Chapter 1

Seraphina Salazar

I gripped my pen tighter as the folder I had just handed to my boss slammed into my face.

“This is wrong! How many times do I have to tell you this?” he shouted angrily. He massaged his temples, then glared sharply at me. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing, Ms. Salazar?” he added insultingly.

I pressed my lips together and inhaled, trying to stop myself from saying insults.

And you? Do you even know what you’re doing? You stupid! Damn it! All you do is sit there!

I didn’t know how many times I cursed him in my head. God! It was so tempting to say something insulting!

But of course, he is my boss, and I need this job, so I have to restrain myself!

Three months ago, I was hired as an assistant project manager. I performed well, and my supervisor was impressed. He decided to entrust me with a project to handle on my own. Unfortunately, I still had no idea why my boss was always so irritated.

I lowered my head and apologized. “I’m sorry, Sir. I’ll do it again…”

This wasn’t the first time he had gotten mad at me. It had happened many times before. I remembered that I couldn’t stop myself from crying the first time he yelled at me. And he was so happy and delighted seeing me so terrified.

I heard him laugh mockingly. I lifted my gaze to see him raising an eyebrow.

“Your boss says you’re good at your job, huh.” He looked me over from head to toe and then smirked. “Maybe the reason he says you’re good is because you’re… doing something else…” he said suggestively.

He didn’t finish his sentence, but from the grin on his lips, I knew exactly what he meant—that maybe I was seducing my boss into bed, which was why he was so impressed with me.

I gritted my teeth in annoyance. I gripped my pen tighter—it was almost going to snap.

I know I am attractive! But I would never use my body to impress my boss! I have skills! He just couldn't see it!

“I was just really doing my job with all my effort, Sir, that’s why my boss was impressed…” I said softly, keeping my head down.

He didn’t say anything for a few seconds, so I lifted my gaze at him. He was holding his phone and reading something on it. I noticed the smile on his face as he read.

A few seconds later, he noticed I was staring at him. His expression darkened. The corner of his lips curl before he spoke.

“Why are you still here? Get out, you stupid, useless employee!” he growled.

I immediately knelt and picked up the scattered papers. He had made sure they fell everywhere because he removed the clip I had put on the folder before throwing it at me.

“Faster!” he shouted.

The first paper I picked up crumpled under my tight grip. Once I gathered everything, I stood up immediately.

“I’m really sorry, Sir…” I apologized again. “I’ll do it again.” I bowed slightly before stepping back and quickly leaving.

I forced a fake smile as I left the office. Good thing I did because a colleague saw me as soon as I stepped out.

“You have a big smile! Does that mean your work got approved?” she teased.

My heart skipped a beat. I didn’t answer and just smiled more. I walked faster than her to avoid speaking.

“As expected from a top performer,” she added, praising me, before I could finally get away.

I sank weakly into my chair. I quickly turned on my computer and opened the file for my current project.

The thing is, no matter how much I review it, I don't know what's wrong with it. This is already my seventh revision. I don't know how to fix it anymore. I’ve put so many ideas into it already. I’ve even collected additional ideas just to get it approve. But why is it still wrong?

He never told me where I was wrong. He would only insult my work without saying what exactly was wrong.

Time slipped away without me noticing. I wanted to cry from frustration. I wanted a break, but my salary was everything to me right now. Giving up was not an option.

When I couldn’t take it anymore, I went to the restroom to release my frustration. I cried silently, making sure no one could hear me.

And when I was returning to my table, I stopped in the hallway just as I was about to turn toward our wing.

"Ms. Salazar is a great employee. She's still a beginner but has already proven herself,” I heard my supervisor say.

Then I heard a mocking laugh. I knew it was from Sir Alaric. “Hmm…I wonder why she was competent under you… but suddenly useless under me,” he said suggestively.

***

“Seraphina, we’re going to a bar later. You’re coming, right?” Sara whispered to me. I was staring at my computer when she suddenly called me.

I looked at her absentmindedly. A bar? I hadn’t been to one in a long time. I found myself nodding, thinking maybe I could forget my problems if I went with them.

“Sure,” I said, pretending to be cheerful.

When we arrived, there were already a lot of people in the bar. I quickly went to the counter and ordered a drink. Some of my colleagues shouted teasingly at me because of it.

“Hey… take it easy, Seraphina. We just got here,” Sara said laughing.

I chuckled. “That’s why we’re here—to party, right?” I said, taking a sip of the drink the bartender handed me.

After we found a spot, they ordered their drinks. After a while, I noticed my colleagues were talking about something, but I couldn’t quite understand. Lina even called me, but I didn’t catch what she said.

“What? I can’t hear you,” I laughed at Sara because she repeated what Lina had said.

She came closer to my seat and pointed something far away from us. I looked where she was pointing. I saw Alaric, a little distance away. He was with two other men. A woman was standing in front of him, talking to him.

I glared at him from a distance.

“Your boss is so handsome, Seraphina. We get so jealous every time he calls you to his office because you get to be alone with him,” she said, giggling.

I immediately grabbed my drink and gulped it down.

“Looks like Seraphina wants to get drunk,” Basty teased.

I pretended to laugh before turning my gaze back to my boss. He was flirting with the woman he was talking to. I figured he probably wouldn’t belittle me here—after all, we weren’t in the office.

As I kept watching, he suddenly turned his gaze toward us. His eyes darkened as he stared at me, and it made me uneasy. The girl with him tried to get his attention, but he ignored her.

I lip-read his lips when he mouthed, ‘Seraphina,’ while brushing his lower lip with his finger.

I immediately looked away.

…