Damn it. Just damn it. It was only four in the morning, and that arrogant jerk had already woken me up—four whole hours before his actual call time. He said he wanted to exercise, and that by the time he was done, breakfast should already be ready.

“Why aren’t you eating?” he asked casually once he began taking bites of his food.

“After you, SIR,” I said pointedly.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Are you mad that I woke you up early?”

He actually asked that. The nerve. Of course, I couldn’t tell him the truth.

“Why would I be mad? You’re paying me, remember?”

He set down his fork and knife, then stared straight at me. His eyes carried that sharp, assessing look that made me want to throw the frying pan at him.

“If you’re not going to eat,” he said, voice cool and clipped, “then get out of my sight.”

And why would I argue with that? I turned on my heel without another word and went straight to my room.

Since there was nothing else to do, I decided to get ready for work. I took a quick shower, then threw on some house clothes—it was only five-thirty, after all.

When I came out of my room, he was still sitting there in the dining area.

“What are you wearing today, SIR?” I asked, deliberately putting weight on the title. His brows knitted together, and for a second, I thought he was going to snap. Instead, he took a slow, steady breath before answering.

“Whatever you see there, that's decent enough to wear.”

Our eyes met—and for a fleeting moment, I caught something in his expression. It wasn’t anger, not even irritation. Something else flickered there, something I couldn’t name. I shook my head, dismissing the thought just as he continued speaking.

“Make sure it’s appropriate. I don’t want to look foolish in front of clients or employees. And if you’re mad at me, don’t take it out on your work. I won’t hesitate to fire you.”

My jaw clenched. So that was it. He really wanted me to remember how much I needed this job. “You know what? You’re full of threats. Why don’t you just hire another PA?” I shot back, my irritation slipping through.

“I’m not threatening you,” he replied calmly, though his tone carried that edge of authority. “I’m just being realistic. I know you, and that’s why I’m saying this. I don’t want any disruptions caused by someone who can’t stay professional. You accepted this job knowing I’d be your boss—so deal with it.”

Fair point.

Not that I’d ever admit it to him.

“So just say it—you don’t trust me to do my job properly, do you?” I asked, my voice rising.

“If I didn’t trust you,” he said evenly, “I would’ve replaced you from day one. You’re so noisy this early in the morning. All I said was something simple.”

“Simple? You literally said you ‘know me’ and not to pour my anger into my work! How’s that simple?”

“You know what? Just eat. I’ll handle my own clothes for today. But only today. Tomorrow, it’s your responsibility.”

The way he emphasized that last line made me want to argue more—but before I could open my mouth, he walked away. I caught myself smiling despite my irritation. At least now I knew I could stress him out too. It couldn’t just be me losing my sanity every time I saw his face.

I finished breakfast quickly. There were dishes to wash—I couldn’t stand leaving anything dirty. I hated pests, so cleanliness was non-negotiable for me.

By the time I was done, Mr. Arrogant still hadn’t emerged from his room, so I decided to change into my work outfit. I slipped into a pair of black slacks, a crisp white inner top, and a fitted blazer. My trusty pair of black heels—the only decent ones I owned—completed the look.

Satisfied after checking my reflection in the mirror, I grabbed my shoulder bag, tossed in my phone, and headed out of my room.

Terrence was already seated on the sofa in the living room when I came out. I caught him glancing at his wristwatch with that impatient look of someone used to people running on his time.

If he weren’t my mortal enemy, I might’ve admitted he was annoyingly good-looking. His black suit fit him perfectly, paired with a light blue polo and a dark blue necktie. A silver lapel pin gleamed on his coat collar. His black leather shoes were polished to a mirror shine.

From what I knew, we were about the same age. He stood around five-foot-eight, his skin a warm tan, his hair a neat crop of dark brown curls fading at the sides.

Damn it. Tall, dark, and handsome. Literally.

My breath caught when our eyes suddenly met. Shit. He caught me staring.

He said nothing, simply looked back at his watch, then at me.

“Let’s go,” he said curtly before walking out of the unit. I followed quickly behind him. Inside the elevator, I stepped ahead of him instinctively—typical PA move, clearing the path like the world revolved around him.

When we reached the building’s entrance, Oscar was already waiting, smiling politely as he opened the car door for us. We walked forward, but Terrence suddenly stopped.

“Get in,” he said.

“Huh?” I asked dumbly, blinking. He chuckled under his breath.

“I said, get in.”

“I’ll sit in the front.”

“Get in, Evie.”

The seriousness in his tone, coupled with the quick glance he exchanged with Oscar, left me with no choice. I climbed in and slid toward the opposite side. He followed shortly after.

Why did we have to sit together in the backseat anyway? Warren wasn’t even here today!

The entire drive to the company was wrapped in silence. I could tell Oscar kept sneaking glances at us in the rearview mirror, probably wondering why we were both so quiet.

When we arrived, I didn’t wait for him to open my door—I stepped out on my own, not about to act like some damsel waiting for her boss-slash-tormentor. He followed close behind as we walked into the building.

Inside the elevator, I stood in front of him. The doors closed—and after just a few seconds, the elevator jolted to a stop. The lights went out.

My heart dropped. In reflex, I stumbled backward and grabbed onto Terrence, clinging to him like my life depended on it. The darkness pressed in around us, suffocating.

“Are you alright?” I heard him ask somewhere above me. I didn’t answer. Instead, my arms tightened around him. I could feel his body shift slightly as he brought a hand to my back, rubbing gentle, steady circles to calm me down.

“It’s so dark…” I whispered, my voice trembling.

“Here,” he said softly, turning on the flashlight from his phone. A small beam of light filled the space, chasing the shadows away. My heartbeat began to slow.

But when I lifted my gaze, I realized just how close we were. He was looking down at me, and his face was only inches away. So close that I could feel the warmth of his breath brushing against my skin.

For one breathless moment, I completely forgot how to exhale.