“What are you doing?“The voice startled her so much that she froze in place unable to process how long he stood there watching her before making his presence known.

Hands in pockets, he closed the distance between them with a slow walk— as if stalking his prey. Indigo blinked and looked side-eye at the display on her laptop screen— the playback control, the audio waveform etc—and swallowed very hard. It was nearly impossible to manoeuvre herself out of this sticky situation. Her brain spun for explanations to make up.

“Indigo Liam.“ He called sternly.

“What are you doing?“

“I was just contemplating, obviously.“ She shrugged but seeing his gaze on her laptop, she nearly fainted.

God, I'm dead.

"You're not telling the truth. It's unlikely that I've managed to maintain my position for this long with such a limited understanding, don't you think? Play the recording." He ordered, watching her closely. She sweated, her brain working out a thousand escape scenarios.

“Sure.“ She replied and clicked on the playback button desperately wishing for the ground to open up beneath her feet.

Silence. No audio. But the waveform was moving. She was pleasantly surprised. What magic had taken place?

Young Master Slade gazed at her, “what was that recording?“

“It's someone playing a prank.“ she made up an excuse.

“And you were thinking about the prank?“ He smiled lopsidedly as if he saw through her.

“I was thinking about my personal problems. Which frankly, I don't wish to share.“ She added to prevent him from asking more.

She watched him lean in, staring into her eyes. His hazel eyes were so beautiful and she was drawn in instantly. She also perceived his masculine fragrance, which had a nice citrusy cologne scent. But his aura was so domineering that she took a step back.

“I-”

“You're not escaping today.“ He took a step forward and grabbed her waist, pressing her against his muscular body. Her heart raced in anticipation but she fought it.

“Please let me go.“

“Why should I? Rumour says I don't like women. And that you seduced me to get this job.“ He said, staring at her pink lips, desire ticking in.

“I—” she was speechless. A casual retort had turned into a nasty rumour.

“How did you accomplish that?” he asked in a soft whisper. She shivered as his lips touched her ear.

“Seduce me, Indigo.“ Her heart tumbled at his words. As his hands moved around her waist in a soft caress, she sucked in a deep breath, overwhelmed. He closed the gap between their faces, the bristles on his chin tickling her face. Her stomach knotted in anticipation of the feel of his lips against hers. Heart hammering in her chest, she closed her eyes in anticipation of a kiss so hot…

“You're pathetic, Indigo. Did you really think you had me seduced just now? Ha.“ He chuckled coldly, his hand off her waist in a blink as if it was never there. Indigo sucked in a deep breath as the humiliation washed over her like a tide. He had been faking the entire thing.

A knock on the CEO's door interrupted them and he left her office, his temperament as cold as ever.

Indigo wanted to howl in rage. She wanted to scream and pull her hair for falling for his act but she didn't. She couldn't let him see her vulnerable side again. She couldn't stand to be shamed. So she held it all in, biting her lips painfully.

This is why I have to gain control of my emotions. Damnit!!

She whisper- yelled, a small pang of dislike growing for him.

Upon examination of the cause of her miracle, she realized she had connected the audio to her earbuds— so the content was not heard because it was still connected—and they were in her suit pocket.

Her meticulousness had saved her from a tsunami of trouble. She then proceeded to erase the evidence— a process she called covering her tracks.

* * * *

The day had been terribly exhausting and she was so weary she nearly collapsed in front of her door. A warm bath and a peaceful sleep was all she craved but alas she had some unfinished business to do with her laptop. She spent over an hour eluding sleep and sipping at a cold coffee to soothe her fraying nerves just so she could finish her work for the day.

She felt he had intentionally increased her workload after their ruined encounter. But it didn't matter, she just needed to focus on her purpose. Indigo fell asleep with her laptop still on and her coffee cup on the bed just four hours to dawn.

Early that morning, with her eyes still red from tiredness and a lack of proper sleep, she prepared for work and applied a little make-up to hide the not-so-visible dark circles.

“Did you draft the report yourself?“ The CEO asked her on a phone call as she was heading to work.

“Yes. Is there a problem?“

“It is an understatement to say I am appalled by this work. Is this supposed to be used for the online conference this morning?“ He asked icily.

“Be here in ten minutes.“ The phone call ended. Though she was not willing to face him that morning, she had no choice.

And no amount of excuses could convince him she was really not slacking off to vex him.

“I had barely three hours to sleep! I was so exhausted that the coffee could not keep me awake for long so that explains the mistakes on the documents I sent.“ She explained but he just stared expressionlessly at her.

“To prevent further mistakes, I will like to relieve you of your duties.“

“What do you mean?“ Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach in premonition.

He took a sheet of paper from a drawer and handed to her, ”Project Skyline requires an additional helping hand. You will supervise the Real Estate development Division to finalize this project.“

“Why? I—”

“Your expertise is required there. And you remain until the project is finalized.“ He said with finality and left her standing in a daze.

How could she not know what he was doing? He wasn't in the actual sense trying to make her supervise the project as pitting her against the head of that division— Irene Walker—who hated Indigo to her bones. He was sending her into a lion's den to do what? Survive or die?

Indigo took a deep breath and released a sigh of resignation, for beneath that very handsome exterior of Young Master Slade was the heart of a monster.