Morning
Her phone was ringing.
Not once.
Not twice.
Over and over again.
Aria groaned and turned on the bed, burying her face into the pillow.
Whoever it was could wait.
The phone stopped.
Silence.
She smiled sleepily.
Then—
RING. RING. RING.
She shot upright.
"What—?" she mumbled, eyes half-closed, hair wild, heart pounding with anxiety, making her relatable to anyone who's felt overwhelmed.
She grabbed the phone.
Aunt Rose (12 missed calls).
Her blood ran cold.
Twelve?
Her eyes flew to the clock.
8:17 a.m.
Her first day of work started at 8:00.
"Oh no. No no no no—”
The phone rang again in her hand.
She answered without breathing.
"ARIA FLYNN!"
Her aunt's voice exploded through the speaker.
"You're awake!" Aria gasped. "I mean—I was awake. I'm awake now. I—"
"Do you know what time it is?" Aunt Rose snapped. "This is the job I begged people for! The job I prayed you'd get!"
"I know, I know," Aria said, already throwing the blanket off. "My alarm didn't ring. Or it rang, and I ignored it. Or my phone betrayed me."
"Get up. Now," her aunt said sharply. "If you mess this up—"
"I won't!" Aria rushed to say. "I promise. I'm getting ready. I'm moving. I'm already late, but I'm moving fast."
She hung up before another lecture could land.
Chaos followed.
She jumped out of bed and nearly slipped.
"Great. Amazing start," she muttered.
She ran to the bathroom, toothbrush in her mouth, hopping from foot to foot while brushing like her life depended on it.
Toothpaste foam dripped.
She didn't care.
She washed her face so fast that water splashed everywhere.
Her reflection stared back at her—sleepy eyes, messy hair, panic written all over her face.
"Pull yourself together, Aria," she told herself. "You need this job."
She rushed back into the room.
Opened the wardrobe.
Stared.
"Why do I suddenly hate all my clothes?"
She pulled out one blouse.
Too wrinkled.
Another.
Too tight.
Another.
"Why is everything wrong today?!"
She finally grabbed the simplest outfit she owned, threw it on, and prayed it looked decent.
Her hair?
A quick brush.
A messy ponytail.
"Professional enough," she lied to herself.
She shoved her feet into flats, grabbed her bag, then stopped.
Keys.
Phone.
ID.
She ran back.
Almost tripped again.
Heart pounding.
Breathing fast.
She glanced at the clock one last time.
8:29 a.m.
“I’m officially doomed,” she whispered.
But she still ran.
Out the door.
Down the stairs.
Into the morning air with hope, fear, and determination tangled tightly in her chest.
It was her first day.
She was late.
CARTER GROUP INTERNATIONAL
Aria arrived at the office, completely exhausted. The bus ride had been a disaster—packed, hot, and delayed—but somehow she had made it.
She rushed through the glass doors, heart pounding, backpack bouncing against her back.
A tall, stern-looking woman stood near the reception. Arms crossed. Perfect suit. Hair tied neatly. She didn’t even blink.
“You must be… Aria Flynn, right?” the woman asked, voice sharp.
Aria swallowed, trying to look confident. “Yes… that’s me,” she said, straightening her crooked bag strap.
The woman’s eyes narrowed. Pause. Then she tilted her head ever so slightly.
“You’re… fired.”
Aria froze.
“…Excuse me?” she said, blinking, thinking maybe she’d misheard.
“You heard me,” the woman said, tone flat. “We don’t hire people who show up late. Or… look like they just survived a hurricane.”
Aria’s jaw dropped. Her brain went into overdrive. Late? No! I took the bus! I was running! I—
Her hands fidgeted with the straps of her bag. “I… I just—this is my first day…”
The woman didn’t flinch. “First day, last chance. Next time, be on time. Or don’t bother showing up at all.”
Aria exhaled shakily, relief flooding her face. “Oh! Thank you! I—I won’t let you down!”
The woman raised an eyebrow. “You’d better not. Now, come inside. Orientation starts… five minutes ago.”
Aria stumbled forward, muttering to herself:
“Orientation already started… I’m doomed… this is exactly how I die in an office…”
THE CARTER MANSION
Ryan stood in front of the tall window, cigarette in hand, smoke curling around him. His suit was perfect, his expression cold and unreadable, eyes fixed on the city below.
