Chapter 3: Worst Nightmare

“ Holy shit! You look like a mess, Tess.” Another intern, Miles said the moment he saw her. “ What on earth happened to you?”

He asked worriedly, quickly taking the coffee from her. Everyone’s eyes were now fixed on her, some with concern while some with mockery as they giggled over her ruined shirt and the way she was limping.

“ Long story, Miles. Believe me, this day is a bad luck day.” She whispered, her cheeks reddened in embarrassment.

She cracked a tiny smile of gratitude at Miles as he helped her hand over the coffees to each person.

“ But seriously, you need to change that shirt, it's a mess.”

“ I know, but I don't have any other one here.” She murmured, her shoulders slumping as she hung her head low.

How is she supposed to face Tyler with her looking like this? If he sees her like this, he'd definitely laugh and say ‘ she's messy like always’.

Tears filled her eyes. She was supposed to impress him, not make him laugh at her.

‘ This must be it, the reason why he never looked my way, the reason why he doesn't love me and that's because.. I just can't seem to do anything right.’

She sniffled and quickly wiped her eyes before anyone would notice or catch sight of her crying.

Just then, someone announced. “ Everybody, the boss is here!”

Her heart jumped.

Her head snapped up.

It wasn't only her head that instantly went into chaos, but also the office. Everyone immediately began arranging themselves and their desks, making sure they looked at their absolute best.

“ Oh no! I should get away! He can't see me like this.” Tessa immediately stood up, with her chest racing, she turned to quickly get out of the office but just then, someone walked in along with two other executives.

She didn't wait to see their faces before she turned instantly.

‘ Tyler.’ she whispered in her mind.

Her body stood frozen along with the office that suddenly became a graveyard.

Miles saw her shaking slightly on the spot and tried to cover her by standing in front of her.

“ Good morning, sir.” The greetings echoed.

Tessa closed her eyes in self-disappointment. How she wished to see him standing there, so respected and feared by everyone.

Even his presence feels different. The room was instantly swallowed by his aura the moment he stepped in making her feel even more nervous.

“ Hey, you!”

Tessa heard a slightly familiar deep, rigid voice filled with disdain. For some reason, it made her chest leap as it seemed to be directed at her.

“ Orange shirt, black skirt.” The voice called.

Trembling slightly, Tessa took another look at herself, then her head which suddenly felt heavy around her neck lifted up slowly to see all eyes on her.

“ The boss is calling you,” Miles whispered to her.

‘ The..the boss? That doesn't sound like Tyler.’ Her brow furrowed, but her palms became sweaty, afraid Tyler would eventually see her like this.

She swallowed bitterly and slowly, she turned. Her eyes remained fixed to the ground, her eyes blinking countless times.

“ I knew it was you.” The voice said, forcing Tessa to look up and she instantly wished she hadn't.

Her jaw dropped to the ground.

Her shoulders lost their lives in an instant.

‘ He's.. he's the boss?’ Her brow knitted deeply in shock.

[ “ Are you blind?! / You disgusting, arrogant maggot, you spilled my coffee and you can't even say sorry? This company teaches manners but guess you left yours at home.” ]

Memories of her own words flooded in without permission, widening her eyes in horror. ‘ I'm screwed.’ she paled instantly.

He stepped closer to her, not hurriedly, not aggressively, just one step that made the air thin and caused her to instinctively drop her gaze.

Even though she wasn't looking at him, she could feel his piercing glare. She inhaled shakily, inhaling his manly cologne that was both mesmerizing and intimidating.

She could feel her legs wobble as he said in an exasperated tone.

“ Arrogant maggot.”

The word that now sounds like a mistake made her tremble.

He stopped right in front of her. Close enough that she could see the sharp line of his jaw when she finally forced herself to look up. His expression did not explode in anger. It didn’t twist in outrage.

It hardened.

His eyes were dark, not wild, not offended, just coldly assessing, as though recalculating her value.

“Interesting,” he said quietly.

Her throat tightened.“ I. I..” words failed her the moment she most needed them. “Please don’t fire me,” she found herself blurting out, pride cracking under fear.

A faint curve touched his lips, not warm, not amused. Calculating. “Of course not.”

Her brows lifted in surprise as she did not expect him to agree not to fire her. Though confusion still tangled low in her chest as to why he's the boss, and not Tyler.

