Chapter 1

"Today is your first day at work. Do you think you've got everything you need?" Tina asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"Oh, I don't even know where to begin," Selina said, pacing the room in a quiet panic. "My stomach hurts, I need to use the bathroom, and my legs feel like pure jelly. Why did they even pick me out of all those applicants? Oh my God."

Tina stepped forward, placing steadying hands on Selina's shoulders to stop her fretting. "Just breathe. You deserve that position more than anyone else," she said firmly, giving Selina an encouraging pat on the back as she guided her toward the front door. 

"Just make sure you come back tonight and give me every single detail about what the one and only Jason Williams looks like in person. I’d donate my left kidney just to see him face-to-face."

Selina managed a faint, nervous smile. "You're completely crazy."

"Maybe, but don't forget your promise," Tina teased.

"I will give you all the details, don't worry. I have to go before I make myself late."

Stepping out into the morning air, Selina felt the weight of a whole new chapter settling on her shoulders. For the past ten years, moving on from her past had felt nearly impossible, but optimism was the one thing she had refused to surrender. Now, as the newly hired chief secretary for the Williams Group, she had a real chance to rebuild. Above all, she needed the financial security; without this income, everything she had fought for would crumble. She could not afford a single mistake.

She arrived at the Williams Group corporate headquarters considerably earlier than planned.

"I guess I misjudged the commute," she murmured under her breath.

When she pulled her ID badge from her purse to swipe through the turnstiles, the security officer waved her through with an easy smile, explaining that the reader had malfunctioned and was slated for repair later that morning.

Selina crossed the marble lobby, entered the private executive elevator, and pressed the button for the thirtieth floor. Her pulse raced against her ribs in a blend of nervous dread and anticipation. The rumors about Jason Williams were wildly contradictory...some called him a brilliant strategist, others an impossible tyrant. She was walking in blind, but adaptability had always been her greatest strength. Even so, she knew she had to tread carefully.

The elevator chimed, and the doors slid open onto the top floor. A pristine, elongated corridor stretched out before her, anchored by a sleek executive desk and chair. As she approached, she noticed a nameplate resting squarely on the surface, her name engraved in bold lettering.

'Selina Woods'.

"Well, at least I'm in the right place," she whispered, letting out a soft, nervous chuckle.

The air carried a subtle, sophisticated cedarwood fragrance that made her suddenly self-conscious. She smoothed down her blouse and checked her reflection in the glass partition to ensure she looked presentable.

A moment later, the elevator chimed again. A tall, impeccably groomed man with sharp features and tailored attire stepped into the corridor.

Selina straightened her posture immediately, assuming this had to be Jason Williams. 'Speak only when spoken to,' she reminded herself. 'Stay calm. Don't smile too wide or look overly eager.' It was like a mantra. 

She stood beside the desk, hands clasped formally behind her back. "Good morning, sir. My name is Selina Woods. I am your new secretary." Despite her best efforts, a slight tremor betrayed her voice.

"Oh, hi! You're here early...he'll definitely appreciate that," the man replied warmly, reaching out to shake her hand. "My name is Mark. I'm the young master's personal assistant... more or less."

Selina blinked, slightly thrown. "'More or less'? What does that mean?" she asked, automatically reaching to help him with the tray of coffees and pastries he was balancing.

"Well, I follow him everywhere, and whenever I don't, he calls to drag me right back to where he is," Mark explained with a grin, shifting the tray away from her reach. "So I'm essentially his PA, though you'll be sharing the load with me now. Don't worry, I can manage these."

He studied her for a second, nodding in approval. "Looks like I made the right choice." He tilted his head toward the double doors. "Do me a favor: tie your hair up in a neat bun and wait for my call. I'll introduce you to the young master in just a few minutes."

"Yes, of course," Selina answered.

She watched Mark disappear through the heavy oak doors to her left. Working quickly, she retrieved a pocket mirror and a hair tie from her bag, pulling her hair back into a sleek bun. She touched a dab of perfume to her pulse points and straightened the collar of her shirt.