The soft click of heels echoed behind him, and his mother appeared with a tray of fresh fruit and fried plantains.
“Sweetheart, you need to eat something before leaving,” she said, setting the tray down gently.
Ryan exhaled smoke, not looking at her. “I’ll survive,” he muttered, voice low and clipped.
She picked up a piece of fried plantain and held it to his lips. “Eat,” she urged softly, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead.
Ryan tilted his head slightly, letting her feed him, chewing slowly without meeting her gaze.
“You’re impossible,” she murmured with a faint smile. “At least you’re eating something.”
He swallowed, straightened his suit, and grabbed his coat. “I’m ready,” he said, cold and precise.
His mother lingered a moment, sighing softly, watching him leave. The car door closed, and he drove off, smoke from his cigarette lingering in the mansion like a quiet warning.
Hours later
It was lunchtime.
Aria stretched her arms over her head, groaning dramatically. “Finally,” she whispered. “Time to eat like a human being again.”
She glanced at her screen. Finished. Done. No more emails for now. Perfect.
She grabbed her bag and headed toward the cafeteria. Or… whatever this place was called, the “company restaurant.” Honestly, it looked more like a fancy food court, but free food? She wasn’t complaining.
She grabbed a tray and surveyed the options like a general planning an attack. Salads, pasta, burgers, fried stuff… okay, maybe she’d pick a little of everything.
Tray loaded, she scanned the room. Empty tables were rare. People chatted quietly, mostly in groups. She didn’t know anyone. Not a soul.
CEO? Never seen him. Heard the name? Sure. Care? Not really. As long as she got paid, she could live happily oblivious.
She spotted a small empty table in the corner and claimed it. Sitting down, she took her first bite and closed her eyes in sheer happiness.
“This is… heaven,” she mumbled, stuffing a fry into her mouth.
Crunch. Delicious. She hummed contentedly.
Just as she was thinking about going back for seconds, a chair scraped behind her.
“Hi!” a cheerful voice said.
Aria opened her eyes. A young woman with a bright smile and shiny hair was sliding into the seat across from her.
“Hello, I’m Katy,” she said, setting her tray down. “I work here. And don’t worry, I won’t bite… unless you’re trying the last piece of cake.”
Aria blinked, startled. “Oh! Uh… hi. I’m Aria. Nice to meet you.”
Katy grinned. “First day?”
“First day,” Aria admitted, shrugging. “I’m surviving so far… mostly.”
Katy laughed, a light, musical sound that made Aria smile. “Well, you picked the right place. Free food makes everything a little easier. And trust me, you’re going to need all the calories you can get in this office.”
Aria’s eyes widened. “Really? Why? Is it like… war in there or something?”
Katy leaned in, whispering dramatically. “Let’s just say… it’s a jungle. And the CEO? Oh, you’ll hear his name soon enough.”
Aria blinked. “The CEO? I don’t even know what he looks like. And I don’t care. As long as I get paid.”
Katy laughed again. “You’ll care. Sooner than you think.”
Aria shrugged, picking up a fry. “We’ll see about that.”
And with that, she dug back into her food, blissfully unaware that things in this office were about to get… very interesting.
OFFICE
Ryan sat behind the massive desk, the city stretching endlessly beneath him. His fingers tapped lightly against the polished wood, each movement precise.
His father stood nearby, tall and imposing. With anyone else, he was feared. But with Ryan, there was a softness in his voice, a quiet ease.
“How did it go in Dubai?” his father asked, eyes sharp. “Did the deal pass?”
Ryan didn’t look at him. “Yes. Everything went through smoothly. No complications.”
His father nodded, a faint smile on his lips. “I expected nothing less. You make it look effortless.”
Ryan leaned back slightly, expression unreadable. “It’s just business. Nothing more.”
His father chuckled softly. “Business or not, you handle it better than anyone I’ve seen. You make it look easy.”
Ryan’s sharp gaze met his father’s for a moment. “I always make it look easy.”
His father sighed, stepping closer. “Don’t let this world harden you completely, son. You’re still human.”
Ryan said nothing. He straightened his suit and stood. “I need to go.”
His father watched him leave, pride and warmth hidden behind his stern expression.
Before Ryan could reach the door, his father’s voice stopped him.
“Ryan.”
He paused, hand still on the handle, but he didn’t turn around.
