Chapter 1

The alarm's jarring shriek shattered my tranquil slumber, leaving me disoriented and yearning for a few more moments of reprieve. I groggily silenced the persistent beep, only to be met with my mother's gentle but firm encouragement.

"Time to rise, Emily! You can't be late for work, sweetie," she said, sweeping into my room with a warm smile.

As she flung open the curtains, a cascade of golden sunlight poured in, bathing my cozy sanctuary in a warm glow. I winced, shielding my sleep-heavy eyes from the vibrant light.

"Just a few more minutes, Mom, please?" I pleaded, my voice laced with desperation, as I snuggled deeper into the comforting blankets.

My mother's soft chuckle filled the room, accompanied by the gentle rustle of her clothes as she approached my bed. "No, darling, you've slept enough. Today awaits!" She gently pulled back the covers, inviting me to start the day.

"Come on, Emily! Stop being lazy and get up!" my mother exclaimed, her words infused with a mix of amusement and urgency. "Didn't you say you had that crucial presentation today?"

Her reminder hit me like a wake-up call, jolting me out of bed. "Oh no! The presentation!" I exclaimed, panic creeping into my voice. "I won't make it on time!"

I rushed to the bathroom, my mind racing with the consequences of being late. My colleagues and I had poured our hearts and souls into this project for days, sacrificing late nights and weekends. And now, on the day of the presentation, I'd overslept.

As I hastily showered and dressed, my thoughts swirled with anxiety. What if I didn't make it on time? What if I messed up in front of the clients? The pressure was mounting.

I slipped on my shoes and sprinted downstairs, my mother's reassuring voice calling after me. "You'll make it, Emily! Just breathe!"

But my mind was already racing ahead, visualizing the worst-case scenarios.

"Hey, slow down, dear! Why the rush?" my dad asked, his brow furrowed with concern, as I gulped down the freshly squeezed fruit juice my mom had lovingly prepared.

"She overslept and has that critical presentation at work today," my mom chimed in, her voice tinged with understanding.

I nodded curtly, my mind already racing ahead to the office. "Goodbye, Mom! Goodbye, Dad!" I called out, waving hastily as I grabbed my bag and dashed out the door.

No time for the bus today; I hailed a taxi, my heart pounding in my chest. Normally, I'd berate myself for being late, but today, punctuality was paramount.

As the taxi speed through the morning traffic, I mentally rehearsed my presentation, visualizing success. My palms grew sweaty, and my breath quickened. This was it – make or break.

As the taxi navigated the congested streets of Los Angeles, I seized the opportunity to fine-tune my presentation on my laptop. The driver's voice broke my focus. "We're here, miss."

I swiftly paid the fare and stepped out of the taxi, my senses heightened by the urgency of the moment. But fate had other plans.

In my haste, I collided with a passerby, sending my laptop crashing to the sidewalk. "Oh no! Oh no!" I exclaimed, my heart sinking.

I knelt down, frantically gathering the scattered belongings, my hands trembling. The laptop's screen stared back at me, dark and unresponsive. My attempts to revive it were futile.

Panic set in as the reality hit me: all our hard work, the entire presentation, was stored on this laptop. A technical malfunction now would spell disaster – delayed presentation, disappointed clients, and potentially devastating consequences.

Are you okay, miss?" the stranger asked, his brow furrowed in concern, as I cradled my broken laptop.

"Okay? Is this okay?" I retorted, frustration boiling over, as I held up the dark screen for him to see.

The stranger's expression shifted from concern to defensiveness. "I didn't mean to bump into you. You should have watched where you were going."

My anger flared. How dare he? I felt a surge of adrenaline, my fists clenched. "I was getting out of a taxi, and you were walking on the free street. Don't I have a right to be mad at you?"

The stranger glanced at his watch, his tone growing impatient. "Look, miss, I have an appointment soon. Can we settle this later? You're delaying me."

His dismissive attitude fueled my ire. "Settle this later? You think a simple 'sorry' will cut it after you've possibly ruined my presentation?"

The stranger's eyes narrowed. "I said I was sorry. What more do you want?"

The standoff continued, tension hanging in the air like a challenge.

"Let's settle this later," he suggested, pulling out his phone. "I'll give you my number, and you can call me about the laptop. I'll compensate you handsomely."

He turned to leave, but I swiftly blocked his path, determination etched on my face.

"Miss!" he exclaimed, irritation creeping into his voice.

"Mr!" I retorted, my eyes blazing. "I didn't do all this to extort money from you. You must know I'm also heading to a crucial meeting, and everything – my presentation, my notes – was on this laptop. Now, it's all gone."

He raised an eyebrow, his expression softening slightly.

"Okay, you need the money now, right?" he asked, his tone tinged with sarcasm.

"This is all I have on me," he said, "but if you'd called me later, I would've given you more. Now, we're even."

He attempted to walk away, but I seethed with anger, my emotions boiling over. I stormed after him, my feet pounding the pavement.

As I reached him, I shoved him with all my might, sending him stumbling backward. He lost his balance and crashed to the ground.

"Are you crazy, miss?" he exclaimed, his face reddening with fury.

"You think your damn money is everything, don't you?" I spat, my voice trembling. "A simple 'sorry' would've sufficed, but no, you had to be arrogant, flaunting your wealth like it's a shield."

