, letting the bitter taste distract me from how tense I had been since leaving the CEO’s office earlier. The man had a way of filling every room he stepped into, with power, confidence, and unfortunately, memories I would rather forget.
• My eyes scanned the subject line.
• “Promotion Notification - Executive Assistant to CEO”
• I blinked.
• Once.
• Twice.
• Then clicked.
• The words blurred for a moment as I re-read them, slower this time.
• “Effective immediately. New responsibilities under direct supervision of CEO Nathaniel Caldwell. Full benefits package and salary adjustment enclosed.”
• What the actual…fuck.
• My heart plummeted to my stomach.
• I wasn’t stupid.
• I knew what this was.
• This wasn’t recognition for excellent quarterly reports or my four years of loyalty to the company.
• This was about control.
• This was about proximity.
• This was about that one night I let my guard down and made the mistake of giving into a man who sees what he wants and moves chess pieces to get it.
• I stood up, my chair rolling back behind me with a loud screech.
• Heads turned.
• I didn’t care.
• My blood was boiling, and there was only one person who could answer for this blatant manipulation.
• I stormed out of the finance department like a woman on a mission.
• No hesitation, no knocking, and definitely no smiling at his assistant’s shenanigans on my way in. I pushed open the glass doors of his office and marched right in.
• Nathaniel looked up from his desk, one brow arched in that arrogant way that made me want to slap him.
• …or kiss him,
• …but mostly slap.
• “Congratulations are in order, Miss Carter,” he said smoothly, leaning back in his chair like he had just closed a billion-dollar deal.
• I didn’t sit.
• “I’m not taking the promotion,” I said, arms folded tightly across my chest. “You can keep your fancy title and the raise.”
• His smile widened slightly. “You haven’t even heard the offer.”
• “I don’t need to hear it,” I snapped. “Because I know exactly why you did it. You’re trying to use your power to force me into a corner. And for what, Nathaniel? Because we slept together? You think making me your assistant gives you a free pass to do it again?”
• The smile disappeared.
• Good.
• And I called him Nathaniel.
• Oh my God.
• “Not now, Lil, not now.” I chastised myself.
• His jaw tensed. “That’s not what this is.”
• I scoffed. “Then what is it?”
• He stood up now, slowly. Carefully. Like I was something fragile he didn’t want to break or scare away. It made me even angrier.
• “I promoted you because you’re qualified,” he said. “You’ve worked harder than anyone else in that department for years. And yes,” he admitted, stepping around his desk, “I also want you close to me.”
• I glared at him. “So it is personal.”
• “It is both,” he said. “You’re good at what you do. And I’m not going to apologize for wanting more of you.”
• “You mean wanting me, period.” I stepped back instinctively, suddenly all too aware of the space, or lack of it, between us.
• “I’m not trying to buy you, Lillian,” he said, voice low now, softer. “I’m giving you a chance to grow here, to be seen. Not just by me.”
• “But especially by you,” I said coldly. “This is about your ego. You want to see if you can break me down again. Well, newsflash, I’m not some toy you can upgrade and place on your desk.”
• He stepped forward. “You think this is just ego? Lillian, I haven’t stopped thinking about you since that night. I’ve tried to ignore it, to let it go, but it’s not going away.”
• My breath caught in my throat.
• I hated how those words pulled at something deep in me, how my heart wanted to flutter when my brain wanted to scream.
• “I don’t want to be another one of your mistakes,” I said, voice barely above a whisper.
• “You’re not,” he said, eyes locked on mine. “But I know I might be yours.”
• That stung. “Yeah?” I moved closer to him.
• But, it was probably true. That didn't stop me though.
• I walked toward him, deliberate, and calm. “You don’t give up, do you?” I said, voice soft, laced with something I couldn’t name.
• “When I want something,” he took a step closer, “...I fight for it.”
• I took another step.
• Then another.
• Until there was barely any space between us.
• I could feel the warmth of his breath, the tenion in his posture.
• I reached up and gently smoothed his tie between my fingers, straightening it slowly. “You want me?”
• His breath hitched. “You know I do.”
• “Then take me,” I whispered, looking him straight in the eye.
• He hesitated. “Lillian…”
• I moved closer, pressing my hand to his chest, feeling the rhythm of his heart thudding against my palm. He was caught off guard. Eyes wide, lips parted. And for the first time since this twisted game began, I had the upper hand.
• I stood on my toes, leaned in, my lips barely brushing the corner of his jaw. “Is this what you’ve been fantasizing about? Having me in your office, bending to your will?”
• His hands hovered near my waist, unsure of where to land. “You don’t play fair,” he muttered, voice hoarse.
• I smirked. “Neither do you.”
• I could feel the control tipping, his desire clashing with restraint.
• He wanted me…badly.
• Every inch of his body screamed it.
• But just as he leaned down, ready to crash into whatever this was, I stepped back.
• His eyes flew open in confusion.
• I turned, headed for the door.
• “Lillian?”
• I stopped, hand on the knob, not looking back. “Now you know how it feels when someone gets into your head… and walks away.”
• “I’m not accepting the promotion,” I said finally, breaking eye contact before I drowned in it. “If you really respected me, you’d understand why.”
• I turned and walked out without waiting for his reply, my pulse pounding in my ears.
• But just before the door closed behind me, I heard him say it, so quiet I almost missed it.
• “That’s why I won’t stop trying.”
• And it was accompanied with a cool chuckle.