The next day, Lily woke with a knot in her stomach, the memory of last night still burning in her mind. She had barely slept, her thoughts consumed by Alex—the way he had kissed her, the way he had looked at her afterward, like she was nothing but a pawn in whatever game he was playing. Yet, as much as she hated herself for it, there was a part of her that craved more.
She arrived at the office earlier than usual, hoping to avoid him, but of course, that was impossible. Alex's presence seemed to loom over everything now, his shadow following her even when he wasn't there.
The morning passed uneventfully, though she was keenly aware of every look, every whisper from her colleagues. They were still talking, gossiping about her sudden promotion, about how close she seemed to be with the CEO. She tried to ignore it, focusing on her work, but it was impossible to drown out the noise.
By midday, she had almost convinced herself that she could make it through the day without another run-in with Alex. But just as she started to relax, her phone buzzed. It was a message from him: "My office. Now."
Her heart skipped a beat, and a familiar wave of nervousness washed over her. She could already feel the weight of his gaze, the intensity that would follow. She took a deep breath, gathered her things, and headed toward his office.
The hallway felt longer than usual, her footsteps echoing in the silence. When she reached his door, she hesitated for a moment before knocking softly.
"Come in," Alex's deep voice called from inside.
Lily opened the door and stepped in, her heart racing as she saw him. He was sitting behind his massive desk, papers spread out in front of him, but his eyes were already on her, watching her every move. His expression was unreadable, as always, but there was something in the way he looked at her that sent a shiver down her spine.
"You wanted to see me?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
Alex leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving hers. "Close the door," he said, his tone calm, but there was an edge to it that made her pulse quicken.
She did as he asked, the click of the door behind her suddenly feeling ominous. Now they were alone, and the tension in the room was thick, palpable.
"I have a few things I want to discuss," Alex said, his voice low, almost a purr. He stood up and walked around the desk, closing the distance between them. He moved like a predator, his every step calculated, purposeful.
Lily's breath caught in her throat as he stopped just inches from her. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, the scent of his cologne enveloping her senses. It was intoxicating, and she hated how much it affected her.
"Why are you so nervous, Lily?" he asked, his voice a whisper now. He reached out and ran a finger along her arm, the touch sending sparks of electricity through her. "Is it because of last night?"
Her heart was pounding so hard she was sure he could hear it. She tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come. All she could do was nod, her throat suddenly dry.
Alex smirked, clearly enjoying her discomfort. He leaned in closer, his breath warm against her ear. "You've been thinking about it, haven't you? About that kiss."
Lily felt a flush creep up her neck, her skin tingling under his proximity. She hated how much control he had over her, how easily he could unravel her composure. But she couldn't deny it—she had been thinking about it.
"What do you want from me, Alex?" she finally managed to whisper, her voice barely audible.
He pulled back slightly, his dark eyes locking onto hers. "I told you, Lily. I'm in control now." His hand moved to her chin, tilting her face up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. "You're going to follow my lead, and we'll see where it takes us."
There was something predatory in his expression, something dangerous, and yet she couldn't bring herself to look away. She was trapped, caught in his web, and the worst part was, she wasn't sure she wanted to escape.
"I can't do this," she whispered, though the words felt weak, like they didn't belong to her.
Alex's smirk deepened, as if he knew she didn't mean it. He stepped even closer, his body brushing against hers now, his hand sliding down to her waist. "Oh, but you can. You want to."
His lips were dangerously close to hers, and for a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her again. Her body tensed, caught between desire and fear. But instead, he pulled away abruptly, leaving her standing there, breathless and confused.
"You're mine, Lily," he said, his voice cold now, a stark contrast to the heat of moments before. "You've always been mine. You just didn't know it."
She blinked, stunned by his words. What did he mean? Was this about revenge, about punishing her for how she had treated him in high school? Or was it something more?
Before she could ask, Alex turned back toward his desk, his demeanor shifting as if nothing had happened. He picked up a file and handed it to her. "I need these reports by the end of the day. Can you handle that?"
Lily took the file, her hands trembling slightly. "Yes," she said, her voice small, her mind still reeling from their conversation.
"Good," Alex said, his tone dismissive now, as if their entire exchange had been nothing more than a passing moment. "You can go."
She hesitated for a second, waiting for him to say something else, but he didn't. He had already turned his attention back to the papers on his desk, acting as if she no longer existed.
Lily left his office in a daze, her thoughts swirling with confusion and frustration. What was he doing? Why was he playing with her like this?
As the day wore on, the weight of Alex's words hung over her. Every time she saw him, her heart skipped a beat, her body reacting to him in ways she couldn't control. But he never showed any sign that their earlier interaction had affected him. He was the perfect picture of professionalism, cold and distant.
It drove her crazy.
By the time the office began to empty for the day, Lily was exhausted, both physically and mentally. But she had one more task to complete. She glanced at the clock—8 PM. Everyone had left, except for Alex. His office door was still closed, and she knew he was inside.
She knocked, waiting for his permission before stepping in. Alex was at his desk, his eyes flicking up briefly to meet hers before returning to the documents in front of him.
"I finished the reports," she said, placing the file on his desk.
"Good," Alex replied, his voice as smooth as ever. "You can go now."
Lily hesitated, her frustration bubbling up inside her. She couldn't take it anymore—the way he acted like nothing had happened, like she wasn't affected by him, like he hadn't kissed her.
"I don't understand you," she blurted out, her voice breaking the silence.
Alex raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "What don't you understand?"
"You act like nothing happened," she said, her voice trembling. "Like you didn't kiss me, like you don't care."
Alex stood up slowly, walking around the desk with that same predatory grace. He stopped just in front of her, towering over her. "Oh, I care," he said softly, his voice a low rumble that sent chills down her spine. "But you're not the one calling the shots here, Lily. I am."
He leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. "And when I want more from you, I'll take it."
With that, he stepped back, his cold gaze locking onto hers. "Now go."
Lily's heart pounded in her chest as she turned and left his office, her mind spinning. She had never felt so powerless, so out of control. But as much as she hated it, there was a part of her—a dark, twisted part—that wanted exactly what Alex promised.
And that terrified her.