Aurelia's POV
After about two weeks of searching for a decent white-collar job and failing, I started regretting my decision to leave Elan. Elan hadn’t texted me, but it was crystal clear he was stalking my social media pages. Thanks to a stalking detection app on my phone, I could see he was among the first five people to view any of my posts, even though he never left a like or comment. But going back to Elan wasn’t an option for me. I needed to prove something to myself—and to him. For the past two weeks since our breakup, I had been submitting my applications to different companies, only to be met with the same response: We’ll get back to you. I knew how this worked—no one was going to give me a job if I wasn’t in a certain age group, and worse still, I lacked the required experience. It was all so frustrating. I was barely scraping by on the little savings I’d managed to hide away while I was with Elan. Thankfully, he didn’t know about it. But with no stable income, I knew it was only a matter of time before I ended up on the streets. My life had taken such a downward spiral in the past few weeks. I’d lost my virginity to an unknown man, been betrayed and humiliated by someone I loved, and now my dreams were shattering while I edged closer to bankruptcy Noah's POV The moment I stepped into my office, my eyes landed on the massive pile of files stacked on my desk. The workload had been pressing in too much lately, and it was beginning to take its toll. I glanced over at the adjacent office, separated by a glass barrier, to check on my assistant, but the desk was empty. Before I could wonder too much, my secretary walked in to inform me that my office assistant had called in, claiming she wouldn’t be in today due to health issues. That excuse again. I’d heard that cooked-up story far too many times. Whenever I requested a doctor’s report, it was always another excuse, another story. The last straw had been seeing her at a private club recently. This was after she’d taken time off under the pretense of visiting her sick grandfather in Florida. Turns out she wasn’t visiting anyone—she was hooking up with older men. I’d had enough. I immediately contacted the Human Resources department, instructing them to terminate her contract and hire a new office assistant—immediately. I told them to employ the last person who submitted their CV, as long as they had good qualifications for the job. There was no time for a mass interview; I needed someone who could start tomorrow. Let her have all the time she needs with her doctor once she sees the termination email. Aurelia's POV "My eyes were red and swollen. Yes, I was crying. Crying and praying at the same time. Why did you leave me, Mom and Dad? Why aren’t you here? Do you see everything I’m going through? Can you even hear me? I felt like I was talking to the walls, but I couldn’t stop. Just then, a chime from my phone startled me. The notification brought me back to reality for a moment. I was sure I’d been falling into the dark pit of depression, sinking further with every passing hour. But when I opened my inbox and saw the sender of the email, my heart skipped a beat. My eyes widened as I read the subject line and then the body of the message. I had just—flipping—landed the position of an office assistant at Lumina International, one of the most prestigious companies in the country! And they wanted me to resume tomorrow. The shock, the joy, the sheer disbelief—it was overwhelming. I couldn’t believe it. I had zero hope when I sent in my CV. This was Lumina, the company that prided itself on hiring workers with at least three years of experience in a particular field. I didn’t even meet their base requirement. Not to mention, their interview process was notorious for being rigorous and conducted by none other than the CEO—a stunningly beautiful yet intimidating personality by all accounts. As I tried to wrap my head around the miracle that had just happened, my phone beeped again. This time, it was a call. The screen lit up with the words Customer Service Line - Lumina Industries. I quickly answered, trying to sound as calm and professional as possible. "Hello, good afternoon." "Good afternoon, Miss Aurelia. This is George from Lumina Industries," came the voice on the other end, polite and composed. I greeted him back, and for the next five minutes, he walked me through some important details. He told me when to resume to ensure I made a good impression on my first day, shared tips about the company's preferred dress code, and even reminded me that I’d been selected from over a thousand applicants. I could hear the pride in his voice, and it made my chest swell with gratitude. When the call ended, I was flushed all over with excitement. I’d been so downcast just moments ago, but now it felt like my life had taken a sudden, incredible turn. A chime brought my attention back to my phone. Another email. This time, it was a document from Lumina Industries outlining my job description and—oh my God—my salary. It was more than decent; it was life-changing. I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror and I was scared shit by me .My face was pale, with dark circles under my eyes , horrible eye bags and tear-streaked cheeks. I'm never resuming in my new work place looking like this.. But then I noticed the faint blush creeping across my face, brought on by the sheer excitement of the call. "Well," I muttered to myself, managing a small smile for the first time in days, "there’s nothing a little ice can’t fix."NOAH'S POV Zane, my trusted escort coordinator and personal