Auren sat at her desk, softly tapping the tip of her nail against the smooth surface. The first hours in her new position felt like a strange game. A woman used to complex strategies and well-calculated marketing campaigns now found herself in the secretary's office. It was absurd, ridiculous.
The room she was in had a strict minimalist style. White walls, a massive dark wood desk, tall shelves with neatly arranged folders. Everything around was lifeless and sterile. The faint aroma of expensive coffee wafted in from the neighboring office.
Kael.
The thought of him made her frown. The look he gave her in the morning, his last words before leaving… All of it irritated her, but at the same time, it sparked excitement. He clearly didn't believe she would stay, didn't think she could prove her worth.
And as if in response to her thoughts, the voice from the intercom came.
— Auren, come to my office.
She rolled her eyes but immediately composed herself. She stood up, adjusted her pencil skirt, threw on her blazer, and confidently headed to his office.
The door opened silently, and she entered. Kael sat behind his massive black desk. His elbows rested on the surface, and his fingers lazily shuffled through papers. His office was drastically different from hers. Huge panoramic windows let in bright daylight, illuminating leather chairs, massive bookshelves, and large screens on the walls displaying graphs and reports.
He lazily lifted his gaze, and their eyes met.
— Already decided you can't live without me? — she smirked, crossing her arms.
Kael squinted, then shook his head with a slight smile.
— Don't overestimate your significance.
He picked up several sheets of paper from a stack of documents and carelessly threw them in front of her.
— You wanted to work in marketing? Show me what you can do.
Auren slowly glanced at the papers but didn't rush to pick them up. Instead, she raised her gaze to Kael, and her eyes sparkled with mockery.
— Are you giving me a test? Or do you want me to stay a secretary?
He leaned forward, locking his fingers together.
— Don't get ahead of yourself. Prove you're worthy of marketing first.
Auren slowly leaned forward, took the papers in her hands, never breaking eye contact.
— I'll prove it, — her voice was calm, but there was a challenge in it. — Just don't be disappointed when you realize I'm better than everyone else.
Silence hung in the office. Kael watched her as if trying to solve a riddle, but she had already turned on her heel and confidently left the office without waiting for a response.
He watched her with a clenched fist.
Kael ran his hand over his chin, staring at the closed door.
Auren.
She had changed so much.
The last time he saw her, she was fourteen — too young, with a childish naivety and a habit of getting herself into trouble. Now, the girl before him was completely different. Feminine, confident, beautiful. No, not just beautiful — dazzling.
Every move she made was full of grace. Kael couldn't help but notice how perfectly the formal blazer fit her, how her eyes were full of challenge, how her lips curled into a slightly mocking smile. If someone had told him that this scruffy-haired girl with a fiery spirit would turn into such a woman, he wouldn't have believed it.
But despite this new appearance, she remained the same. The same boldness, stubbornness, independence. She never allowed anyone to boss her around, even now, in this temporary position.
And it irritated him.
And attracted him.
Kael clenched his fist and frowned. Something inside, subtle yet unmistakable, stirred uneasily.
She had become a challenge. And he wasn't sure if he was ready to accept it.
But he couldn't ignore it.
When the door closed behind her, Auren took a deep breath, trying to suppress her irritation. She was holding a folder with an assignment she had to grab as soon as she stepped through the door.
She headed back, sat at her desk, and opened the documents.
Project: launch of a new line of men's perfumes from a premium brand.
Her task was to analyze the current marketing strategy, correct the calculations and final budget estimates, and justify the profitability of the launch.
Auren's gaze lingered on the note Kael had added at the end of the file:
"You're so confident in yourself? Then prove it. Since you're so sure of your abilities, let's see how quickly you can handle real tasks. The corrected report must be sent to the marketing department by the end of the workday. Don't disappoint."
Auren pressed her lips together. "So, he's testing me?"
She ran her fingers over the text, glancing through the input data. The first problem she noticed was obvious — the figures didn't match current market indicators.
The men's fragrance market was growing, but the company was targeting too narrow an audience — high-status businessmen. This limited potential profits and made the advertising strategy less effective.
Furthermore, the advertising campaign budget was inflated, and the chosen advertising platforms were unsuitable for the new audience.
Auren sighed, gathered her hair into a bun, put her phone aside, and got to work.
An hour passed. Then another. Auren finished.