“ I won't fire you.” He continued smoothly, “ but don't misunderstand,” his gaze sharpened. “ I'll make sure you beg to be fired.”

The words weren’t loud.

They didn’t need to be.

They crawled under her skin and stayed there.

He then leaned slightly closer, just enough to invade her space without touching her.

“Tessa Monroe,” he said, her name rolling off his tongue with unsettling familiarity. “Nice meeting you again.”

Her breath hitched.‘ Wh-what?! How did he know my name?’ Confusion tangled violently with fear in her chest as she stared at him.

Then he leaned back. “Let me teach you the manners that were forgotten at home.”

He turned without another word and walked out.

And only then did the room seem to breathe again.

Tessa stood still, shaken and pale, lost at what to do.

“Tessa,” Miles whispered urgently behind her. “You’re supposed to follow him.”

Her stomach dropped.

Right.

The executives were still standing there. Waiting.

With her chest racing and her leg still aching from the fall, she forced herself to move. Each step felt heavier than the last as she limped out of the office.

Whispers immediately erupted behind her.

“ She's new here and already in trouble?”

“ What did she do? The boss seems really pissed.”

“ I don't know,” Miles replied to the people asking him.

“ Well, she's screwed for sure.” Another worker added.

Tessa kept limping till she turned the corner and saw him. He was standing by a door at the end of the hallway, hands tucked neatly into his pockets. His posture was relaxed, almost lazy yet there was nothing casual about him.

He wasn’t looking at her, he was staring at the floor as if deep in thought.

If she wasn’t terrified out of her mind, she would’ve admitted it, that he looked unreal. Tall. Composed. Untouchable.

His hair was perfectly combed, dark and sleek, his suit — different from the one she had stained earlier fit him like it was tailored by the gods themselves.

Greek lord.

That was the only comparison her mind could make, and that realization made her even angrier.

‘Why is he acting like I committed a crime? I’m the one whose coffee he spilled, ruining my outfit. I’m still the one who got humiliated.’ Her thoughts tangled as she limped closer. ‘Tyler is the boss… he told me this company belongs to him, so.. Maybe this man is just an executive trying to scare me. He doesn't have the same power as Tyler so..’

He looked up just then. The movement was slow, intentional, halting her thoughts instantly with his glare.

“You can’t even walk properly?” he said flatly, his gaze dropping briefly to her injured leg before returning to her face.

The irritation in his voice made her stomach clench.

‘He sounds horrible,’ she cursed inwardly. ‘Unlike how he looks.’

She stopped a few steps away from him, unsure whether to stand straight or lower her head. He didn’t wait for her to decide, without saying anything, he pushed the door open.

The hinges creaked.

The room beyond was dark and stale, thick with dust, old filing cabinets lined the walls, papers stacked carelessly in corners as though the place had been forgotten for years.

He stepped aside.

“Tidy up this place.”

Her head snapped toward him. “What?!” Her eyes widened. “Alone?”

He blinked once, slowly as if her question bored him.

Her chest rose and fell faster. ‘ No way! How on earth am I supposed to clean this up by myself!’ she quickly turned to him.“This is impossible,” she protested, shaking her head. “I can’t do this by myself.”

He said nothing.

“ I.. I can't.” She shook her head, “ I am sorry for earlier.” She continued, desperation creeping into her tone. “ So sorry, I didn't know.. I was frustrated and..” she looked up just then to see him shooting her that cold, unmoved gaze.

‘ No matter what I say, or apologize, he'll still make me do this, right?’ she thought inwardly and swallowed.

“If anything, I’ll speak to the boss. Mr. Beaumont.”

There it was.

The mistake.

His expression didn’t change immediately but his jaw tightened. His eyes darkened not with anger but with something colder, something scarier.

“Too bad,” he said quietly.

Her heart skipped.

“I am Grayson Beaumont.”

The name landed like a hammer.

“ The CEO of King's corporation.”

Her body froze, her eyes went wide.‘ That's not possible, he can't be the CEO, what about Tyler, how is he a Beaumont when Tyler doesn't even have a brother?’

Her lungs for some seconds forgot how to work as he stepped closer, leaned forward, and added as his voice dropped an octave. “ And I am your boss. Your worst nightmare.”