The office had been unnervingly quiet since the incident in the boardroom. People whispered when Ava passed, their eyes carrying that mix of pity and curiosity she despised. Damon Blackwell’s wrath was legendary, and word of his assistant’s mistake had traveled faster than wildfire.

But Ava didn’t flinch. She arrived earlier, stayed later, and executed every task with precision sharp enough to cut glass. She was determined to erase her failure, even if it meant erasing parts of herself in the process.

By Friday, exhaustion had become a silent companion. She had worked through every break, barely sleeping, her only focus — perfection. Damon hadn’t spoken more than two words to her since that day. “Morning.” “Report.” Nothing else.

It was strange. She had expected shouting, another scolding, maybe even dismissal. Instead, she got silence — and somehow, that felt worse.

When Isaac handed her another stack of files, she asked quietly, “Has he said anything about me?”

Isaac gave her a quick glance, expression unreadable. “Mr. Blackwell doesn’t gossip. He observes.”

“So that’s a no.”

He smirked faintly. “You’ll learn soon enough. His silence usually means he’s thinking.”

“Thinking about what?”

“Whether to forgive you… or replace you.”

Her stomach twisted, but she didn’t show it. “Then I’ll make sure I’m worth keeping.”

She turned and walked back to her desk, heart pounding faster than she’d like to admit.

---

That evening, Damon’s office door opened unexpectedly. “Miss Green,” his voice called out, low and steady.

Ava shot up. “Yes, Mr. Blackwell?”

“Come in.”

Her pulse spiked. She stepped inside, closing the door behind her, standing as straight as she could.

“Sit,” he said without looking up from his computer.

She obeyed, clutching her notepad like a shield.

“I reviewed your latest reports,” he began, his tone unreadable. “No errors. Impressive.”

“Thank you, sir,” she replied softly.

He leaned back in his chair, finally meeting her gaze. “You’ve improved.”

She blinked. “I was determined not to repeat my mistake.”

“That’s good,” he said. “But tell me — why are you trying so hard?”

Her brow furrowed. “Because I want to prove myself.”

“Prove yourself… to me?” His voice lowered slightly, the question lingering like smoke.

Ava hesitated. “To the company. And maybe… yes, to you too.”

He studied her for a long moment before speaking again. “You don’t owe me an apology.”

Her eyes widened. “I thought I did.”

“You already apologized. Repeatedly. That’s not what I want from you.”

“Then what do you want, sir?”

He paused, and for the first time, his gaze softened. “I want you to stop acting like a soldier preparing for war. You made one mistake, not a crime.”

Ava blinked in surprise. “You’re… forgiving me?”

He gave a faint, humorless smile. “Forgiveness isn’t my habit. But in your case, I’ll make an exception.”

Something shifted in the air — subtle, but powerful. For the first time since she started, his words didn’t feel like commands. They felt human.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“Don’t thank me,” he said quietly. “Just don’t give me a reason to regret it.”

“I won’t.”

He turned his chair slightly, looking out the window at the dark city beyond. “You remind me of someone,” he said suddenly.

She frowned. “Someone you knew?”

“Yes. Someone who used to believe working harder could fix everything.”

“What happened to them?”

His expression changed — just slightly, but enough for her to notice the shadow in his eyes. “They learned the world doesn’t reward effort. It rewards results.”

Ava nodded slowly. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Don’t,” he said softly. “That’s not a lesson I want you to learn the hard way.”

The silence that followed was thick with unspoken thoughts. Ava wanted to ask who that person was, but she sensed that question would cross a line.

After a moment, Damon stood. “You may go.”

She rose to her feet, but before she reached the door, he added, “Ava.”

It was the first time he’d used her first name.

She froze. “Yes, Mr. Blackwell?”

His gaze met hers, steady and unreadable. “You did well this week. Don’t let one mistake define you.”

Her breath caught. “I won’t.”

“Good. Dismissed.”

Ava walked out, her heartbeat fluttering in confusion. The man who had humiliated her days ago had just given her something she didn’t expect — validation.

---

Later that night, she sat in her apartment, staring at the city lights from her window. She should’ve felt relieved, but instead she felt restless. Damon’s words kept replaying in her head. You remind me of someone.

Who was that person? A friend? A lover? A ghost from his past?

Her phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number.

“Don’t trust him.”

Ava’s eyes widened. She reread it twice, her pulse quickening. Before she could reply, another message came.

“You think you know Damon Blackwell. You don’t. Be careful.”

Her fingers trembled as she typed back, Who is this?

No response.

She stared at the screen for a long time before finally locking her phone. Maybe it was a prank. Maybe someone in the office was trying to scare her.

Still, she couldn’t shake the chill that ran down her spine. Damon’s warning about betrayal echoed in her mind.

When she finally drifted to sleep, her dreams were filled with his voice — calm, deep, and dangerous.

“Don’t give me a reason to regret it.”

She didn’t know yet, but that night marked the beginning of something far more complicated than any apology.

Because Damon Blackwell wasn’t just her boss anymore —

he was becoming her weakness.