Emma had barely finished a rushed lunch with Eli and Marissa. Her stomach churne, not from the food, but from the anxiety of not knowing what awaited her. What could they possibly want? She hurried to HR, her thoughts racing. It was Eve she probably filed a complain with HR.
When she entered the room, she froze. William was there, seated calmly, looking completely unbothered. He smiled at her, his demeanor cool and professional, as if they weren't living together or sharing anything beyond work.
"Good afternoon," he greeted, his tone neutral.
Emma blinked, momentarily disarmed. Before she could respond, the HR representative, a woman with a sickly sweet smile, turned to her.
"Oh, here you are!" the woman chirped, her voice taking on an unnaturally high pitch as she addressed William. "Sir, here's Ms. Dee, just as you requested. She'll be your assistant from now on."
Emma's jaw dropped. "Assistant?" she
blurted out, looking between the HR lady and William in confusion.
"Yes, Emma," the HR woman said, smiling thightly. "Congratulations on your new role.
"You'll be working directly under Sir William."
Dumbfounded, Emma stammered, "Why? Isn't the Assistant to the Manager position meant for a Senior Assistant Manager? I'm just a Junior Assistant Manager"
Before she could finish, William's mouth curved into a sly smile. "Then consider this your promotion," he interrupted smoothly. "Congratulations."
He didn't give her a chance to argue. "Follow me," he commanded, already walking toward the door.
Emma stood there, stunned. Promotion? What promotion? Her mind reeled as she thought of the things still at her desk, the explanations she owed Eli and Marissa. What would they think? What would everyone think? Reluctantly, she trailed after William to his office.
The moment they entered, Emma turned to speak, the frustration bubbling up.
"This is ridiculous! You can't just—" she began, but William was already closing the door, stepping closer to her with that familiar intensity in his eyes.
"Are you in heat or something?" Emma snapped, taking a step back as his proximity overwhelmed her. "This is work! Work!"
But William only grinned, his confidence maddening. "Work is work," he said softly, his voice low and teasing. "But we can work and play at the same time."
Her words caught in her throat as she instinctively stepped back, only to find herself pressed against his desk. Her hands gripped the edge as William loomed closer, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that made her pulse race.
"Stop right there" she snapped, trying to keep her voice steady despite the heat rising in her cheeks.
William leaned in further, his arms caging her in as he placed his palms on the desk on either side of her. His grin widened, infuriatingly confident. "Why would I?" he murmured, his voice low and teasing. "When this position doesn't seems so bad."
William leaned in further, his arms bracketing her against the desk as his palms rested on either side of her. His proximity was overwhelming, his smirk both infuriating and maddeningly attractive. "Why would I?" he murmured, his tone laced with playful defiance. "This position doesn't seem so bad."
His leg shifted, brushing lightly against hers, sending a jolt of electricity through her.
Emma's eyes widened, silently willing him to behave, but her body betrayed her resolve. When his lips brushed against the curve of her neck, she shivered despite herself. He lingered there, his breath warm against her skin, his scent intoxicating
.
"William…" Her voice was hoarse, a warning that lacked conviction. "Not here."
He tilted his head, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "Then tell me to stop."
She didn't. She couldn't. The tension between them was palpable, a storm she couldn't escape. The butterflies in her stomach, the way her pulse quickened, and the growing heat in the pit of her core—all of it betrayed her.
William's lips hovered near hers, his movements deliberate, testing her resolve. "Tell me, Emma," he murmured, his voice a low growl that sent shivers down her spine. "Do you really want me to stop?"
Her breath hitched, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. Her mind screamed at her to regain control, to step away, but her body remained rooted to the spot, drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
Just as the intensity threatened to consume them both, a faint knock on the office door broke the spell.
Emma's eyes darted to the door, her cheeks burning as reality came crashing back in. William pulled back slightly, his smirk undeterred. "Saved by the knock," he teased, his tone light but his gaze still smoldering.
Emma swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she smoothed her blouse and tried to regain her composure. "This is work," she muttered, more to herself than to him.
William straightened, his grin widening as he adjusted his tie. "Of course it is," he said, his voice dripping with amusement. "But we're far from done here."
When William opens the door, it was the girl in the HR. "Sorry to bother you, but I needed Ms Dee for a moment to finalized her transfer."
Emma comes to the door and greeted the girl from the HR. "Yes?" Emma was trying her best not to look dishevel.
"Ah, yes. Ms. Dee due to your sudden transfer, you will be having a turn over today, after to which you need to vacate your table as a new Junior Officer will fill in your spot. Please follow me."
She glanced back at William, whose smirk remained firmly in place, his eyes glinting with mischief. "I'll see you later," he said, his tone laced with suggestion.
Emma clenched her jaw and followed the HR woman out, her thoughts spinning.
The turnover was brief, but Emma could feel the weight of the stares in the office.
Whispers followed her every move, subtle yet sharp, as if the entire room had drawn its own conclusions. She bid Eli and Marissa a quick goodbye, introducing the person who would be replacing her.
She wanted to explain, to assure them that this wasn't what it looked like, but what could she say? The situation screamed nepotism or, worse, favoritism due to a personal relationship. Yet Eli and Marissa didn't pry. They knew Emma's character too well to believe the rumors that were already likely brewing.
Emma packed her personal belongings into a small office box—her favorite mug, a picture frame, and a few knick-knacks. With her desk cleared, she left her old workstation and walked to her new office, located right beside William's.
As she set the box on her new desk, she couldn't help but sigh. The space felt pristine, impersonal, and far too close to William's domain. "Assistant," she muttered under her breath, frowning. It didn't feel like an assistant manager role. It felt like a glorified secretary.
Slumping into her chair, she began arranging her belongings and organizing the desk drawers. By the time she finished, the clock struck five. The office was mostly quiet now, with people wrapping up for the day.
The sound of a soft click made her freeze.
She looked up to see William closing her office door behind him. The lock turned audibly, and he pulled the blinds shut with deliberate slowness, a smirk playing on his lips.
Emma stood abruptly, pushing her chair back as she moved toward him. "What are you doing?" she demanded, her voice low but firm.
William didn't answer. Instead, he advanced, forcing her to step back until she felt the edge of her desk press into her hips. He placed his hands on either side of her, caging her in once more.
"Now, where were we?" he asked teasingly, his voice rich with mischief.
Emma narrowed her eyes. "In your office," she shot back. "This is my office."
William chuckled, the sound deep and unbothered. "Oh, right," he said, his lips quirking in amusement. "I forgot to congratulate you on your new office."
Before she could retort, his lips brushed against her neck, sending a shiver down her spine.
"William…" Emma protested, her hands pushing lightly against his chest.
"Let's baptize your office, shall we?" he murmured, his voice dipping lower as his hands moved to her waist.
Her breath hitched, her mind torn between frustration and the undeniable pull of his proximity. He was relentless, teasing her with the same confidence that drove her mad.
Emma's fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, her protest faltering as her body betrayed her. "This is ridiculous," she whispered, though her voice lacked conviction.
William grinned, leaning closer. "Then stop me," he said, his tone daring her, knowing full well she wouldn't.