assistant, was always the one who arranged hookups for me when I needed them. I had just made an exception two weeks ago. Today, I just wanted to set something straight: I wasn’t in any way attached to the escort in the gold dress I’d slept with a few weeks back. She was just good in bed—too good—and was probably lying about being a virgin.When I went online and did some research, I discovered it was possible for a woman to appear like a virgin due to some new technology. Apparently, there’s some kind of liquid they use to make them tight down there, fooling men into thinking they’re virgins. Another option was wearing something like a pantyhose with the texture of skin; during penetration, the material gives off the illusion of breaking through the vaginal entrance. It all sounded elaborate and sneaky, but plausible. This escort must have used one of these tricks, and I’d been fooled into thinking I was with a virgin.Be
AURELIA'S POV I arrived at my new workplace the next morning—Lumina Industries. I took one big breath before stepping out of the elevator, which chimed to indicate I was on the third floor of the company's building. Everything about the company screamed luxury, and it reminded me of my late father's company. A sting of pain followed that thought, hitting me square in the chest, but I bravely brushed it off. Today was not a day to be sober or a day to reflect on the past. This marked a new beginning for me, and I wanted to make it worth it. The ice I applied on my face yesterday had worked wonders, concealing the dark circles and eye bags that had followed me like a shadow for the past two weeks. And yes, for the first time in two weeks, I was wearing makeup. I remembered how I had looked in the mirror before leaving the house this morning—it left me beaming. For a moment, I felt like a version of myself I hadn’t seen in ages. I was now in the workspace for the Administration and
Aurelia’s POVAs I entered Mr. Wellington’s office, I couldn’t help but notice the way everything was in its perfect place. Awards adorned one side of the room, while pictures of him with smiling children hung on the wall, exposing his philanthropic nature. He barely spared me a glance upon my entry, merely gesturing for me to sit opposite him while he hurriedly worked to finish the file in front of him.It didn’t take long—less than thirty seconds—before he put the file away, neatly stacking it as if ensuring everything had its proper order.“So, you must be Ms. Aurelia, my new office assistant,” he said, his deep voice commanding yet professional.As soon as we made eye contact, something shifted. His expression remained neutral—an almost straight face—but there was a flicker of something unspoken in his eyes, as if he’d just remembered something. He stared at me, not with dismissal, but with a quiet intensity that made the moment feel much longer than it actually was.Noah’s POVMy
Aurelia's POV Two weeks. That was all it had been since I started at Lumina Industries, but it felt like two years. Not because the job was bad—I mean, the pay was great, the office was stunning, and I hadn’t even had to buy my own coffee since day one. It was the vibe. Noah Wellington was… well, let’s just say if he smiled at me once, I’d probably check the weather forecast for a blizzard. Our relationship was neutral at best, cold at worst. He wasn’t mean or anything, just distant. Polite but stiff, like he didn’t trust me or wasn’t sure I belonged here. And while I tried to keep a positive attitude, his constant indifference was starting to wear me down. So when George from HR called for an emergency meeting first thing Monday morning, I braced myself for whatever fresh hell awaited. What I didn’t expect was a literal shitstorm of a project being dropped on everyone’s lap. Turns out, Lumina Industries had just secured a massive government contract for a sustainable energy initi
AURELIA'S POVThe moment I stepped into the office, I could feel the buzz in the air. People were rushing around, papers in hand, phones pressed to ears—it was chaos. It didn’t take long before I was pulled into it.“Morning, Aurelia,” one of my coworkers said, handing me a folder. “You’re prepping the presentation for Mr. Wellington’s meeting with the investors today, right?”I nodded, still half-asleep. “Yeah, I got the files last night. I’ll double-check everything now.”“And you’re attending the meeting too,”Noah's secretary added casually, like it wasn’t a big deal.Wait, what?I swallowed hard, trying to look calm. "Got it," I said, even though I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. Attending a high-stakes investor meeting with Noah Wellington himself? No pressure.For the next hour, I buried myself in my work. I made sure every slide was perfect, every number double-checked. But somewhere along the way—probably during my second coffee break—I must’ve grabbed the wrong file from m
Aurelia's POVThe news of our deal's success hit the office before we even got back. When we walked in, it was like someone flipped a switch—everyone was grinning, even Ms. Anderson, Noah’s secretary. Now, let me tell you, I thought I’d see a real-life elf before I’d see Ms. Anderson smile. But there she was, showing her teeth like it was a damn holiday. Guess today was just full of miracles.The excitement buzzed around the office, people congratulating each other and patting themselves on the back. I could see it in their faces—they were relieved their last-minute efforts to pull this off hadn’t been wasted. It felt good to be part of that, knowing I’d helped, even if I had to sweat my way through a near disaster.But celebrations didn’t last long here. Not in this office. There was still work to do, and if they thought they had a truckload of it, mine was a freaking freight train.I dove into my tasks, barely looking up from my screen. Emails, reports, updates—it was like the whole
