CHAPTER 10: RULES & BOUNDARIES

Maya

The words hang in the air between us, heavy, impossible to ignore. My heart is hammering so hard I swear it’s going to burst through my ribs, and I can feel the heat from his body radiating toward me, pulling me in like a magnet. I want to lean forward, to close the tiny space between us, to find out what his lips feel like against mine. But I push the thought down hard, remembering why I’m here.

“I know exactly what I’m starting,” I say, my voice low and steady now. “I’m starting my internship. I’m going to do my job, meet your standards, and prove I belong here.”

He pulls back just a little, his hand dropping from mine to rest on the desk. The loss of contact makes my skin feel cold, but I don’t let it show.

“Good,” he says, his voice back to its usual calm, professional tone. “Because that’s exactly what I expect from you. Now, let’s get to work.”

He turns back to his desk, picking up a stack of papers and sliding them across to me. “These are the marketing proposals for our new product line, it's called the Project Phoenix. We’re launching it in three months, and I need you to review them, identify any gaps, and present your findings to me by the end of the week. I’ll schedule a meeting with the marketing team for Friday morning, you’ll present your analysis then.”

I take the papers, flipping through them, they’re thick, filled with charts and graphs and bullet points about target demographics and advertising budgets. It’s real work, important work, like the kind I’ve been studying for years to do.

“Three days to review all of this?” I ask, looking up at him. “That’s a lot.”

“I know you can handle it.” He leans back in his chair, his eyes fixed on mine. “I wouldn’t have given it to you if I didn’t think you could. Now, I have a meeting in ten minutes…you’ll find a desk set up for you just outside my office. Sarah Chen, she’s my executive assistant—will get you a laptop and set you up with access to all the files you’ll need.”

I stand up, gathering the papers in my arms. “Thank you, Mr. Philip. For giving me this opportunity.”

He nods once, his eyes softening just a little. “Just remember…opportunities come with responsibilities. Don’t waste this.”

I turn to leave, but stop at the door when he speaks again.

“Maya?” he says, his voice quiet. “About the other night at the party. I’m sorry if I said anything that upset you. I never meant to make you feel… uncomfortable.”

“You didn’t,” I say, even though it’s not entirely true. “I was the one who was upset. I’m sorry for the things I said.”

“Apology accepted.” He gives me a small smile…real this time, warm and genuine. “Now, go get to work. I’ll see you tomorrow morning at eight sharp for our first check-in.”

I walk out of his office and into the hallway, my head spinning. The plan I’d made—seducing him, breaking up his engagement…feels different now, less clear-cut. He’s not the villain I thought he was. He’s complicated, human, and I find myself wanting to know more about him, not just to destroy his engagement, but because I genuinely want to understand.

I find my desk just outside his office, small but nice, with a brand new laptop and a mug that says Apex Industries – Building the Future. A woman in a grey suit is standing beside it, typing away at her phone. She looks up when she sees me, smiling warmly.

“Maya Wilson?” she asks. “I’m Sarah Chen—Mr. Davenport’s assistant. I’ve got everything set up for you, your login credentials are on the sticky note by the laptop, and I’ve already added you to all the relevant email lists and meeting invites. If you need anything, I mea. anything at all, just come find me. My desk is right there.”

She points to a small desk just a few feet away, covered in files and sticky notes. “I know this can be overwhelming at first, but everyone here is really helpful. You’ll get the hang of it in no time.”

“Thank you,” I say, setting my bag down and sliding into the chair. “This is all… a lot.”

“I know. But Mr. Davenport doesn’t bring just anyone up here.” She leans in a little closer, lowering her voice. “He really does think you’re something special. He’s been talking about your application for weeks.”

Before I can ask what she means, a familiar voice comes from behind us…warm, easy, impossible to mistake.

“Talking about me again? I hope it’s good.”

I turn to find Ethan standing in the hallway, holding a canvas bag over his shoulder. He’s in jeans and a paint-splattered shirt, and he’s grinning like he knows something I don’t.

“Ethan,” Sarah says, rolling her eyes but smiling. “Mr. Davenport said you weren’t allowed back up here after last time.”

“Last time was a mistake.” He winks at her, then looks at me. “I brought you something. Thought you might need it to get through all that paperwork.”

He pulls a small container from his bag, inside are homemade cookies, still warm from the oven, with chocolate chips and sea salt on top.

“Chocolate chip with sea salt?” I ask, my mouth watering. “How did you know?”

“Your mom mentioned it when she was telling me about you.” He sets the container on my desk, his fingers brushing mine as he does. “I figured you’d need something sweet to balance out all that boring business talk.”

I pick up a cookie, warm and soft— take a bite. It’s perfect, just the way I like it. “These are amazing. Thank you.”

“Anytime.” He looks past me toward Philip’s office, then back at me. “I was thinking, there’s an art show downtown this weekend. Local artists, really good stuff. Would you like to come with me? We could make it a break from all this.”

Before I can answer, the door to Philip’s office opens. He steps out, his eyes landing on Ethan, then on the cookie in my hand.

“Ethan,” he says, his voice sharp. “I thought I made myself clear about you not coming up here.”

“I was just bringing a welcome gift.” Ethan grins, not looking the least bit sorry. “Can’t have your intern running on just coffee and ambition.”

Philip walks over, standing beside my desk. He looks at the container of cookies, then at me. “You should focus on your work, Maya. Not on… distractions.”

“These aren’t a distraction.” I stand up, holding up the cookie. “They’re fuel. And they’re delicious.”

He looks at me for a long moment, then turns to Ethan. “Get out. And don’t come back up here unless you have a legitimate business reason.”

Ethan holds up his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. But Maya—my offer still stands. The art show is Saturday night at seven. Think about it.”

He turns and walks away, leaving me standing there with Philip watching me, his eyes dark and intense.

“Did you accept his invitation?” he asks, his voice low.

“I haven’t decided yet.” I take another bite of the cookie, meeting his gaze. “Why? Do you have something against art shows?”

“I have something against my brother trying to distract you from your work.” He leans in a little closer, his breath warm against my ear. “Just remember the rules, Maya. We have standards to uphold here. And boundaries that can’t be crossed.”

I look up at him, my heart racing. “What if I don’t want to follow the rules?”

He looks back at me, his eyes dark with something that looks like want and warning all at once.

“Let’s see which brother you fall for first,” he says, his voice barely a whisper. “But be careful—once you choose, there’s no going back.”