Kayla’s POV
The moment his office door clicked shut, my knees gave out, and I sank heavily back into my desk chair.
I gripped the edge of the desk, taking long, desperate breath of air as I placed a shaking hand over my lower belly.
He was watching me.
He was paying attention.
And worst of all, my constant efforts to avoid him were only making him more curious.
I was playing a dangerous game, and if I wasn’t careful, Lucien Thorne was going to dig until he uncovered every single secret I was trying so desperately to hide.
By the end of my second month at Throne Corporation, I had settled into a delicate, fragile routine.
My belly was growing softer, but under my oversized jacket, I was still holding the secret close to my chest.
It was a busy Tuesday afternoon when the executive floor erupted into a wave of excitement.
A high profile meeting had been scheduled between Throne Corporation and the heiress of a massive luxury cosmetics empire.
The partnership deal was worth tens of millions, and the entire floor was on high alert.
I was standing near the central filing station, reviewing a stack of incoming courier documents, when the private elevator doors open.
Clicking heels echoed sharply against the marble floor.
A woman stepped out, in a head to toe designer cream outfit, surrounded by three assistants and two bodyguard.
She screamed wealth, arrogance, and total disregard for anyone in her path.
My stomach dropped, and the blood completely drained from my face.
Stella.
Stella Vance—The influencer from My previous work at the makeup studio, The high society darling who had made my life a living hell back when I was at Glow and Grace makeup studio.
I tury my head away instantly, clutching the folder to my chest, and tried to leave quietly toward the back copy room.
“Kayla?”
The voice was high, sharp, and laced with pure disbelief.
I froze, my fingers digging into the paper.
I swallowed hard and slowly turned around, forcing my face into a neutral, unreadable mask.
“Miss Vance,” I said softly, keeping my voice steady. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
“Welcome to Throne Corporation.”
Stella walked over to me, her expensive red heels clicking against the floor.
Her eyes swept over my loose fitting gray suit, taking in my plain attire and my employee badge.
A cruel, grin spread across her lips.
“Oh my God,” Stella laughed loudly, making sure her voice was loud across the quiet, office.
Several senior executives and assistants stopped what they were doing to watch.
“Kayla Williams!
Is that really you?
Working as a glorified… coffee girl?”
”I am an Executive Assistant Trainee, Miss Vance,” I replied politely, maintaining my composure despite the sting of embarrassment burning behind my eyes.
“If you are here for the cosmetics partnership, the conference room is down the hall on the right—”
”I know where the conference room is, darling,” Stella interrupted, stepping so close I could smell her strong floral perfume.
She looked around at the watching staff and raised her voice, her tone dripping with mock pity.
“I just can’t believe how far you’ve fallen. Last I heard, you were kicked out from glow and Grace from fraud and deceit! And look at you now—wearing secondhand suits, serving drinks to people or whatever Job you’re doing here.”
A gasp echoed through the room.
Whispers broke out among the staff.
My face burned with shame.
My hands trembled beneath the paper folder.
I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole.
The urge to break down and cry was overwhelming, but I clenched my jaw shut, staring straight ahead.
Don’t show her weakness.
Do not give her the satisfaction.
“My personal life is not relevant to my work here,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, though it shook with suppressed emotion.
“Please step into the conference room.”
”Oh, sweetie, your whole existence is irrelevant,” Stella said, leaning in closer.
“You’re a nobody.
A failed, homeless failure who couldn’t even keep her own Job. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
I wonder if Mr. Thorne knows he’s hiring street trash to handle his papers?”
”That is enough, Miss Vance.”
The voice cut through the air like a cold, steel blade.
The temperature in the room instantly seized.
Stella’s attitude froze on her face.
She turned around, and I looked up, my breath hitching in my throat.
Lucien Thorne stood at the threshold of his private suite.
His dark suit was immaculate, his hands tucked casually into his pockets, but his eyes were pure, blinding ice.
The cold, suffocating authority radiating off him made even Stella’s assistants back away in terror.
He walked forward slowly, every heavy step measured and dangerous.
He didn’t even look at Stella at first; his dark, gray eyes swept over my pale, trembling face, lingering on the faint mark of unshed tears in my eyes, before snapping directly to Stella.
“M-Mr. Thorne!” Stella gasped, her demeanor instantly shifting into a sweet, smile as she smoothed down her outfit.
“I was just—”
”You are five minutes early for our meeting, Miss Vance,” Lucien interrupted, his deep voice flat, cold, and sharp.
“And you are creating a disturbance on my executive floor.”
”Oh, I was just chatting with Kayla!” Stella laughed nervously, waving a manicured hand dismissively.
“We have a bit of history.
I was just surprised to see someone of her… lower background working in a prestigious company like yours.
I was merely pointing out—”
”Miss Williams was hired because her qualifications meet the standards of Throne Corporation,” Lucien cut her off ruthlessly, stepping into the space between us.
His frame completely blocked Stella’s view of me, effectively shielding me from her cruel gaze.
Stella blinked, stunned.
“Mr. Thorne, she’s just a trainee-”
”And you are a guest,” Lucien said softly, though the edge in his voice could have sliced through glass.
“A guest whose multi million dollar partnership contract is currently sitting on my desk, unsigned.”
The entire floor went dead silent.
Stella’s face turned bright red, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.