Aurelia’s POV You know that weird feeling you get when someone’s eyes are on you? Yeah, that. It crept over me like a cold shiver. I froze mid-typing, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. Slowly, I glanced toward Noah’s office, and sure enough, the blinds were up, and the glass panel was see-through. There he was, Mr. Wellington himself, sitting at his desk, head bowed, totally absorbed in whatever important CEO stuff he was doing on his MacBook. I frowned, wondering why the hell he was still here. Didn’t he have a penthouse or a girlfriend or something to go to? From my angle, I could see him clearly, but I wasn’t sure he could see me. Still, I didn’t like the idea of being watched, so I focused back on my work. The awkwardness was already creeping up my neck, though. I tried to shake it off and concentrated on finishing my task. Thirty minutes later, I was done—finally. I yawned so loud I thought I’d wake the security guards downstairs. My eyes felt heavy, and my shoulders ach
AURELIA'S POVThe only thing I said to Noah as I got into the car was my address. Not a “thanks” or a “good evening.” Just my damn address, well politely. The GPS did the rest of the work while the silence between us stretched into something heavy and awkward.The guy didn’t even try to make small talk. He just gripped the wheel, staring straight ahead like I wasn’t sitting right there. Fine by me, though. I wasn’t exactly dying to have a heart-to-heart with Mr. Ice King.The drive was dragging—like, 20 minutes felt like 20 hours. I kept glancing at my phone just to have something to do. Every click of the turn signal sounded ten times louder than it needed to, and I was about ready to scream just to break the silence.And then it happened.We were going down some empty stretch of road when a group of drunk-ass teenagers came out of nowhere, swerving all over the place like they were auditioning for Fast & Furious. Noah muttered something under his breath—probably something along the
NOAH'S POV When I found something else on Aurelia’s USB—something that hinted she might’ve messed with the footage—I sat there staring at the screen like an idiot.Maybe she really was involved. Maybe asking her to stay home was the smartest fucking move I’d made all week. But damn, this was confusing.I didn’t want to believe it, but the pieces were starting to fit, and that pissed me off more than anything.With Aurelia out of the picture for now, I needed someone else to help with the investigation. My next pick? George. Why? Honestly, I didn’t trust the guy, but his connection to Aurelia made him useful. If he knew anything—or worse, if he was part of it—he might slip up under pressure.When George came in, he wasted no time being shady as hell. The guy got defensive the second I started asking questions.I told him about the anonymous tip pointing to Aurelia, expecting him to at least say something in her defense. But no. Instead, he started rambling about how she “probably did
NOAH'S POV The office was so quiet you could hear every damn click of the keyboard. I leaned back in my chair, feeling the tension in my shoulders, but I wasn’t stopping. Not yet. Someone was screwing us over, and I wasn’t letting it slide. Aurelia sat next to me, hunched over her own screen. Her brows were knitted together, She’d been like this for hours—focused, silent, and just annoying enough to keep me on edge. And then, something. “Wait a second,” I muttered, my eyes catching a fragment of text in the system. “What is it?” Aurelia asked, leaning over so quickly her chair squeaked. I didn’t answer right away, too busy opening the file. The email was a mess—half-deleted, scrambled in parts, but the subject line jumped out at me: ‘Info on Expansion Plans.’ My jaw tightened. “This is it,” I said. “The project that got leaked.” Aurelia’s head tilted, and I could feel her studying the screen with me. “Where did you find it?” “Buried in the system. Looks like someone
AURELIA'S POV When I got to work the next day, the first thing I heard was that the boss had called for a board meeting with all the staff. Ms. Anderson was the one who broke the news, and honestly, her face looked like it could curdle milk. She was always serious, but today? That frown was something else.The vibe in the office wasn’t any better. Everyone in admin looked like they’d just been told their dog died. That’s when it hit me—whatever this meeting was about, it wasn’t good news. Layoffs? Was the company downsizing? Shit. Am I about to lose my job?The meeting started, and the boss didn’t waste time. Apparently, someone in the company was leaking confidential information to a rival. He said he wanted to get to the bottom of it before launching a full investigation.My stomach dropped. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I glanced around. Everyone had that “not me” look on their face, but the tension was thick enough to choke on.Great. First it was “good morning
