Chapter 2 Second Chapter

Liana woke before her alarm this time. She had barely slept, her mind replaying yesterday's chaos like a movie on repeat. The panic of waking late, the rush across the city, the piles of files she had struggled through, and-most of all-that fleeting glimpse of the mysterious man in the black suit. His image still haunted her thoughts, though she pushed it aside, reminding herself she had far more pressing concerns.

Today had to be different. Today she had to prove she belonged at Titan Media.

By the time she left her tiny apartment, she was dressed sharply in a fitted cream blouse tucked into a navy pencil skirt, her dark hair pinned neatly at the nape of her neck. She had memorized the train schedule, bought her coffee on the way without spilling a drop, and arrived at the glass towers of Titan Media with fifteen minutes to spare.

The lobby bustled with movement-assistants carrying garment bags for some film premiere, publicists whispering into phones, interns rushing with clipboards. It felt like walking into the heart of a storm.

She swiped her new ID badge and made her way upstairs, reminding herself to breathe.

At her desk, she was greeted not by a calm morning but by a fresh mountain of tasks-emails to sort, old press releases to cross-check, and at least two red-stamped folders marked "URGENT." Liana's heart sank. She hadn't even taken her coat off yet.

"Early bird," a smooth voice chimed.

She turned to see Vanessa Cole leaning against her cubicle wall, coffee in hand, looking effortlessly stylish in a sleek red dress. Her smile was dazzling, but her eyes flickered with something sharper.

"You're really trying to make an impression, huh?" Vanessa said, sipping her drink.

Liana forced a polite smile. "I just don't want to fall behind."

"Smart," Vanessa replied, tilting her head. "Oh, by the way-Jonathan Pierce wanted the event schedules filed by noon. But don't stress. It's easy if you know the system."

She set a thick folder onto Liana's desk with a dramatic little thump.

Liana swallowed, glancing at the already overwhelming pile. "Right. Thanks for letting me know."

Vanessa's lips curved. "Of course. We're a team, after all." With that, she turned and clicked away on her heels, leaving a faint trace of expensive perfume in the air.

Liana exhaled slowly. A team? More like an obstacle.

The hours blurred as she typed, filed, cross-checked, and retyped. Jonathan Pierce stopped by once, a tall, no-nonsense man with a neatly trimmed beard and a tone that demanded efficiency. "Keep your head down and stay sharp, Torres," he told her curtly. "This place moves fast. Fall behind once, and you'll regret it."

"Yes, Mr. Pierce," she replied, heart pounding.

By late morning, she had nearly finished the stack. She gathered the updated schedules into a neat pile, determined to deliver them to Pierce before noon.

She hurried down the long glass hallway toward his office, the papers tucked securely against her chest. Her heels clicked sharply against the floor, echoing in the near-empty corridor.

Then it happened.

She rounded the corner too quickly.

The collision was sudden-solid, firm, and completely unyielding. The stack of papers exploded from her arms like a flock of startled birds, scattering across the floor.

"Oh no-!" she gasped, immediately dropping to her knees to grab them.

A low, steady voice cut through the air. "Careful."

Her hands froze. That voice-deep, commanding, threaded with something smooth and dangerous. Slowly, she looked up.

And her breath caught.

It was him.

The man from last night.

Up close, Adrian Blackwood was almost unreal. His suit was charcoal black, tailored to perfection, his tie knotted with precision. His dark hair swept back with effortless style, his jawline sharp, his lips curved in the faintest shadow of amusement. But it was his eyes-deep, dark, assessing-that pinned her in place.

Liana's pulse quickened. She opened her mouth but no words came out.

"You should watch where you're going," he said, kneeling gracefully to help her gather the papers. His large hand brushed against hers for a fleeting second, warm and steady.

"I-I'm sorry," she stammered, cheeks burning. "I wasn't looking."

He studied her quietly as he stacked a few sheets and handed them back. His presence was overwhelming-like standing too close to fire.

Before she could say more, a passing employee slowed, dipping his head respectfully. "Good morning, Mr. Blackwood."

Liana froze. Mr. Blackwood?

Her eyes widened. This wasn't just some man in a suit. This was Adrian Blackwood-the President of Titan Media's Film & Streaming Division. Her boss's boss. One of the most powerful men in the company.

He gave the employee a short nod before glancing back at her. For a moment, his gaze lingered, sharp and unreadable, as if he were cataloging her. Then he rose to his full height, papers now neatly gathered, and handed her the last sheet.

"Don't make a habit of it," he said evenly, then strode past, his commanding presence trailing behind him like a shadow.

Liana remained crouched on the floor, clutching the files to her chest. Her heart thudded so loudly she swore someone could hear it.

Of all the people she could have bumped into-on only her second day-it had to be him.

And the worst part?

She had a sinking feeling he would remember her.