Layla Carter pressed her trembling fingers against the edge of the desk, her perfectly manicured nails digging into the cool wood surface. The once-vibrant buzz of the Carter Estate was now replaced by an eerie silence, punctuated only by the muffled voices of auctioneers echoing from the grand hall. Chandeliers that once glittered during lavish parties now hung lifeless, their brilliance muted under the weight of despair.

"How did it come to this?" Layla whispered, her voice raw with disbelief.

Just two months ago, the Carter family name had been synonymous with prestige and power. Her father, Robert Carter, had built a business empire spanning tech, real estate, and luxury brands. Layla, as the eldest daughter, had been groomed to inherit it all. But now, the empire lay in ruins, their assets liquidated to pay off an avalanche of debts that no one had seen coming.

Her phone buzzed on the desk, pulling her from her spiraling thoughts. The name flashing on the screen made her heart sink: Connor Maxwell.

"Layla," Connor's smooth, practiced voice filled her ear. "I hope you're holding up."

She bit back a bitter laugh. "You mean after watching everything my family built torn apart? I'm fine, Connor. Absolutely fine."

There was a pause on the other end. Connor, her father's longtime attorney and family friend, had been a steady presence throughout the chaos, but even his reassurances felt hollow now.

"We've done all we can," Connor said softly. "The investigation into the sabotage is ongoing, but it's clear someone targeted your family deliberately."

"Who?" Layla demanded, her voice sharp. "Who would go to such lengths to destroy us?"

"That's what I intend to find out," Connor said. "But Layla… you need to focus on rebuilding your life. Your father—"

"Don't," she cut him off, her throat tightening. "Don't tell me what my father would've wanted. He's gone. Everything he worked for is gone."

She ended the call abruptly, unable to stomach another empty platitude. Tossing the phone onto the desk, she allowed herself a rare moment of vulnerability, burying her face in her hands.

But the moment didn't last long. A sharp knock at the door jolted her upright.

"Miss Carter," came a brusque voice. It was one of the auction house representatives. "The final appraisal is complete. We'll be moving the items shortly."

Layla stood, smoothing the creases in her blouse. "I'll be out in a moment."

The man nodded and left. Alone again, Layla cast one last glance around the room—the study that had been her father's sanctuary. The mahogany shelves were now bare, the family portrait above the fireplace removed. All that remained was the desk and chair, soon to be carted away like everything else.

Resolute, Layla squared her shoulders and walked out of the room. She wouldn't let the vultures see her break.

---

By the time the auction ended, the Carter family estate was no more. Layla returned to her modest apartment in downtown Manhattan, a far cry from the opulence she had once called home. The space was small but functional—a single bedroom, an open-plan living area, and a view of the brick wall next door.

Dropping her bag on the couch, she sank into the cushions and stared at the ceiling. She had no job, no income, and no plan. Her friends from her socialite days had all but vanished, and the media circus surrounding her family's fall made finding work nearly impossible.

Her phone buzzed again, this time with a notification. She opened it to find an email from Blackstone Enterprises.

Subject: Offer of Employment

Dear Ms. Carter,

We are pleased to offer you the position of Administrative Assistant to the CEO at Blackstone Enterprises. Your start date is November 1st. Please confirm your acceptance by replying to this email.

Layla stared at the screen in disbelief. Blackstone Enterprises was one of the most powerful conglomerates in the world—and one of the corporations that had profited from her family's downfall.

She hesitated, her pride warring with her desperation. Taking the job would mean working for Aiden Blackstone, the cold, calculating billionaire whose name was whispered in boardrooms across the globe. But turning it down wasn't an option. Not if she wanted to survive.

---

November 1st arrived faster than Layla expected. Clad in a tailored navy-blue blazer and matching skirt, she stepped into the glass tower that housed Blackstone Enterprises. The lobby was a monument to excess: marble floors, towering columns, and a sprawling water feature that glittered beneath the morning sun.

"Miss Carter?"

Layla turned to see a young woman with a clipboard and an overly bright smile. "I'm Emily, part of the HR team. I'll show you to your desk."

Layla followed Emily through a labyrinth of sleek hallways, her heels clicking against the polished floors. They stopped in front of a set of double doors.

"This is the executive wing," Emily explained. "Your desk is just outside Mr. Blackstone's office. He prefers his assistant to be close by."

Layla nodded, keeping her expression neutral. She hadn't yet met Aiden Blackstone, but his reputation preceded him. Ruthless, brilliant, and utterly unapproachable.

Emily gestured toward a minimalist desk outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment. "This is you. Mr. Blackstone should be in shortly. Good luck!"

Layla barely had time to sit before the doors to the office swung open. Aiden Blackstone strode in, his presence commanding the room like a force of nature.

Tall and impeccably dressed in a tailored charcoal suit, Aiden had the air of someone who always got what he wanted. His piercing gray eyes locked onto Layla, and for a moment, she felt like he could see straight through her.

"Miss Carter," he said, his voice low and smooth. "Welcome to Blackstone Enterprises."

Layla stood, her heart pounding. "Thank you, Mr. Blackstone. I'm honored to be here."

He studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "I expect excellence. Prove you're worth the gamble."

With that, he disappeared into his office, leaving Layla to grapple with the weight of his words.

---

Hours later, as Layla sifted through a stack of documents on her desk, a single file caught her attention. It was marked CONFIDENTIAL in bold red letters. Glancing around to ensure no one was watching, she opened it.

Her breath caught as she scanned the pages. The document detailed a series of acquisitions made by Blackstone Enterprises—one of which was the hostile takeover of a Carter subsidiary. But what stood out most was a memo buried at the bottom, implicating Blackstone Enterprises in the financial sabotage that had destroyed her family.

Layla's hands shook as she closed the file. Her instincts had been right: Aiden Blackstone wasn't just her boss. He was the enemy.

And now, she was inside his empire.