Chapter 4

Until recently, I had operated in a world where a single careless decision could cost someone their fortune, their freedom, or their life.

I had built my own weapons-trading network from the ground up, establishing connections across several international markets. Some of my business had involved supplying weapons to conflict zones in the Middle East, Somalia, and other regions where demand never seemed to disappear.

It had taken years of calculated decisions, sleepless nights, and sacrifices I would never speak about openly.

I had earned my position through intelligence, negotiation, and a willingness to make difficult choices when everyone else hesitated.

I hadn't inherited my business.

I had built it myself.

Every connection. Every deal. Every asset.

Mine.

Until someone betrayed me.

The betrayal had come from inside my own network. Someone who knew my operations, understood my security arrangements, and had access to information that should never have left my inner circle.

During the siege in Afghanistan, everything collapsed.

My operations were compromised. My assets disappeared. Money I had spent years accumulating vanished into accounts I couldn't trace. People I had trusted either turned their backs on me or disappeared before I could demand answers.

By the time I escaped, I had lost almost everything.

My business.

My resources.

My network.

And the security I'd once taken for granted.

I had survived, but survival came at a price.

I was forced to abandon the world I had built with my own hands and start over with a fraction of the money I once controlled.

For the first time in years, I had to worry about ordinary things.

Rent.

Groceries.

Bills.

Finding a job.

It was almost laughable.

I had once negotiated deals in rooms where powerful men measured every word and watched every movement.

Now, I was sitting in a cafe, wondering whether I could afford another cup of coffee if my job search continued to fail.

Life had a cruel sense of humor.

But I hadn't forgotten what happened in Afghanistan.

Not for a single day.

Someone had betrayed me, and I intended to find out who.

I would rebuild what I'd lost, piece by piece, if necessary. I would follow every lead, examine every connection, and uncover every secret until I found the person responsible.

I didn't know how long it would take.

I didn't know who I could still trust.

But I knew one thing.

I wasn't going to let the bastard get away with it.

And if working an ordinary office job could give me the money and stability I needed while I quietly gathered information, then so be it.

I could play the part.

I could smile, answer emails, organize schedules, and pretend my biggest concern was whether my boss preferred his coffee black.

After all, I had spent years learning how to read people, conceal my intentions, and recognize danger before it struck.

Being a secretary couldn't possibly be harder than surviving the world I'd just left.

Could it?

“Sevra?”

Victor's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

I realized I had been staring at him for several seconds without saying a word.

“Sorry,” I muttered. “I was thinking.”

“About my offer?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

I hesitated.

Every instinct told me to be careful. I knew nothing about Victor Haulette beyond what I'd observed during our brief encounters. I didn't know how he treated his employees, what kind of man he was behind closed doors, or why he was so willing to offer me a position without putting me through a proper interview.

But I did know that I needed a way forward.

And this opportunity had practically landed in my lap.

“I appreciate your offer,” I said carefully. “But I don't want you to hire me simply because you feel sorry for me.”

Something shifted in his expression.

For the first time, his smile seemed genuine.

“Do you always assume that people who offer you help must feel sorry for you?”

“No.” I paused. “Only when they offer me a job five minutes after meeting me.”

A low laugh escaped him.

His dimples appeared again.

Unbelievable. Even his laughter is distracting.

I immediately pushed the thought aside.

Victor leaned forward slightly, his eyes fixed on mine.

“Then let's make one thing clear, Sevra. I don't hire people out of pity.”

His voice remained calm, but there was an unmistakable firmness beneath it.

“If you accept this position, you'll be expected to do your job properly. I won't lower my standards for you, and I won't tolerate incompetence simply because we're acquainted.”

I held his gaze.

Good.

That was exactly what I wanted to hear.

“Then I'd like to know more about the position before I make a decision.”

His eyebrows lifted, as though he hadn't expected that answer.

Then he smiled.

“Fair enough.”

He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a business card, placing it on the table between us.

VICTOR HAULETTE

President and Chief Executive Officer

Haulette Corporation

My eyes widened slightly.

President and CEO.

Of course.

Because apparently, the universe had decided that a normal, uncomplicated day was too much to ask for.

I picked up the card and examined it.

“So you're really the owner of the company?”

“One of them,” he replied. “But I oversee its daily operations.”

I nodded slowly, trying to process the information.

The man sitting across from me wasn't merely some wealthy executive who happened to know the HR manager.

He was the person at the top of the entire corporate hierarchy.

Which meant that Anne, the woman who had practically thrown me out of her interview room, answered to him.

An unexpected opportunity began to take shape in my mind.