Chapter One

Chapter 1: The Only Spot

Maya Thompson had been running on caffeine and hope for years. It was 5:30 in the morning, and the café where she worked was still dark when she unlocked the front door. The quiet hum of the machines, the aroma of roasted beans, and the familiar click of her name tag against her apron—these were the things that kept her grounded. By the time the sun broke through the city skyline, she’d already served a dozen tired professionals on their way to offices she could only dream of entering. But today was different. Today, for the first time in what felt like forever, she had something to look forward to. Her professor had pulled her aside after class the night before. Maya had expected a warning—maybe about her grades slipping, or her frequent absences. But instead, he’d smiled, handing her a printed letter with the university’s official seal. We are pleased to inform you… You’ve been selected for this year’s exclusive internship opportunity with Blackwood Enterprises… She couldn’t breathe at first. She’d blinked at the words, certain it was a mistake. Blackwood Enterprises. The most powerful company in the city. Some said in the country. A global empire built on dominance, discipline, and a reputation for absolute excellence. Every year, Blackwood Enterprises selected one top-performing university to receive a single internship spot. Just one. And this year, they’d chosen her school. Out of hundreds of applicants—many with more impressive résumés, fancier last names, or family connections—Maya Thompson got it. Her professor had smiled when she’d stared in disbelief. “Sometimes, hard work beats pedigree,” he’d said. “You earned this.” She had gone home shaking, tears welling up before the apartment door had even closed behind her. Jamie, her younger brother, had been waiting for her on the couch, pale but smiling, his hospital ID wristband still on from the day’s check-up. When she told him the news, he grinned the widest he had in months. “See?” he said. “You’re magic, May.” No. She wasn’t magic. She was desperate. And this… this was a miracle. ⸻ Maya checked herself in the mirror twice before leaving the next morning. Her blouse was secondhand but pressed. Her black slacks were one of two pairs she rotated for formal classes. She wore her only decent shoes and tucked her hair into a neat bun. She had no car, so she took the subway, her chest tight the entire ride. Everyone she passed seemed wealthier, more polished, more like they belonged at a place like Blackwood. But she had earned this. She whispered the words to herself as the elevator rose toward the sky, taking her to a world she’d never touched. The moment the doors opened into the Blackwood Enterprises lobby, Maya felt like she had walked into another universe. The reception area on the first floor was sleek and soulless, a cavern of glass, chrome, and silent judgment. People in tailored suits glided across the polished floors like ghosts with million-dollar agendas. Maya approached the main desk slowly. The receptionist didn’t look up right away. “Yes?” the woman asked coolly, finally acknowledging her. “I—um—I’m Maya Thompson. I’m here to report for the internship program,” she said, her voice quieter than she’d meant. The receptionist’s gaze swept over her outfit like it had personally offended her. “One moment.” She picked up the phone, murmured something quickly, then set it back in place. “You’ll be reporting directly to the executive floor. Someone will meet you outside the CEO’s office.” Maya blinked. “The… CEO’s office?” The woman’s sharp smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Mr. Blackwood’s executive team prefers to meet with interns personally. You’re expected.” Maya nodded stiffly and turned toward the next bank of elevators, the private ones this time. Each step felt heavier than the last. The elevator dinged open into a space that looked nothing like the rest of the building. The upper floors were silent and cold, the walls a mixture of smoked glass and matte black finishes. Everything here whispered wealth and power. The carpet was so thick her shoes didn’t make a sound. Her breath caught as she took in the sprawling hallway lined with frosted doors and minimal gold-lettered signage. At the very end, she saw a pair of large glass doors etched with: D. Blackwood – CEO Her pulse kicked into overdrive. She wasn’t meeting him. Not yet. Just the secretary. Still, the knowledge of who sat behind that door—Damien Blackwood himself—was enough to make her knees weaken. Everyone had heard of him. 35. Billionaire. Untouchable. Damien was the man who didn’t need to raise his voice to make someone crumble. He’d turned a once-small logistics firm into a multinational beast through sheer vision and ruthless execution. He was rarely seen, never interviewed, and only photographed when absolutely necessary. The tabloids didn’t know what to make of him, and even his competitors feared him. The man was a ghost wrapped in steel. And she was about to be on his floor. A woman with a sharp bob haircut and stilettos that could kill stepped out from behind the reception desk. “Maya Thompson?” she asked, clipboard in hand. “Yes, ma’am,” Maya replied quickly. “Follow me.” The assistant didn’t wait, and Maya scrambled to keep up. They passed through a small corridor before entering a pristine private lounge just outside the CEO’s office. Low, leather couches. A coffee bar that looked untouched. A view of the entire city skyline. Maya stood awkwardly near the wall. “You’ll be oriented today by one of Mr. Blackwood’s executive aides,” the woman said, handing her a thick confidentiality packet. “For now, read this. He doesn’t tolerate leaks, and you’ll be expected to abide by internal silence policies immediately. Sign all of it.” The woman turned and left. Maya sat slowly, fingers trembling as she reached for the pen in her bag. Her gaze drifted to the office door. Behind that door was Damien Blackwood. The man who owned all this. The man she would soon work for. She swallowed hard. The internship was supposed to be the start of something good. A blessing. A lifeline. But sitting there, her signature halfway scrawled on the dotted line, Maya felt something twist in her chest. Hope… or warning. She didn’t know which.