As the clock neared four, she made the final adjustments to the file, checked the calculations, and leaned back in her chair with relief.
— Done.
She quickly formatted the electronic document, attached the corrected tables, and sent the report to the marketing department as Kael had requested.
Auren stretched, massaging her stiff shoulders, and looked out the window. Two hours left until the end of the workday. She exhaled. The first challenge was passed.
***
Auren put the documents aside and stretched, feeling the tension in her muscles remind her of the hours spent working. She glanced at the clock—almost six in the evening. The workday was coming to an end, but she hadn't had lunch yet.
Her stomach growled, reminding her of the missed meal. Auren sighed and decided to at least have a cup of coffee since a proper lunch was no longer an option. Rising from her chair, she walked toward the small coffee machine in the corner of her office.
Click. The capsule was in place. The machine hummed softly, filling the office with the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. As the thick, dark liquid dripped into the cup, Auren rubbed her temples, trying to shake off some of the fatigue.
She picked up the cup, letting the warmth seep into her cold fingers. The first sip—scalding, bitter, but much needed. Auren closed her eyes, savoring a brief moment of peace. The clock read 5:45 PM—just a little longer, and her first workday would be over.
But the door to her office suddenly burst open, making Auren flinch. Several employees from the marketing department rushed in, looking alarmed. They didn't even acknowledge her surprised gaze.
— "Is the director in?" one of the men asked sharply, not even bothering to introduce himself.
Auren calmly set her cup down and straightened, instantly switching back to work mode.
— "Yes," she replied curtly, giving the group a sharp look. "What's going on?"
— "A calculation error," a dark-haired woman blurted out, teetering on the edge of panic. "It's a disaster."
Without waiting for explanations, the employees made a move toward Kael's office, but Auren swiftly stepped in their way.
— "Wait," she said firmly. "What error?"
— "In the marketing strategy adjustment. The numbers don't add up," exclaimed the man holding a folder. "You were the one who submitted the revised version."
Auren frowned, listening carefully to the accusation.
— "I reviewed and corrected the data, but I didn't change the original calculations," she said calmly, though irritation was already simmering inside her. "Everything I fixed was in the file I was given."
— "Then why don't the final figures match?" another employee, a woman with crossed arms, interjected.
— "That's what we're about to find out," Auren said coldly.
But no one seemed interested in her words. Without even sparing her another glance, the employees barged into the director's office. Soon, raised voices could be heard from within. An irate Kael was clearly in no mood for excuses.
A moment later, his voice cut through the air from the internal communication system:
— "Auren. Get in here. Now."
Auren sighed, closing her eyes for a brief moment, then slowly rose from her seat, gathered her papers, and straightened her back before confidently heading into the boss's office.
Her short break was officially over.
Auren opened the door to Kael's office and stepped inside with measured composure.
The scene before her was tense: several employees stood in front of the director's large desk, each looking visibly distressed. Kael sat in his chair, fingers clasped together, his icy gaze fixed on them.
On the desk lay several documents and a laptop with an open file. Auren noticed one of the employees rubbing his temples nervously, clearly trying to come up with an explanation.
— "Explain to me how this happened." Kael's voice was low and threatening.
The employees exchanged uncertain glances. One of them—the very man who had hired Auren earlier that morning—exhaled heavily and stepped forward.
— "We made a mistake in the data," he admitted. "The financial figures in the revised document don't match the real data. The client received incorrect calculations. If we don't fix this immediately, the deal might fall through."
Kael slowly ran his tongue over his teeth, clearly restraining his frustration.
— "Who worked on these documents?" His voice was sharp, like a steel blade slicing through the air.
The employees hesitated. Then, suddenly, the same man who had hired Auren furrowed his brows as if piecing together a puzzle in his mind.
— "The document with the revised data was submitted by your secretary," he said, giving a slight nod in her direction.
Auren blinked. For a few seconds, her mind simply refused to process what had been said. Then, she felt the weight of every gaze in the room shift onto her.
— "Are you saying I made the mistake?" Her voice remained steady, but inside, everything tensed—like the strings of a guitar stretched to their limit, ready to snap at the slightest wrong move.
— "Well, that's what it looks like," one of the employees shrugged carelessly, as if the matter was already settled beyond doubt.
Kael's dark eyes bore into her, waiting.
