Chapter 2: The Opportunity

I shouldn’t have been thinking about him.

But I was.

And it was irritating.

“Are you even listening to me?” Lila’s voice cut through my thoughts, sharp enough to pull me back.

I blinked, realizing I had been staring at nothing for the past few seconds.

“Hmm?” I said, picking up my cup of coffee like I had been fully present the whole time.

She narrowed her eyes at me from across the small table. “Wow. You’re gone.”

“I’m not gone.”

“You are. And I know exactly why.”

I took a slow sip, avoiding her gaze. “You don’t.”

“Ethan Blackwood.”

I almost choked.

Lila leaned back, folding her arms with satisfaction. “I knew it.”

“I am not thinking about him,” I said quickly, maybe a little too quickly.

She raised a brow. “You just reacted like someone said your full government name in public.”

I exhaled, setting the cup down. “It was one conversation.”

“It was not just one conversation,” she said. “You rejected him.”

“Yes.”

“You rejected Ethan Blackwood.”

“I heard you the first time.”

She shook her head slowly, like she still couldn’t believe it. “Do you even understand what you did?”

“Yes,” I said, my voice calm. “I said no to a man I don’t know.”

“You said no to a man who’s not used to hearing it.”

“That’s not my problem.”

Lila leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice. “Men like him don’t forget things like that.”

Something about the way she said it made my chest tighten just a little.

I pushed the feeling away.

“He’ll forget,” I said. “He has better things to do.”

Lila didn’t look convinced.

But she didn’t push further.

Instead, she changed direction.

“So,” she said, tapping her fingers lightly against the table, “are you going to tell me what’s actually going on with you?”

I frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” she gestured at me, “you don’t just randomly show up at high-profile events, reject billionaires, and then act like everything is normal.”

I sighed.

She wasn’t wrong.

“Nothing is going on,” I said at first.

She didn’t respond.

Just stared at me.

Waiting.

I looked away, then back at her.

“Okay… something is going on.”

“Obviously.”

I hesitated for a second, then reached into my bag and pulled out the envelope.

Her eyes immediately lit up.

“What is that?”

I slid it across the table.

“Open it.”

She didn’t waste time. The moment she saw the letter inside, her expression shifted from curiosity to shock.

“Ava…” she breathed. “Is this real?”

“Yes.”

“You got it?”

“Yes.”

She looked up at me, eyes wide. “You got the job?”

I nodded slowly.

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

Then—

“Oh my God,” Lila said, nearly jumping out of her seat. “Ava, this is huge!”

I couldn’t help the small smile that formed on my lips.

“I know.”

This wasn’t just any job.

This was everything.

An opportunity I had been working toward for years. The kind of opportunity that could change everything about my life.

No more struggling.

No more barely making ends meet.

No more wondering if I was ever going to move forward.

“This is insane,” Lila continued. “Do you even realize what company this is?”

“Yes,” I said, my smile fading just slightly. “I do.”

Because that was the part I hadn’t fully processed yet.

The name at the top of the letter wasn’t small.

It wasn’t just any company.

It was one of the most powerful corporate groups in the city.

Whitmore.

My fingers tightened slightly on the edge of the table.

“I start tomorrow,” I added.

“Tomorrow?” Lila’s eyes widened again. “That’s fast.”

“I know.”

“Are you ready?”

I paused.

That was a good question.

Was I ready?

I had wanted this for so long. Worked for it. Pushed myself for it.

So why did something feel… off?

“I have to be,” I said finally.

Because this wasn’t optional.

This was necessary.

The building was even more intimidating in daylight.

Tall. Glass. Impossibly sleek.

The kind of place that made you feel small before you even walked inside.

I stood across the street for a moment, staring at it.

This is it.

Everything starts here.

I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and took a breath.

Then stepped forward.

Inside, everything was polished. Controlled. Efficient.

People moved with purpose, like they had somewhere important to be at all times.

I walked up to the front desk, trying to keep my nerves from showing.

“Good morning,” I said.

The receptionist smiled professionally. “Name?”

“Ava.”

She typed something quickly, then nodded.

“Welcome. You’re expected.”

That did nothing to calm my nerves.

“Take the elevator to the top floor,” she added. “Someone will meet you there.”

Top floor.

Of course.

I nodded and turned, stepping into the elevator.

As the doors closed, my reflection stared back at me.

Calm.

Composed.

But my heart was beating faster than it should.

This was it.

No turning back now.

The elevator doors opened.

The space was quieter up here.

More… controlled.

Like even the air behaved differently.

A man approached me almost immediately.

Sharp suit. Sharp eyes.

Observant.

“You’re Ava,” he said.

Not a question.

“Yes.”

“I’m Adrian.”

His tone was neutral, but there was something about the way he looked at me—like he was already assessing, already forming conclusions.

“Follow me.”

I did.

Down a hallway that felt too quiet, too important.

Until we stopped in front of a door.

Adrian turned to me.

“He’s expecting you.”

Something about that sentence made my stomach tighten.

“He?” I asked.

But Adrian had already opened the door.

“Go in.”

I hesitated for half a second.

Then stepped inside.

And froze.

Because sitting behind the desk—

Calm. Composed. Watching me like he had been waiting—

Was Ethan Blackwood.

My boss.

My breath caught.

And the worst part?

The look in his eyes said this wasn’t a coincidence.

Not even close.