CHAPTER 14: A Man Who Misses Nothing

Sybil

I looked down at his large hand wrapped securely around my wrist. His fingers were warm against my skin, a stark contrast to the cool air conditioning blowing through the office vents.

My body was tired. My legs felt weak and heavy from the intense friction against the glass desk just moments ago and my mind was a mess of conflicting, tangled thoughts.

A minute ago, he was issuing cold commands, telling me to send dial-in codes. He had rebuilt his corporate wall perfectly. Now, he was holding me back.

I did not pull away immediately. I waited for him to speak. My gaze drifted past his broad shoulder and landed on a small, silver-framed photograph sitting on a corner table near the window. I had not noticed it when I first walked in.

It was Elias. He was wearing a dark tuxedo, looking sharp and completely untouched by anything messy.

Standing next to him was a beautiful woman with perfect blonde hair. Her hand rested flat against his chest. She was smiling brightly at the camera.

Quinn Hayes. His fiancée.

A sharp dose of reality hit me right in the chest. It grounded me instantly. I was a contracted employee. The woman in the photograph was his actual life.

She got the public smiles, the ring, and the future. I was the woman he used behind locked doors because his rare genetics required it. It was a business arrangement. Nothing more.

I swallowed the dry lump in my throat. I did not mention the photo. I forced my eyes away from the silver frame and looked back up at him.

"Is there something you need, sir?" I asked. My voice was quiet, keeping a strict professional tone.

He looked at my face. His dark eyes scanned my flushed cheeks and my slightly messy hair. He did not look emotional. He just looked observant, the way a boss notes a tired employee.

"You are shaking," he said flatly. "Sit on the sofa for a few minutes before you go back out there."

I shook my head. I gently pulled my wrist out of his grip. I was glad he did not fight me. He let my hand slip away immediately, stepping back to give me space.

"No, thank you, sir," I said. "I have a job to do. I need to prepare for the European logistics call."

"The call can wait ten minutes," he replied. He adjusted his cuffs, pulling the crisp white fabric straight. "Take a minute to rest."

"I prefer to stay on schedule," I said politely. "I will rest when I get home. In my own room."

He did not try to stop me again. He did not push the issue or ask any further questions. He simply gave a brief nod, accepting my answer with his usual ruthless efficiency.

He walked around his desk and sat down in his large leather chair. He opened his laptop, his attention already shifting back to the massive empire he ran.

"Send the dial-in codes to my tablet," he ordered, his eyes firmly on the screen.

"I will send them right away," I replied.

I turned around and walked to the heavy wooden doors. My legs still felt shaky, but I forced my posture to remain straight. I unlocked the door and the metallic click echoed loudly in the quiet room. I turned the handle and stepped out.

I pulled the door shut behind me until it clicked securely into the frame.

The transition from the heavy air of the CEO's office to the sterile, quiet hallway was jarring. I stood alone in the corridor for a second. I closed my eyes and took a deep, steadying breath.

I needed to clear my head. I needed to put the physical encounter in a box and lock it away.

I opened my eyes and looked down at myself. I smoothed down my gray skirt, making sure the fabric was not wrinkled.

I checked the small buttons on my white blouse, ensuring they were all fastened correctly and sitting flat against my chest. I ran a free hand through my hair, trying to tame any loose strands that had fallen out of place.

I needed to look put together. I needed to look like a normal assistant returning from a normal meeting.

Once I felt presentable, I started walking down the short corridor leading back to my reception desk. My low heels clicked softly against the polished floorboards.

The top floor was usually quiet, insulated from the busy lower levels of the building. I just needed to sit down in my ergonomic chair, look at my monitor, and pretend the last twenty minutes had not happened.

I held the stack of folders tightly against my chest. They gave me something to focus on. I mentally ran through the rest of the afternoon schedule.

The logistics call, a brief meeting with the legal department, and then I could finally order a car back to the estate. I wanted nothing more than to take a hot shower and sleep.

I turned the corner.

I froze as my breath caught sharply in my throat.

Casimir was standing perfectly still in the middle of the hallway.

He wore a dark tailored suit, his hands tucked casually into his pockets.

He was positioned directly between the corridor and my desk. He did not look like he was simply passing through to drop off a file or check a schedule. He looked like he had been standing there waiting.

His icy blue eyes locked onto mine the exact second I turned the corner.

My heart skipped a beat and I gripped the folders tighter, my knuckles turning white.

Casimir did not say a word. He just watched me. His gaze was sharp and thorough.

He looked at my flushed cheeks. He looked at my slightly wrinkled skirt. He looked at the stack of disorganized folders clutched to my chest. He took in every single detail with the cold, calculating precision of a man who missed absolutely nothing.

I stood entirely paralyzed. The silence between us stretched out, thick and suffocating. He stood before me like a mountain, blocking my clear path to my desk.

I could not read his expression, but his intense proximity made my heart race wildly. I stood there clutching my files, wondering exactly how long he had been standing out in this hallway, and what he was going to do next.