Rain poured relentlessly, hammering against the streets of the city as Lena Collins stood on the sidewalk, drenched and shivering. Her blouse clung to her, soaked through, and her heels sank into the mud as if the ground itself was trying to hold her back. She hadn't planned for any of this. She hadn't planned for her father to die, for her stepmother to seize everything, or for herself to be left with nothing but a suitcase and a handful of hopes that felt thinner with each passing day.
Clutching the handle of her suitcase, she fought the urge to glance back at the house that now loomed dark and distant, no longer her home. She could still hear her stepmother's final words, icy and unforgiving: "There's nothing left here for you, Lena. Your father's will left it all in my hands."
A wave of anger and pain swept over her. Her father had trusted her stepmother, the woman he'd married late in life, to protect Lena. But Lena had been a fool, too. She'd trusted that her father would leave her something—anything. Instead, everything had been stripped away, leaving her standing in the rain with nowhere to go and no one to turn to. I
But she wouldn't break. Not here, not now. Her father may have left her nothing, but he'd given her an education, one of the best. And she'd use it. She had no one but herself now, but she'd rebuild her life, brick by brick if she had to.
By the time she reached the heart of the city, dusk was falling, and the skyscrapers glowed in the dimming light. She stopped near a row of electronic boards advertising job postings, her heart sinking as she read the requirements. Each one listed years of experience or needed connections she no longer had. "You're nothing without a name," her stepmother's voice echoed in her mind again, mocking her. Lena shook her head, clenching her fists. She didn't care. She would prove them all wrong, even if she had to start from scratch.
The next morning, Lena sat on a stiff chair in the marble lobby of Rivers Corporation, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. This was her last chance after days of rejection and disappointment. She'd heard about Rivers Corporation, one of the most powerful companies in the city. Its CEO was rumored to be cold, ruthless, and unforgiving, but she was past the point of caring. She needed a job, and this was the only interview she'd managed to get.
"Ms. Collins?" The receptionist called her name. Lena jumped to her feet, smoothed her skirt, and followed the woman toward an elevator, trying to ignore the fluttering nerves in her stomach.
As they rode up, Lena caught a glimpse of herself in the mirrored elevator wall. She was paler than usual, her cheeks slightly hollow from nights spent sleepless and days spent hungry. But she lifted her chin, squaring her shoulders. She had survived worse than a single interview.
When the elevator doors slid open, she stepped into a starkly quiet corridor, her heels echoing against the polished floor. She was led into a large office, where a man stood by a wall of glass, his back to her. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a stance that seemed carved from stone. She recognized him immediately: Ethan Rivers, the CEO. He was as intense as the stories claimed.
He turned slowly, his gaze cool and assessing as he looked her over. His dark hair was perfectly in place, and his suit was impeccable, but his eyes were the sharpest detail of all. They were a piercing gray, hard and unreadable.
"Ms. Collins," he said, his tone flat. "Why do you want this job?"
For a second, Lena's mind went blank. Her pulse hammered in her ears. She didn't have a rehearsed answer—she only had the truth. "Because I need it," she said, her voice stronger than she felt.
Ethan's eyes narrowed slightly. "Needing a job isn't enough." His tone was cold, as if her desperation was a weakness, not something he could understand.
Lena swallowed hard, her throat dry. "I've lost everything," she said, holding his gaze. "I have nothing left to lose. That makes me determined."
He was silent, watching her with an unreadable expression. For a moment, she thought he'd dismiss her. But then he nodded, his face giving nothing away. "Fine. You start tomorrow. Eight sharp. Don't be late."
The words barely registered as Lena processed the shock. She had the job. She'd done it—secured a job at one of the top companies in the city. Relief swept over her, but it was mixed with suspicion. Why had he hired her so quickly? She'd heard stories about his refusal to work with women. He was supposed to be difficult, yet here she was, hired on the spot.
The next morning, Lena arrived early, her nerves on edge. The days that followed were a blur of tasks, each one more demanding than the last. Ethan was relentless in his expectations, and she found herself working longer hours than she ever had before. Yet, despite his coldness, he was always clear and direct with her. His walls stayed firmly in place, his demeanor never wavering.
One afternoon, Lena was filing some papers when she came across a folder labeled "Andrew." She hesitated, her curiosity getting the better of her. Carefully, she pulled out a letter inside. It looked old, the handwriting neat but slightly faded. She began reading, her breath catching as she took in the words.
The letter was from Ethan's cousin, Andrew. "Ethan," it began, "my last wish is to see you with someone by your side, someone who will ground you, who can be your partner. I know you hate the idea, but please, for my sake—consider it."
Lena's heart pounded as she read the letter. Andrew was asking Ethan to find someone to settle down with. And it wasn't just a suggestion—it was his dying wish. But why would Ethan listen? Why would a man as closed off as Ethan care about something like this? A chill ran down her spine as she realized the reason she might have been hired. Was she here for her skills… or something else?
She barely registered the footsteps behind her until Ethan's voice cut through the silence, low and dangerous. "Ms. Collins," he said, his tone sharper than she'd ever heard it. "I believe you've crossed a line."
She froze, clutching the letter in her hands, feeling like a child caught red-handed. Slowly, she turned, her stomach twisting as she met his cold gaze. Ethan's eyes were darker than she'd ever seen, a storm brewing behind them.
She stammered, "I—I was just—"
"You were just prying where you don't belong," he interrupted, stepping closer. His face was unreadable, but the tension in the air was electric, thick enough to cut with a knife.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her cheeks burning. "I didn't mean to intrude."
But he didn't seem to care. He took another step toward her, the intensity of his gaze pinning her in place. "I don't tolerate disloyalty, Ms. Collins. Trust is everything to me," he said, his voice a dangerous whisper. "And you just made it clear that you can't be trusted."
Lena's heart pounded, her pulse thundering in her ears. She tried to steady herself, to explain, but words failed her. She could feel the floor slipping out from under her as Ethan watched her, his expression set, as if already deciding her fate.
And in that moment, Lena knew her life had just taken another unexpected, dangerous turn.