Chapter One

Four years later…

Jason

I can't seem to stop pacing.

Not because I received a personal letter from the CEO of one of the biggest companies in Seattle threatening to sue my company to hell, but because a humiliating, classless article such as the one on my computer screen right now was published by one of my media outlets. I travel out of the country for a few days, and I come back to meet this mess.

Walking over to my desk, I grab my phone and dial the editor-in-chief at Daily Spark. "Send Selina Adams to my office right now," I say without preamble, dropping the call without waiting for a response.

A few minutes later, Selina Adams walks through my door. She is a tall woman, using her imposing frame to her advantage when she's out in the field. She is a ruthless journalist and I used to be proud of the way she would do anything to uncover a story, but she has finally gone too far.

"Adams," I begin, my voice tight with frustration. "What the hell is this?" I ask, gesturing towards the article displayed on my computer screen.

"It's a story, Mr. Ellsworth," she replies without meeting my gaze. "One that needed to be told."

"A story?" I repeat with an incredulous scoff. "You call this crap a story?"

Selina flinches a little, her gaze fixated on a point on my desk. I recognize that look of pretentious solemnity on her face and it irks me even further because I've seen it before.

"The Daily Spark is our most popular publication but what has it been reduced to? A mere gossip blog aimed at provoking public outrage? How can you publish an article based on mere speculations?!"

"They weren't mere speculations, sir. I had a source," Selina Adams says, shaking her head slightly. "And according to my source, David Armitage's company was involved with some nefarious business dealings."

"Is there evidence to back up your claim?"

"My instinct tells me…"

"Your instinct?" I cut in with another incredulous scoff. "Was there actually something to this, or was this just another part of your personal vendetta against David Armitage? I have given you multiple chances to stop going after him, but you only seem to be going deeper. You have ruined our respectable name with your baseless reports."

"There's something fishy about David Armitage and if we could just let the story run for a few more days, I promise it'll be worth it." Selina says with a shrug.

Her incredulousness is starting to get to me—I don't have the strength, or the time, to deal with this anymore.

I grit my teeth in frustration, struggling to maintain my composure. "You know damn well that this article is biased and sensationalized," I retort quietly despite the storm building up in my chest. "You've crossed a line, Selina, and I won't stand for it this time. Pull down this article right now and tender a public apology to MicroBot Tech and David Armitage."

Selina meets my anger with a steely gaze of her own, refusing to back down. "I will not apologize for doing my job."

I feel my fists clenching at my sides as I struggle to contain my rage. Despite my desire to lash out at her, I know that losing my temper won't solve anything. Taking a deep breath, I force myself to calm down before speaking again.

"You're fired, Adams."

"What?" she asks, blinking at me in shock. She clearly wasn't expecting the conversation to take such an extreme turn.

"You heard me. You're done," I say, keeping my voice level as I stare at her dead in the eyes.

Selina rushes forward to stand in front of me, holding her hands together in front of her in a pleading gesture. "Please… please, you need to give me another chance, sir. I- I can prove that David Armitage is a two-faced corporate devil. I just need some time and I'll expose the corruption of MicroBot Tech."

I can tell she's full of shit, yet again. "It's time for you to leave, Miss Adams," I say, gesturing towards the door.

She scoffs lightly, raking a hand through her hair. "You know what? Everyone's right…You are a cold, soulless bastard who only cares about himself; it's no wonder your employees don't even like you."

"I don't need people to like me," I reply coolly, leveling my gaze to hers with a pointed smirk. "I only need them to do their fucking jobs.

"Go to hell, Ellsworth!" Selina spits venomously then swirls around and stalks out of my office, slamming the door with enough force to rattle its hinges.

With a sigh, I walk over to the cabinet where I keep a bottle of expensive brandy for the rare occasions when I feel like punching a hole in the wall. I pour myself a glass and I gulp it in one go, squashing the guilt budding in my chest and preparing myself for what I need to do next.

I take a deep breath and pick up the phone to dial David Armitage's office. I know him to be ruthless in business, much like myself, but I'm hoping a personal call will help ease some of the tensions between us.

"What do you want, Ellsworth? Calling to slander me yet again?" he asks. Great, we're off to a strong start.

"David, I know we just went through this a few months ago. I am truly sorry for the misinformation the article spread, and I wanted to personally call and tell you I just fired Selina Adams for her infraction. You don't deserve to have these lies spread about you and I apologize for employing someone that ruthless," I reply, surprisingly calmly, but I've always been able to admit when I'm wrong.