I towered over him, my chest heaving. "How much do you possess that you feel entitled to dismiss others' struggles?"

"Your money's worthless to me, Mr!" I declared, hurling the crumpled notes at him. "You need it more than I do, to wash away that stench of arrogance."

His face reddened, outrage etched on his features. "How dare you!"

"No, how dare you?" I shot back, my voice rising. "Who do you think you are? You're nothing but a mannerless jerk. Your parents must have failed miserably in teaching you decency."

I glared down at him, my words pouring out in a torrent. "Watch your words, and your actions. Have you ever been called out for your arrogance? Well, now you have. Something to ponder, you self-absorbed jerk."

With that, I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving him sitting on the floor, his face burning with indignation.

"Serves him right," I thought, still fuming as I stepped into the elevator, eager to shake off the encounter.

As the doors slid open, I was enveloped by my colleagues, their concerned faces a stark contrast to the stranger's arrogance.

"Emily, what kept you?" Gracie asked, her brow furrowed.

I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "Something came up," I replied vaguely.

We filed into the presentation room, our team's collective energy palpable. As I set up my laptop, my heart still racing from the earlier confrontation, I breathed a sigh of relief when it roared back to life.

Michael's voice broke into my thoughts. "You look worried, Emily. Is everything okay with the presentation?"

His question sparked a flurry of concerns. Had I forgotten something crucial? Was I truly prepared.

had a run-in with an arrogant idiot, but it's nothing," I said, shaking off the lingering frustration. "Our presentation is ready, just waiting for the owner's review."

Just then, our boss swept into the room, her presence commanding attention. "Is Emily here?"

I straightened, meeting her gaze. "Yes, I'm here, boss."

She strode to my side, her expression stern. "Why were you late? Did you intend to jeopardize this contract?"

I hastened to reassure her. "No, it wasn't intentional. I just had an unexpected issue with someone."

Her eyes narrowed. "I don't care about your personal issues, Emily. What matters is this presentation. We must secure this contract – it's the largest our agency has ever seen."

"Give me your best, Emily. No mistakes, no excuses. We can't afford to lose this opportunity."

We nodded in unison, the gravity of the moment sinking in.

"Have you reviewed his profile?" our boss asked Gracie, her tone firm. "To create an effective advert for his company, we need to demonstrate our understanding of him."

Gracie hesitated. "I tried searching online, but there's virtually nothing on him. All we know is that he's a wealthy billionaire, and that's it. It's as if he's intentionally keeping his life under wraps."

Our boss's expression turned disapproving. "Gracie, you're not doing your job. I specifically asked you to dig up information on him."

Gracie began to protest, "But I—"

Our boss cut her off, her voice rising. "Enough! You're all going to give me gray hairs before I turn 50. I need a break."

With that, she strode out of the office, leaving us in an uncomfortable silence.

Gracie mimicked Rose's voice, "You'll all make me old and wrinkled before my 50th birthday," and we couldn't help but chuckle.

Michael snickered, "She still thinks she's young, but she's turning 49 this year."

Gracie playfully teased, "You'll get so old and wrinkled, no guy will marry you!"

I laughed, releasing some tension. Our boss, Rose Brighton, was a complex figure - demanding and bossy, yet generous with our salaries.

One moment she'd be breathing down our necks, the next she'd be cracking jokes. But today, everyone was on edge due to the high-stakes presentation.

Rose's unpredictability kept us on our toes, but we knew she wanted the best for the agency.

Our fledgling advertising agency hung in the balance, awaiting the verdict of the elusive billionaire, Cade Callaghan. Securing his contract would catapult us to prominence, flinging open doors to untold opportunities.

The stakes were high, and tension simmered beneath the surface. One misstep, and the contract would slip through our fingers.

Michael broke the silence, "Are you ready for the presentation's finale?"

I raised an eyebrow, "The dance segment?"

Gracie nodded emphatically. "It's non-negotiable. We must wow Cade Callaghan."

The unconventional request had raised eyebrows initially, but we knew it was crucial. Cade's reputation for eccentricity preceded him, and we aimed to cater to his whims.

"I've got the dance segment covered," I said confidently.

Just then, Mary, our receptionist, burst into the room, her face flushed.

"Guys! Guys! They're here!" she announced, her voice trembling with excitement.

Gracie and Michael swiftly moved to greet the guests, leaving me to finalize the presentation setup.

As I bent to secure a loose cord, I heard Gracie's polished tone.

"Welcome, sir. Please, right this way."

A deep, smooth voice responded, sending a shiver down my spine.

"This better be worth my while."

Familiarity tickled my memory. Where had I heard that voice before?

"Emily!" Gracie called out, her voice urgent.

I rose from my crouched position, expecting to greet our esteemed client. Instead, my eyes locked onto a familiar, infuriating face.

The arrogant stranger from earlier stood before me, his piercing gaze now laced with amusement.

"Emily, meet Cade Callaghan, owner of the Callaghan Empire," Gracie announced, oblivious to the tension.

My jaw dropped, shock rendering me speechless. The universe seemed to have conjured a cruel joke.

This was the man whose contract could make or break our agency?

The same man I had shoved to the ground just hours ago?