Chapter 4: Zion (POV)

Nobody spoke when Zion Petrakis walked through the executive floor.

Not because they weren’t allowed to.

Because his presence demanded silence naturally.

The sharp sound of his shoes echoed against the polished black floors as employees quickly moved out of his path.

Some nodded respectfully.

Others avoided eye contact completely.

Zion noticed all of it.

And ignored all of it.

He stepped into his office without slowing down, tossing his car keys onto the desk while loosening the cuff of his expensive black suit.

Another exhausting day.

Another meeting full of men pretending to be smarter than they actually were.

He walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.

From up here, everything looked small.

Controllable.

Predictable.

Exactly how he liked it.

A knock sounded at the door.

“Come in.”

Olivia stepped inside holding a tablet against her chest.

Unlike most employees, she never looked intimidated around him.

Probably because she had survived working for him for four years.

“You canceled lunch again,” she said immediately.

Zion barely looked at her. “I wasn’t hungry.”

“You said that yesterday too.”

“And yet somehow I’m still alive.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “One day your arrogance will kill you.”

“One day your attitude will get you fired.”

“Empty threats don’t scare me anymore.”

That almost made him smile.

Almost.

“What is it?” he asked.

“There’s an applicant waiting for the assistant position.”

“Reschedule.”

Olivia didn’t move.

Zion noticed immediately.

“What?”

“She’s from Diamond Groups.”

That got his attention.

Slowly, Zion turned around.

“Excuse me?”

Olivia handed him the tablet.

“Amy Armstrong. Daughter of Zack Armstrong.”

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Zion took the tablet from her and skimmed through Amy’s résumé.

Impressive qualifications.

Excellent academic record.

Leadership experience.

Too qualified for an assistant position.

Which meant one thing.

“This isn’t about a job,” he murmured.

Olivia crossed her arms. “Then what is it about?”

Zion’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Amy’s photo attached to the file.

“She’s trying to prove something.”

A slow smirk tugged at his lips.

To him?

To her parents?

Maybe both.

Either way, he was suddenly curious.

“Send her in.”

Olivia gave him a knowing look. “Try not to terrify her within the first five minutes.”

“No promises.”

The moment Olivia left, Zion leaned back against his desk thoughtfully.

He knew Zack Armstrong.

Respected him even.

The man was ruthless, strategic, and impossible to manipulate.

But his daughter is applying here?

That was unexpected.

Unless…

Things inside the Armstrong family weren’t as perfect as the media claimed.

The office doors opened seconds later.

And then she walked in.

Amy Armstrong.

Zion’s eyes lifted slowly toward her.

Beautiful.

That was the first thing he noticed.

Not in an obvious way.

Not the polished, artificial beauty he usually saw around wealthy elites.

There was something sharper about her.

Controlled confidence.

Carefully hidden nerves.

Determination sat behind her eyes like she had something to prove to the world.

...............................................................

By the end of the interview, Zion already knew two things.

First:

Amy Armstrong was far smarter than people assumed.

Second:

Hiring her was probably a terrible idea.

Which suddenly made him want to do it even more.

As Amy stood to leave, Zion spoke before he could stop himself.

“One more thing.”

She turned back toward him.

“If you work here,” he said slowly, “nobody will care whose daughter you are.”

Something in her expression softened slightly.

“Good,” she replied quietly. “That’s exactly what I want.”

Then she walked away.

But even after the door closed behind her…

Zion kept staring at it.

And for the first time in a long time,

Something felt different.

...............................................

Zion remained seated long after she left.

The office was quiet again.

But not empty.

Not really.

He picked up her file from his desk and opened it again.

Amy Armstrong.

Zack Armstrong’s daughter.

He exhaled slowly.

Of course she was.

That explained the posture.

The discipline.

The refusal to bend.

But it didn’t explain her decision.

Working here meant something deeper than ambition.

It meant intention.

Olivia entered quietly.

“She’s gone,” she said.

“I know.”

“You didn’t reject her.”

Zion didn’t respond immediately.

Instead, he stared at Amy’s résumé again.

“She’s not here for a job,” he said finally.

Olivia raised a brow. “Then why is she here?”

Zion leaned back slightly.

“To separate herself from her father.”

A pause.

“And to prove she’s not invisible.”

Olivia crossed her arms. “And?”

Zion’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“And she thinks I won’t notice the difference.”

A faint silence filled the room.

Then Olivia asked, “So are you hiring her?”

Zion looked toward the city outside his window.

Amy Armstrong had walked through his office like she didn’t belong to anyone.

But also like she had something to prove to everyone.

Including him.

“That depends,” he said quietly.

“On what?”

Zion smirked slightly.

“On whether she can survive working for me.”

Olivia sighed. “That sounds like a yes.”

Zion didn’t deny it.

Because for the first time in a long time…

He was curious about what would happen if someone like her stayed close to him.

Too close.