The Devil At My Desk
Arabella Marlowe has spent her life being second choice. Her family has already decided her future, but Bella is determined to build a life that belongs to her.
Her first real opportunity comes from Ashford Technologies, one of the most powerful technology companies in the city. The only problem? Her new boss is Dorian Ashford, the ruthless billionaire CEO who made her high school years unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.
Dorian remembers Bella. He remembers the rivalry, the sharp words, and the girl who never knew when to back down. Now she works at his desk, challenges his authority, and threatens the carefully controlled life he has built.
But beneath their constant clashes, an attraction neither of them wants begins to grow. And just as Dorian starts to imagine a future with the woman he once considered his greatest rival, an arranged engagement threatens to destroy everything before it can begin.
With business interests on the line, family expectations closing in, and old wounds refusing to stay buried, Bella must decide whether loving Dorian means losing herself all over again.
Because the most dangerous thing about working for the devil is discovering that he might be the only man who has ever truly seen you.
And walking away from him may hurt more than staying ever could.
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Chapter: You Haven't ChangedBella’s POVAround noon, Tessa appeared beside my desk.“Lunch?”“Is that an invitation or an instruction?”“An invitation. I save the instructions for when you start making mistakes.”“Comforting.”I saved my work and followed her downstairs.While we waited for our food, she asked what had made me apply to Ashford Technologies.“I've always been interested in technology. I want to understand how companies build things, how systems work, and how the right decisions can change the way a business operates.”“Well, you're in the right place to learn.”“That's the plan.”“And don't worry about getting everything right immediately. Nobody expects you to know the whole company on your first day.”“Tell that to my boss.”Tessa laughed. “I'm beginning to think you two have history.”I nearly choked on my drink.“We went to school together.”“You knew Dorian before you applied?”“Unfortunately.”“Was he always this charming?”“No. He's actually gotten worse.”Tessa laughed, drawing a glance f
Last Updated: 2026-10-27
Chapter: A Little Too FamiliarBella's POV Dorian looked at the figure I had pointed out, then turned back to the summary.“Is there a problem?” I asked.“I haven't decided yet.”“That sounds reassuring.”“Would you prefer me to invent an answer?”“No. I'd prefer one that exists.”The corner of his mouth lifted. “Good. We're off to a promising start.”“I'm glad one of us thinks so.”He placed the file beside his laptop. “Take it home. Review it tonight and bring me your observations tomorrow morning.”“I thought my first day was supposed to involve learning how things work around here, not taking work home.”“This is part of it. You'll ask better questions when you have time to read without me looking over your shoulder.”I couldn't decide whether that was a compliment or another attempt to irritate me.Probably both.“Don't contact anyone about the figures yet,” he added. “If there's a simple explanation, we should establish that before involving other people.”“Fine. I'll review it.”I reached for the file, but
Last Updated: 2026-10-27
Chapter: A Detail That Didn't BelongDorian’s POVBy Friday evening, I'd cleared most of the week's urgent work and left a reminder to follow up on the proposal.On Saturday, I met Callum for dinner at a private members' club in Manhattan. We'd planned to discuss a security review his team was conducting for Ashford Technologies.That was what we did for the first ten minutes."You still haven't approved the additional testing," Callum said, setting down his glass."Because I haven't seen a breakdown that justifies the cost.""You'll have it tonight.""Then I'll review it tonight."He gave me a knowing look. "You make everything sound like a board meeting.""Someone has to keep you employed."Callum laughed. "There he is."I shook my head, smiling despite myself.We went through the proposed tests, discussed the additional time they would require, and agreed on what needed to be done. Once we'd settled the matter, Callum closed the folder he'd brought with him."So," he said casually, "have you decided how you're going t
Last Updated: 2026-10-25
Chapter: The Enemy I Couldn't IgnoreDorian’s POVArabella Marlowe was the last person I expected to see sitting across from me in an interview.I'd interviewed plenty of candidates over the years. Most of them came prepared with polished answers, impressive qualifications, and the determination to make themselves memorable. I was used to assessing people without letting personal impressions get in the way.Bella had made that considerably more difficult than it should have been.Hiring her had been a decision I could justify on paper. Her qualifications were strong, her recommendations were impressive, and she'd handled my questions without trying to tell me what she thought I wanted to hear.Why I'd found myself thinking about it long after the interview was over was another matter.Still, when I opened her file that morning, I found myself staring at her name longer than necessary.Arabella Marlowe.I closed the folder, reached for my coffee, and tried to focus on the work waiting on my desk. There were reports to rev
Last Updated: 2026-10-25
Chapter: The Job I didn't ExpectBella’s POVHe watched me for a moment, then closed my folder.“One more thing. You and I have a history.”“We attended the same school.”“That's a generous description of what happened.”“We were children.”“We were seventeen.”“Children with better clothes and too much free time.”His mouth curved.“You told the debate club I couldn't distinguish confidence from intelligence.”“You called my presentation boring.”“It was forty minutes long.”“It was a complicated subject.”“You had seventeen slides about a problem that required three.”“And you replaced my final slide with a picture of a donkey.”“A very intelligent donkey.”A laugh escaped me before I could stop it.For a moment, we were seventeen again. Then the office came back into focus, and I remembered that this man would be signing my paychecks.Dorian's expression grew serious.“Bella, I need someone I can trust with confidential information. I won't give you special treatment because we know each other, and I expect you to
Last Updated: 2026-10-25
Chapter: The Man Across the DeskBella’s POVHe turned.Dorian Ashford.For a second, I forgot how to breathe.The boy who used to stroll into school with a crooked tie had become a man who looked at home in an expensive suit, standing in an office overlooking half of Manhattan.His eyes settled on mine. Recognition flickered across his face.“Arabella Marlowe,” he said.“Mr. Ashford.”He set my résumé on the desk.“Sit down.”I obeyed, placing my bag beside the chair. My palms were damp, and I wiped them against my trousers.Of all the people I could have ended up working for, it had to be him.Dorian had once replaced my class presentation with a slideshow of my worst school photographs. He'd called it a harmless prank. I'd spent the following week making his life miserable.We'd both been seventeen, and neither of us had been sensible.“I didn't expect to see you here,” he said.“Neither did I.”For a moment, neither of us seemed to know what to say. Then he opened my résumé.“Top of your class. Strong recommendat
Last Updated: 2026-10-25
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