Chapter 15: Fire and Ice.

Willow Goods.

Matilda’s POV.

“Mr. Willow, here’s the draft for the schedule you requested for the upcoming month.” I offer the iPad with a steady hand, though my heart races in my chest, a frantic drumbeat that feels impossible to silence. The sleek device feels heavy in my grip, a physical manifestation of the pressure I’m under. “It’s just a draft; I’ve accounted for unpredictable meetings and agendas.”

He glances up at me, suspicion etched across his features, his brow furrowing slightly. “That was fast,” he murmurs, scrolling through the document with practised ease that sends a flutter of nerves through me. I hold my breath, watching his fingers dance over the screen, a silent plea in my mind that he’ll approve. The air in the office is thick with tension, the hum of the overhead lights only amplifying my anxiety.

“Did Mr. Santos assist you?” His voice is sharp, and his gaze pierces my skin like ice, leaving me momentarily frozen in place.

I fidget, caught between honesty and f