The boardroom was silent, save for the soft ticking of the antique clock mounted behind Lucien Vale's chair. Seated at the head of the long obsidian table, he skimmed the report in front of him with the precision of a surgeon. Every eye in the room was fixed on him, awaiting a verdict.
He closed the file with a snap.
"Fire him," Lucien said coldly.
Gasps broke the stillness.
"B-but Mr. Vale—" one of the senior VPs stammered, beads of sweat forming at his temple. "It was an oversight, not—"
Lucien raised a hand. The room fell silent again.
"I don't tolerate oversight. Not in my company."
His voice was smooth, but it cut like ice. The meeting ended ten minutes later, and people practically scrambled to get out. All except Lucien, who remained in his chair, fingers steepled beneath his chin, watching the skyline darken through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The door creaked.
"You're not supposed to be in here."
Lucien's eyes flicked to the intruder. A woman—young, unfamiliar—stood hesitantly in the doorway holding a file folder to her chest like armor. Too well-dressed to be an intern, too poised to be easily intimidated. He didn't like unknowns, especially ones in his space.
"I—sorry." Her voice was calm but cautious. "I'm the temp from HR. They sent me to deliver the quarterly personnel file updates. They said it was urgent."
He arched a brow. "They sent you. Into my boardroom. During a meeting."
"They didn't say it was still in session."
"And you didn't check."
The room's temperature dropped a few degrees.
To her credit, the woman didn't shrink away. "I knocked," she replied, walking in and placing the file at the far end of the table. "No one answered."
He leaned back in his chair, intrigued despite himself. "What's your name?"
"Sera Langford."
"And how long do you plan to last here, Miss Langford?"
She paused. "Long enough to make a difference."
Lucien stared at her. Her hazel eyes didn't flinch under his scrutiny. She wasn't just pretty—she was composed, sharp, and clearly knew the rules of the game. But she'd walked into his domain without fear. That was either stupidity… or the kind of courage he respected.
"Interesting," he murmured, more to himself than her.
Before she could respond, his assistant Rebecca burst in. "Mr. Vale, the Shanghai call is—"
Her eyes widened when she saw Sera.
"I—I didn't realize you were with someone."
Lucien's gaze never left Sera. "She was just leaving."
Sera took the hint and turned to go, but not before casting a final look over her shoulder.
"Have a good evening, Mr. Vale."
Lucien watched the door close behind her. The echo of her presence lingered longer than it should have. He didn't believe in coincidences—and certainly not in distractions.
Yet something about the girl with stormy eyes told him she wouldn't just be a file-runner for long.
---
Two floors down, Sera Langford exhaled the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
What the hell was that?
She leaned against the elevator wall as it descended. Every inch of her skin burned from that man's stare. Lucien Vale wasn't just powerful—he was dangerous. His presence was like stepping into a lion's den and choosing not to run.
She hated the way her pulse had reacted to him. This job was supposed to be temporary. Clean. Unemotional. She had a plan—stay low, stay quiet, collect her final paycheck, and disappear before anyone asked too many questions.
But now…
Now she'd drawn the attention of the one man she couldn't afford to intrigue.
And he? He looked like the kind of man who always got what he wanted.
---
Later that night, Lucien reviewed the updated personnel file on his tablet, only half-paying attention. Until her name jumped out at him.
Langford, Sera. HR Temp – Administrative Support.
He tapped the file open.
No LinkedIn profile. No employment history listed before last year. No social media presence, no family listed, and a contact address that led to a short-term rental unit in Brooklyn.
She was… empty.
Lucien frowned.
People didn't just appear out of nowhere. Especially not beautiful, intelligent women who stared down billionaires like they were just another wall to scale.
He closed the file, his jaw tight.
There was more to Sera Langford.
And he was going to find out what.