CHAPTER 1

Sarah sat at her desk, staring at the email from her boss. She knew what it was before she even opened it. "Another assignment from hell." She sighed and clicked the message open.

"Sarah, I have a new assignment for you. You'll be interviewing Daniel Blackwood, the director of Blackwood Enterprise . This could be a big break for you, so make sure to do your best work. I expect a great story from you. Good luck."

Sarah groaned. Daniel Blackwood was not exactly the kind of person she wanted to interview. She had heard all the rumors about him, and none of them were good. 

He was a cocky jerk who didn't care about anyone but himself. But Sarah had a job to do, and she knew she had to do it well if she wanted to advance in her career.

The next day, Sarah arrived at Daniel's office building. The lobby was lavish, with marble floors and expensive artwork hanging on the walls. Sarah felt out of place in her jeans and T-shirt, surrounded by people in suits and expensive dresses.

She took the elevator up to the top floor and was greeted by Daniel's assistant, a tall, blonde woman who looked like she had just stepped off a runway. "Ms. Johnson, welcome. Mr. Blackwood is expecting you. Follow me."

Sarah followed the woman down a long hallway and into a spacious office. Daniel was sitting at his desk, typing away on his computer. He looked up when Sarah entered, and she could feel his eyes scanning her up and down.

Daniel Blackwood was a tall and imposing figure, standing at six feet four inches. He had a lean and athletic build, which was the result of his dedication to fitness and exercise. His hair was a dark shade of brown, which he kept short and well-groomed. His piercing blue eyes were his most striking feature, and they seemed to have a magnetic quality that drew people in.

Daniel had a chiseled jawline, which was always clean-shaven, and a strong nose that gave him an air of authority. He had a few lines etched around his eyes and mouth, testament to the many years he had spent building his business empire. However, his face still retained a youthful glow, and he looked much younger than his actual age.

He was always impeccably dressed, with a preference for designer suits in dark shades of blue or gray. He wore expensive shoes that were always polished to a high shine and had a collection of high-end watches that he changed according to his mood or outfit.

While Daniel Blackwood was a successful and influential businessman, he also had some mean attributes that could be seen as off-putting or negative by most people. He had a reputation for being cold, ruthless, and uncompromising when it came to his business deals.

In his pursuit of success and wealth, Daniel was known to be quite cutthroat, often stepping on anyone who got in his way. He was not above using underhanded tactics to get what he wanted, and he had a reputation for being a fierce competitor who would stop at nothing to come out on top.

He was described as being difficult to work with at times as he had high expectations for his employees, and he was not afraid to reprimand or fire those who did not meet his standards.

Daniel was also a very private person, and he did not like to share details about his personal life with others. He was known to be somewhat aloof and distant, and he often kept people at arm's length.

While Daniel Blackwood's success and wealth were admirable, his ruthless nature and aloofness could be seen as mean or negative attributes by most people.

"Ms. Johnson, what do you want?" Daniel asked, staring at her coldly.

Sarah could feel her body tense at his question and almost ran short of words. However, she was determined to not feel intimidated and instead, resolved to finish  what she had come here for.

May I have a seat? She said rather slowly as she tried to gain composure.

This time, without taking his eyes off his screen he pointed to the chair in front of his desk.

Sarah sat down and pulled out her notebook. "Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, Mr. Blackwood. I appreciate it."

Daniel leaned back in his chair and with a serious face replied. "As you already know, I only have time for important things. What do you want to know?"

Sarah cleared her throat. "Well, for starters, can you tell me about your latest business venture?"

Daniel launched into a brief, technical explanation of his latest project, but Sarah could tell he wasn't really interested in talking to her. He was just going through the motions.

As she tried to make him open up about his business and how he had attained his success, Sarah realized that everything she had heard about Daniel was true. He was arrogant, dismissive, and didn't seem to care about anyone but himself.

But then something strange happened. As Sarah was packing up her things to leave, Daniel handed her a small box.

"For you," he said, his smirk replaced with a cold smile.

Sarah opened the box to find a delicate silver necklace inside. She looked up at Daniel, confused.

"Consider it a gift for the interview. I can tell you really have the guts. Not so many people in your class have the guts to stand me."

Sarah was taken aback. She didn't know what to say.

Daniel stood up and walked around his desk. "Listen, Ms. Johnson. I don't expect appreciation from you. Like I said earlier, I only attend to important things. Miss Stakes would show you the way out"

Sarah didn't know what to make of what just happened but she knew one thing for sure, this assignment was going to be a lot more complicated than she had thought.

"This way please." Mrs Stakes, Daniel's assistant, was quick to lead her out of the office. 

She stopped to take one quick glance at Daniel and saw him talking to someone on the phone.

Sarah walked out of Daniel Blackwood's office, still in shock over what had just happened. She couldn't believe he had given her a gift, and even more surprising, that he had been cold after that.

As she walked down the long hallway towards the elevator, she couldn't help but wonder what else was hidden behind Daniel's handsome face. Maybe there was more to him than just a billionaire playboy.