David takes a moment to reply. "You know, Ellsworth, I really wasn't expecting that decisive of an action—or an apology—from you. The old me would have told you to go to hell still, but I've changed in the last few months and am trying to be more understanding. I appreciate your call and letting Selina go, I have never understood what she has against me and her articles have only caused us trouble."

"I completely understand. I'm glad I caught you in a moment of change," I say with a chuckle. "Let me know if there is anything I can do for you to help make up for this David," I add. After a few more seconds of pleasantries, we part on amicable terms, and I hope that this signals the end of my troubles with MicroBot Tech.

While I do feel bad for letting Selina go, I know it was the right decision. She was causing more problems than she was worth.

With that, I wrap up the day, hoping to get home and prepare for what will surely be another rough day tomorrow—I have a new assistant starting tomorrow, something I am not looking forward to.

***

My new secretary is ten minutes late on her first day.

This is absurd, and I am planning on sending her right back out the door as soon as she shows her face. I'll have to go through the hiring process again, but I don't want to deal with someone incompetent.

Just then, I hear a knock and Greg Dawson, my HR director appears in my office. He steps aside to reveal a gorgeous, raven-head woman standing slightly behind him. The words suddenly die in my throat as I stare blankly at her. Her shiny black hair cascades down her shoulders in glossy waves, framing a delicately carved face. Each feature seems to stand out yet harmonize perfectly, from the elegant curve of her eyebrows to the subtle contour of her cheeks and those soft, rosy lips.

She has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. They're a striking gray color, piercing and enigmatic. Yet there's something calming about those stormy depths, a deep sense of tranquility that's arresting in its intensity.

"Mr. Ellsworth, I believe you have spoken to Bianca Harris on the phone, and would like to introduce you in person, Jason Ellsworth, your new assistant, Bianca Harris," Greg says, gesturing to the stunning woman in my office. I conducted my interviews with Bianca over the phone—a large portion of her position is speaking with clients on the phone, so I am always sure to run potential candidates through rigorous phone-etiquette testing—and have not seen her in person until now, she is much more beautiful than I anticipated.

Clearing my throat, I make a less-than-stellar first impression, "Unfortunately, I don't know if someone who arrives ten minutes late on their first day is the right fit for this role. While I appreciate your time, Miss Harris, this is not going to work out. Greg, get me new candidates by tomorrow."

"I'm sorry, sir, but it's my fault she's late," Greg says. "I got carried away attending to an email while she was waiting to be shown around."

"I see," I murmur, arching my brows at him. "You're fired."

Dawson's superficial smile instantly crumbles, replaced by an alarmed expression. "W-what?" He stutters, blinking at me in disbelief.

"You just admitted to being incompetent and nonchalant," I say, leveling him with a hard gaze. "You kept an employee waiting and made her late on her first day."

Dawson's already pale face grew even whiter as the realization of his situation dawned on him; he'd shot himself in the foot.

"I-I'm sorry sir, I…"

"I'll leave," Bianca, stepping forward. Her voice was soft, yet firm as she confidently met my gaze. "I take responsibility for my tardiness; Mr. Dawson is not to blame."

I hold her gaze for a second, waiting to see a flicker of hesitation in her eyes but she doesn't flinch. I lower my eyes from hers, taking in the rest of her in a slow, deliberate sweep. Her body, tucked in a prim skirt and modest shirt, is carved to perfection. She's slim yet luscious, curvy in all the right places. Her olive-colored skin has a radiant glow that anyone would admire.

There's a magnetic pull that is drawing me to her, her beauty and confidence combining to fill me with a need I have never felt for anyone before, let alone within moments of meeting them. More than that, her willingness to stand up for Greg, someone she just met and who nearly cost her job, has earned my respect.

"Stay," I say after a long, slightly tense silence. "Get back to work, Greg."

"T-thank you, sir!" Greg stammers as he scurries out the door.

I turn to Bianca, keeping my face inscrutable. "Now, Miss Harris, for your first task, I'd like you to contact the publication editor and set up a meeting with him for noon."

"Yes sir," she replies promptly and turns around to leave.

"Miss Harris?"

"Yes, sir?" She says, turning around to look at me.

"I also need you to refill the coffee stash and get me a sandwich from Big Ben's."

"Will you be needing anything else, sir?" she asks in a polite tone, but there's no missing the sweetly masked sarcasm in her tone.

"That's all for now."

She nods curtly and turns to walk away in a graceful sashay that instantly draws my attention to her perfectly rounded ass, jiggling seductively in her tight pencil skirt. A surge of lust shoots through my veins, sending hot blood rushing to my cock. I look down at my erection in shock and back up to stare at Bianca Harris through the glass wall of my office as she rummages through her desk. Well, fuck. This could be a problem.