The wind howled outside as Sera Williams rushed down the dimly lit street, clutching her books tightly to her chest. Her heart raced with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Tonight was the night she'd been waiting for—her first internship interview at one of the most prestigious companies in the city, Calvin Enterprise. It wasn't just any company. It was the company. The one headed by the man whispered about in both awe and fear, Nicole Calvin.
He was a legend in the business world. Cold, calculating, and terrifyingly brilliant. Rumor had it that people trembled in his presence, and his icy demeanor froze even the boldest of hearts. Sera had never been one to shy away from a challenge, but the thought of facing him—even indirectly—sent shivers down her spine. Still, she wasn't about to let fear stop her.
She checked the address again, confirming the towering building in front of her. Calvin Enterprise was a monolith of glass and steel, casting a long shadow over the bustling city. Taking a deep breath, Sera pushed open the glass doors and entered the lobby.
It was like stepping into another world. Everything about the place screamed wealth and power, from the sleek marble floors to the minimalist, high-end furniture. She walked up to the receptionist, who didn't bother to look up from her computer screen.
"Can I help you?" the woman asked in a monotone voice.
Sera swallowed hard, her palms suddenly sweaty. "I'm here for an interview with Ms. Jenkins. I'm—"
"Ah, the new intern candidate," the receptionist interrupted, now glancing up with disinterest. "You're late."
Sera's stomach dropped. Late? She glanced at her watch—still a good fifteen minutes before the scheduled time. "I'm not late, I—"
"Mr. Calvin hates tardiness. You better go up and hope Ms. Jenkins is in a good mood today," the receptionist said, cutting her off. Without waiting for a response, she gestured toward the elevators. "Twenty-fifth floor."
Sera opened her mouth to argue, but thought better of it. This wasn't the place to make waves—especially not when she was trying to impress. Clutching her bag tighter, she nodded and hurried toward the elevator, her heart racing faster than ever.
The ride up was suffocating, each floor that ticked by increasing the weight in her chest. Twenty-two, twenty-three… the doors slid open at twenty-five. She stepped out into a stark, modern office space where everything seemed to be made of glass. It was eerily silent, save for the soft hum of computers and the occasional click of keyboards.
A woman in a sleek black suit approached her. "You must be Sera Williams," she said crisply. Her sharp blue eyes scanned Sera from head to toe, making her feel small and out of place.
"Yes, I am," Sera stammered. "Ms. Jenkins?"
The woman gave a curt nod. "Follow me."
They walked in silence down a long hallway, the air thick with tension. As they approached a large glass door, Ms. Jenkins stopped and turned to her.
"Before we begin," she said, her voice low, "I need to warn you. Mr. Calvin is in the building today, and he's… not in the best of moods. If you're unlucky enough to cross his path, keep your head down and don't speak unless spoken to. Do you understand?"
Sera blinked, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Yes, I understand."
Ms. Jenkins opened the door, and Sera stepped into a spacious office, her breath catching in her throat. The room was bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun, but it was the man standing by the window that froze her in place. Tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, Nicole Calvin radiated an intimidating, icy aura. His dark hair was slicked back, his chiseled features as sharp as the glass walls that surrounded him.
He turned slowly, his piercing gray eyes locking onto Sera with a gaze that could cut through steel.
"What is this?" His voice was a low, dangerous rumble.
Ms. Jenkins visibly stiffened beside her. "Mr. Calvin, this is the intern candidate for—"
"I wasn't aware we were hiring children," he cut her off, his gaze never leaving Sera.
Sera's cheeks burned with embarrassment, but she forced herself to stand tall. "I'm not a child, Mr. Calvin," she said, her voice firmer than she felt. "I'm here for an internship, and I believe I'm more than qualified."
For a moment, there was silence. The tension in the room was palpable, like the calm before a storm. Nicole's eyes narrowed, and a flicker of something unreadable passed over his face. Then, he turned away, as if dismissing her entirely.
"Ms. Jenkins, take her to HR. If she survives the week, maybe she'll be worth my time."
Sera's fists clenched at her sides, anger bubbling beneath her skin. Who did he think he was? She wanted to say something, to stand up for herself, but the words caught in her throat. This wasn't the time. Not yet.
Ms. Jenkins gave her a sympathetic look and motioned for her to follow. As they left the room, Sera could still feel Nicole's cold gaze boring into her back, a silent challenge hanging in the air between them.
Later that Night
Sera paced back and forth in her small apartment, replaying the encounter over and over in her mind. How could someone be so infuriatingly arrogant? She had heard stories about Nicole Calvin's ruthlessness, but she hadn't expected him to be so… cruel.
She had been nothing but professional, and yet he had treated her like she didn't even exist. Well, she wasn't going to let him walk all over her. She was going to prove herself, not just to him, but to everyone. She would survive the week. No—she would excel. And when she did, she'd make sure Nicole Calvin knew exactly who she was.
Across town, in the penthouse suite of the city's most luxurious building, Nicole Calvin stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring out at the city lights below. His mind wandered back to the fiery young woman he had dismissed so easily earlier that day. There had been something in her eyes, something that had caught his attention—though he wouldn't admit it to himself.
She was different, and that bothered him.
Shaking off the thought, he turned away from the window and poured himself a glass of whiskey. It didn't matter. She wouldn't last. They never did.
But as he took a sip, he couldn't shake the feeling that this one might be different. And for the first time in a long time, he wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that.