Before she could second-guess herself, the desk phone rang. She jumped slightly, cleared her throat, and answered. It was Mark, summoning her inside.

Entering the office, Selina was struck by how vast and opulent the space was and how strangely minimalist it felt. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed an expansive skyline, but the room itself was so austere that her heels sounded remarkably loud against the floor. Aside from the sweeping view, the only thing commanding attention was the man seated behind the massive dark wood desk.

"Sir, this is Selina Woods, she's your new secretary," Mark announced.

Jason did not immediately look up from his papers. "Mark, what do you mean, 'she'?"

"Sir? You specifically instructed me to hire a female secretary, and you gave me forty-eight hours to get it done."

Jason leaned back slightly, a scowl forming. "Oh, so now you're running my company for me?"

Without missing a beat, Mark pulled his phone from his pocket. "I anticipated this, which is why I recorded the conversation." He pressed play, and Jason's distinctly slurred, drunken voice echoed through the high-ceilinged room, clearly demanding that Mark find him a female secretary without delay.

Jason leveled a lethal glare at his assistant. "You must really have a death wish, Mark. Talking back, trying to prove me wrong in my own office... Why don't you just take my chair while you're at it, along with the new secretary who is standing right..."

Jason's voice cut off abruptly as his eyes landed on Selina.

The irritation vanished from his face, replaced by an intense, arresting focus. He rose from his desk in one fluid motion, never breaking eye contact.

"Good morning, sir," Selina said, offering a polite, professional smile. "I'm Selina Woods, your new secretary."

"Your hair looks nice, Selina," Jason said, his voice dropping an octave as his gaze lingered. "Is that Selina with an 'S' or a 'C'?"

"With an 'S', sir. Thank you."

Jason remained completely still, his eyes drifting deliberately from her eyes to her lips, then down to the sharp lines of her tailored trousers before returning to her face. The scrutiny was so thorough and heavy that Selina felt entirely exposed.

Self-conscious, she cleared her throat. "Mr. Williams, is there something wrong with my attire? If it isn't appropriate, I can correct it immediately."

"It's not my place to critique your daily dress code. That's Mark's responsibility," Jason said, his gaze never wavering.

He closed the distance between them, extending a hand. "Welcome to the Williams Group. I hope we can work well together."

"Likewise, sir. Thank you very much for this opportunity. I'm truly grateful," Selina said, placing her hand in his. His grip was firm and lingered longer than standard corporate etiquette dictated.

"That makes two of us," Jason murmured, holding her hand a beat longer before finally releasing it.

Mark cleared his throat from the side of the room. "Sir, your morning briefing is scheduled in ten minutes."

Jason blinked, stepping back to break the spell. "Right. Prepare the files." He retreated behind his desk, settling back into his chair. "I will call you when I need you, Selina. For now, please excuse us."

"Of course, sir." Selina nodded politely and exited the office, quietly closing the door behind her. She breathed a sigh of relief, taking the interaction as an initial success, even if his prolonged stare had left her thoroughly bewildered.

The moment the latch clicked shut, Jason turned on Mark, his demeanor shifting instantly into sharp agitation.

"Are you out of your mind, Mark?" Jason demanded, crossing the room toward him. "What is she doing here? Why did you bring her here?"

Mark held his ground with practiced calm. "She needed a job, and you needed a female secretary. Why else would she be here, sir?"

"Don't play dumb with me! Answer the question. Why is Selina in this building?"

"I am being entirely sincere, Young Master," Mark said, meeting his furious gaze evenly. "She needed a stable position, and having her here allows you and the young mistress to be in the same place. Furthermore, it means I can take a much-needed break knowing you're in capable hands. And," Mark added pointedly, "it handles your Celeste problem. You wanted a female secretary to keep Celeste at arm's length, didn't you? Now you have one."

"Selina isn't just some shield to throw in front of Celeste, Mark! She's the..."

"Sir, I know who she is," Mark interrupted gently. "The two of you need to work this out."

With a brief nod, Mark turned and walked toward the exit.

"Mark!" Jason snapped after him. "You have your resignation on my desk the second you get back!"