“I’ve arranged dates for you,” his father said, calm and deliberate. “Daughters from the wealthiest and most influential families.”
Silence filled the office. The city hummed faintly outside the glass walls.
“You can choose whoever you like,” his father continued. “It doesn’t matter which one. What matters is the alliance.”
Ryan’s fingers tightened around the handle. His shoulders stiffened.
“This isn’t about love,” his father added, stepping closer. “It’s about power. Stability. The future of the company.”

Ryan finally turned, eyes cold, expression sharp. “I don’t need dates to run a company.”
His father met his gaze without flinching. “You need heirs. You need connections. You need a woman beside you who strengthens your position.”
Ryan let out a slow breath. “I don’t need anyone beside me.”
“And yet,” his father said quietly, “the board thinks otherwise.”
A beat passed. Then another.
“And before you say anything,” his father finished, voice firm but not unkind, “I’m doing this for the company.”
Ryan said nothing. The tension hung heavy in the room, thick and unspoken, as the door slowly closed behind him.
He slowly turned and looked at his father.
“Dad,” Ryan said, his voice calm but firm, “I’m old enough to look for my own woman.”
The room went quiet. The city outside continued to move, unaware of the tension inside the office.
His father studied him for a long moment, eyes sharp, unreadable. The same eyes that had built an empire from nothing. The same eyes that rarely softened.
“You’ve always said that,” his father replied slowly. “And you’ve always avoided it.”
Ryan crossed his arms, posture relaxed but guarded. “Because I don’t need distractions. I don’t need arrangements.”
His father walked closer, stopping a few steps away. “You need stability,” he said calmly. “And whether you like it or not, a woman provides that. For you. For the company.”
Ryan scoffed quietly. “I’m not marrying a business deal.”
His father’s lips pressed into a thin line. Then, unexpectedly, he nodded.
“Fine,” he said.
Ryan frowned slightly.
“Find one,” his father continued. “Find a woman on your own terms. Someone you choose.”
Ryan’s eyes narrowed. “And if I don’t?”
His father met his gaze, unblinking. “I’ll give you one week.”
The words settled heavily between them.
“One week,” his father repeated. “After that, I’ll rearrange the dates. Proper ones. Public ones.”
Ryan clenched his jaw. “You won’t.”
“I will,” his father replied calmly. “And this time, you won’t walk away.”
Ryan looked away, anger flashing briefly across his face before disappearing behind his usual cold mask.
“This isn’t a game,” his father added. “The board is watching. The investors are watching. You don’t get to stand alone forever.”
Ryan straightened his suit, regaining control. “I always stand alone.”
His father sighed quietly. “Then prove it.”
Ryan didn’t respond. He turned, opened the door, and walked out—his expression cold, his thoughts anything but calm.
CAFÉ
Aria was finally done eating, leaning back in her chair with a satisfied sigh. Her plate was empty, her mood light, and her stomach very, very happy.
She stood up with Katy beside her, both of them gathering their trays and pushing their chairs back. The café buzzed softly with voices, cutlery clinking, people laughing.
“Aah… I’m so full,” Aria said happily, smiling as she held her stomach. “I think I ate enough for three people.”
Katy laughed. “You eat like you’ve been starving for years.”
“I have,” Aria replied dramatically. “Free food should never be wasted.”
They started walking toward the exit, Aria still talking, still smiling, not watching where she was going. She turned the corner without slowing down.
And suddenly—
She slammed straight into something solid.
Very solid.
Her body bounced back slightly, and she stumbled.
“Watch where you’re going!!” Aria shouted immediately, annoyed.
She didn’t even look up.
“Are you blind?!” she added, clearly offended.
Katy froze beside her.
“Aria—” Katy whispered urgently, her eyes wide.
But Aria was already looking up.
And her words died instantly.
The man in front of her was tall. Broad. Sharp in a way that didn’t look human. His suit was dark, perfectly fitted, and expensive beyond imagination.
His face was devastating.
Cold eyes. Strong jaw. Calm expression.
So handsome it almost hurt to look at him.
Aria blinked once. Then twice.
“Oh…”
Katy’s face had gone pale. She tugged lightly at Aria’s sleeve, her voice barely audible.
“Aria… stop talking.”
But it was too late.
Because Aria had already said everything.
And she had no idea she was standing right in front of the CEO of CARTER GROUP INTERNATIONAL.