His words carried an undeniable authority. He didn’t even need to raise his voice—just sitting there, his mere presence was intimidating.

It felt like all the blood in my body had stopped flowing. A cold chill crept up my spine, leaving me dazed and disoriented.

I practically ran out of the building—didn’t even bother waiting for the elevator. I bolted down the stairs, gasping for air by the time I reached the ground floor. My mind was a whirlwind of ...