Auren exhaled slowly, keeping her irritation in check. Crossing her arms, she firmly stated:
— "Did it ever occur to you that the mistake could have been made before it even reached me? Or is it just easier to blame the new employee rather than actually investigate?"
Some employees faltered but still eyed her with suspicion.
Auren leaned forward, planting her palms on the table.
— "Let's check who edited this document before me," she suggested, stepping toward the laptop.
Click. Another click. Auren quickly scrolled through the latest changes, and soon, the real culprit's name appeared on the screen.
A heavy silence fell over the room.
Everyone turned simultaneously to the person standing off to the side, as if hoping to hide behind the others.
— "You?" One of the employees sounded stunned.
The man averted his gaze, swallowing hard.
— "I… I didn't double-check the numbers before sending the file to Auren…" he mumbled, nervously tugging at his sleeve.
Auren slowly straightened, the corners of her lips twitching into the faintest smirk. She turned to Kael with deliberate ease, as if savoring the moment.
— "Interesting," she noted with light sarcasm, folding her arms. "I've only been working here for a day, and I've already caught two major mistakes that, apparently, no one else in this 'prestigious' company noticed."
Kael's expression remained unreadable, but Auren didn't miss the slight tightening of his fingers on the desk.
— "First, the job vacancy," she continued, casting a pointed glance at the employees. "Now, critical documents. In a company of this level? Do you even check your work? Or do you just hope someone stumbles upon your mistakes?"
Some employees lowered their heads, avoiding her gaze.
Auren turned her attention back to Kael, tilting her head slightly as if gauging his reaction.
— "Not very professional, wouldn't you say, Mr. Dantes?"
The silence in the room felt almost tangible.
Kael watched her closely, unwavering, but his jaw tensed slightly.
— "Get to work," he said curtly, ending the discussion.
But Auren knew: this wasn't a period—it was an ellipsis.
The employees didn't linger any longer than necessary. Fixing the miscalculations was now the priority, and one by one, they filed out of the office, rushing back to their desks.
Auren observed their departure until, at last, only the two of them remained.
She had already made a move to leave, but just as she turned toward the door, a low voice stopped her:
— "You stay."
Auren halted, then slowly turned back around.
Kael stood by his desk, hands in his pockets, eyes studying her face intently. There was no frustration in his gaze—just cold analysis, with a flicker of something else lurking beneath the surface.
— "You're too confident," his voice was calm but firm, as if stating an obvious fact.
Auren arched a brow.
— "Is that a problem?"
Kael took a step closer, moving with the slow grace of someone who always controlled his every move.
— "It's dangerous."
Auren crossed her arms, holding his gaze.
— "For whom?"
Kael stopped just a few steps away, watching her intently.
— "For you."
Auren smirked, tilting her head slightly to the side.
"Oh, so you're concerned about my safety, Mr. Dantes? How thoughtful."
His lips twitched in a fleeting smirk.
"I'm concerned about order in my company," his voice dropped, filled with a predatory softness.
Kael took another step forward. Now, barely any distance remained between them—dangerously close, enough to catch every shade in his eyes, every subtle movement. The scent of her perfume hit him—a bold yet sweet fragrance, just like its owner. Not too sharp, but pleasant. Kael no longer wanted to step away; her scent, like the woman herself, was alluring—impossible to get enough of.
"You're too audacious for a newcomer," he said quietly.
Auren didn't back down, simply lifting her chin slightly, meeting his gaze directly.
"And you don't like being challenged?"
Kael tilted his head a fraction.
"I don't mind arguments—if they're justified," his voice was deep, unhurried. "But your tone… your gaze… they're too provocative."
Auren's lips curled into a subtle smile.
"So, you don't like my confidence?"
"I said you should tone it down."
"Why? Was I wrong?"
Kael held her gaze, pausing.
"I'm not sure what's more irritating—your boldness or your ability to find weak spots."
Auren clasped her hands behind her back, her smile unwavering.
"Well, I have to match the level of your company, don't I?"
Kael merely huffed, but the corner of his lips twitched, betraying a ghost of amusement.
Auren took a step back—slowly, without breaking eye contact.
"If that's all, Mr. Dantes, I have work to do," her voice was soft, yet there was an unmistakable challenge in her words.
Kael said nothing, but in his gaze flickered something warm, like fire—impossible to look away from.
Auren met his eyes for one last lingering moment before offering him a slight nod, turning on her heel, and leaving the office.