Chapter 3

​Valerie followed Christopher out of the private elevator and onto the top executive floor, stepping onto thick, plush carpets that absorbed every sound. Looking around at the massive glass walls and private art galleries, she assumed he was perhaps a senior department director or a high-level executive assistant given his personal relationship with Trevor and his obvious familiarity with the floor.  

​“That’s good,” Valerie said smoothly, turning around with a subtle, confident smirk as they reached the wide, sunlit corridor. “Given how stupid and naive Trevor was acting yesterday, I didn't expect much from his acquaintances. But you seem surprisingly capable.”  

​Christopher tilted his head slightly, his dark gray eyes fixing on her with mild, entertained curiosity. “Oh really? Tell me, what were you expecting then?”  

​“Nothing much,” Valerie replied casually, adjusting her leather handbag over her shoulder. “I’m going back to work now. Bye.”  

​Christopher stood in place, quietly watching her confident stride as she walked toward a set of grand double doors leading to the design division.  

​He’s certainly arrogant for a mid-level guy, Valerie thought to herself with a light chuckle before stepping into her assigned department.  

​When Valerie arrived at the Team 2 office suite, she was warmly greeted by her new team members, who were eager to work under an international director. However, her smile faded slightly when she glided past the glass divider and saw the leader of Team 1—Cassie. It turned out Cassie’s wealthy father had pulled major corporate strings to land her a supervisory spot over Team 1 just weeks prior.  

​Before any petty office tension could boil over, an urgent executive chime sounded across the floor intercom. Both team leaders were summoned to the grand board conference room for a critical project briefing.  

​The contract on the table was staggering—a landmark 1-billion-dollar commercial real estate development project that would define the city's skyline for the next decade. Whichever team secured the final approval of the executive board would handle the entire project from start to finish.  

​Valerie gathered her notes, organized her tablet, and walked into the massive conference room alongside Cassie and dozens of senior executives. Everyone sat down around the oval mahogany table in complete, tense silence, an anxious weight lingering in the air.  

​Suddenly, the heavy double doors swung open.  

​Christopher walked into the room, looking impossibly sharp in his tailored suit. The very first thing he did was scan the crowded room with a sharp gaze. When his eyes landed on Valerie, he didn't take the traditional head seat at the table. Instead, he casually took a side seat directly across from her. He bowed slightly toward his trembling senior assistant, pulling out the grand executive chair at the head of the table for the young man, and said loudly for the entire room to hear, “Have a seat, Boss.”  

​The assistant, a young man named Luke, froze in sheer, unadulterated terror. His jaw trembled violently, his voice stuttering frantically, as he whispered “B-B-Boss...? What are you doing?!”  

​Valerie, sitting just two seats down, completely mistook Christopher’s action as him simply teasing a timid colleague or playing an inappropriate prank on his workplace superior. She leaned over the smooth wood surface and whispered quietly to Christopher, “Behave, or you’ll lose your job and end up like your stupid nephew.”  

​Because the entire conference room was in dead, breathless silence out of absolute reverence for Christopher's presence, Valerie’s crisp, quiet whisper echoed with terrifying clarity across the active tabletop microphone system.  

​The entire room filled with collective, horrified gasps. Every single vice president and senior executive held their breath, turning pale as they waited for the ruthless head of the Blackwood empire to completely annihilate the bold new employee.  

​Instead of getting up, Christopher stayed in his seat directly across from her. He turned his head slowly toward Valerie, a wide, breathtaking smile spreading across his striking face. “Good advice,” he said smoothly, his tone rich with amusement. “I’ll keep that in mind.”  

​Throughout the grueling two-hour meeting, Valerie paid him no mind and presented Team 2's design proposal with flawless, brilliant precision. By the end of the session, Christopher signaled to his assistant to officially award the 1-billion-dollar project lead to Valerie's team, leaving Cassie seething in her seat, clutching her pen until it nearly snapped.  

​As the meeting concluded, the executives quickly scurried out of the room, terrified of lingering anywhere near the CEO's formidable presence. Valerie quickly gathered her files, eager to make a swift exit before Cassie could attempt to make a dramatic scene.  

​Just as she reached the outer glass lobby, her personal phone vibrated softly in her handbag. Seeing the caller ID on the screen, a warm, radiant, and incredibly soft smile broke across her face.  

​She answered immediately, stepping near the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, her voice instantly turning sweet, gentle, and overflowing with deep affection.  

​“Baby! How are you?” Valerie chimed happily into the receiver, her eyes sparkling. “Did you miss me today?”  

​Standing near the conference room glass doors just a few feet behind her, Christopher caught every single word. The warm, playful smile that had lingered on his face all morning instantly vanished, replaced by a dark, dangerous frost.  

​“Baby...?” Christopher repeated under his breath, his dark gray eyes narrowing into razor-sharp slits as he stared fixatedly at her retreating back.