AURELIA'S POV George caught me by the hallway just as I was heading back to my desk. He had that overly confident look on his face that already made me want to turn around.“Hey, Aurelia,” he said, stepping in front of me. “I was thinking, there’s this great place downtown. Fancy, quiet—perfect for dinner. How about we go there tonight? Just the two of us.”I forced a polite smile, even though I was already over this. “Thanks, George, but I can’t. I have other plans tonight.”I tried to move past him, not wanting to make this any more awkward than it already was, but then I felt his hand on my arm. Firm. A little too firm.“Come on, Aurelia,” he said, almost in a coaxing tone, but there was something controlling in the way he held me back.I turned to face him, pulling my arm free. “Don’t do that again,” I said, my tone sharp enough to make my point clear.He blinked, like he hadn’t expected me to push back, and for a few long seconds, we just stared at each other. His face was neutr
After the incident with me riding in Noah’s car, he had gone back to being what he had always been—strict, sharp, and professional. Nothing changed on his end. George, however, had brought up more excuses to ask me out. A coffee here, a dinner there—anything to get me to say yes. I turned them all down politely, but it seemed he just wasn’t getting the hint.Days turned into weeks, and now here we were—the entire administration department of Lumina Industries—preparing to spend a whole week on a cruise ship. Seven of us in total, including our boss, Noah Wellington. Apparently, meeting the deadline for the massive project we’d been working on for a whole month now called for some celebration.We’d just wrapped up a three-day-long meeting to finalize and close out the project, which had been a massive success. So Noah, in what seemed like an uncharacteristically generous move, decided to treat us all. A whole fucking week off work. No emails, no calls, no spreadsheets—just food, drink
AURELIA'S POVThe only thing I said to Noah as I got into the car was my address. Not a “thanks” or a “good evening.” Just my damn address, well politely. The GPS did the rest of the work while the silence between us stretched into something heavy and awkward.The guy didn’t even try to make small talk. He just gripped the wheel, staring straight ahead like I wasn’t sitting right there. Fine by me, though. I wasn’t exactly dying to have a heart-to-heart with Mr. Ice King.The drive was dragging—like, 20 minutes felt like 20 hours. I kept glancing at my phone just to have something to do. Every click of the turn signal sounded ten times louder than it needed to, and I was about ready to scream just to break the silence.And then it happened.We were going down some empty stretch of road when a group of drunk-ass teenagers came out of nowhere, swerving all over the place like they were auditioning for Fast & Furious. Noah muttered something under his breath—probably something along the
Aurelia’s POV You know that weird feeling you get when someone’s eyes are on you? Yeah, that. It crept over me like a cold shiver. I froze mid-typing, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. Slowly, I glanced toward Noah’s office, and sure enough, the blinds were up, and the glass panel was see-through. There he was, Mr. Wellington himself, sitting at his desk, head bowed, totally absorbed in whatever important CEO stuff he was doing on his MacBook. I frowned, wondering why the hell he was still here. Didn’t he have a penthouse or a girlfriend or something to go to? From my angle, I could see him clearly, but I wasn’t sure he could see me. Still, I didn’t like the idea of being watched, so I focused back on my work. The awkwardness was already creeping up my neck, though. I tried to shake it off and concentrated on finishing my task. Thirty minutes later, I was done—finally. I yawned so loud I thought I’d wake the security guards downstairs. My eyes felt heavy, and my shoulders ach
Aurelia's POVThe news of our deal's success hit the office before we even got back. When we walked in, it was like someone flipped a switch—everyone was grinning, even Ms. Anderson, Noah’s secretary. Now, let me tell you, I thought I’d see a real-life elf before I’d see Ms. Anderson smile. But there she was, showing her teeth like it was a damn holiday. Guess today was just full of miracles.The excitement buzzed around the office, people congratulating each other and patting themselves on the back. I could see it in their faces—they were relieved their last-minute efforts to pull this off hadn’t been wasted. It felt good to be part of that, knowing I’d helped, even if I had to sweat my way through a near disaster.But celebrations didn’t last long here. Not in this office. There was still work to do, and if they thought they had a truckload of it, mine was a freaking freight train.I dove into my tasks, barely looking up from my screen. Emails, reports, updates—it was like the whole
AURELIA'S POVThe moment I stepped into the office, I could feel the buzz in the air. People were rushing around, papers in hand, phones pressed to ears—it was chaos. It didn’t take long before I was pulled into it.“Morning, Aurelia,” one of my coworkers said, handing me a folder. “You’re prepping the presentation for Mr. Wellington’s meeting with the investors today, right?”I nodded, still half-asleep. “Yeah, I got the files last night. I’ll double-check everything now.”“And you’re attending the meeting too,”Noah's secretary added casually, like it wasn’t a big deal.Wait, what?I swallowed hard, trying to look calm. "Got it," I said, even though I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. Attending a high-stakes investor meeting with Noah Wellington himself? No pressure.For the next hour, I buried myself in my work. I made sure every slide was perfect, every number double-checked. But somewhere along the way—probably during my second coffee break—I must’ve grabbed the wrong file from m