Beneath His Empire

Part 1 –

The morning sun glinted off the mirrored skyscrapers of Manhattan, catching in Lila Monroe's eyes as she craned her neck to look up way up at the towering structure of Wolfe Enterprises.

It looked like something out of a movie: glass, steel, and a level of corporate power that made her palms sweat.

She adjusted the navy blazer she'd borrowed from her roommate, smoothed a wrinkle on her pencil skirt, and took a steadying breath.

"You've got this," she whispered to herself, stepping through the massive revolving doors. "New job. New life. No mess-ups."

The lobby was as intimidating as the building white marble floors, brushed gold accents, and an air of quiet opulence that screamed you don't belong here to anyone who didn't have six figures in their bank account.

Lila was painfully aware of the scratch on her tote bag, the slight scuff on her left heel, and the fact that her resume hadn't looked nearly as impressive as the other applicants'. But somehow, she'd landed the role: Event Planning Assistant, temporary hire. Six months to prove herself.

Six months to survive Wolfe Enterprises.

As she waited by the sleek front desk for her visitor pass, she peeked around the lobby. People in power suits moved with purpose, voices hushed, strides confident. No one lingered. No one smiled. This wasn't a place for casual chit-chat.

"Lila Monroe?" the receptionist called, handing her a sleek black badge.

"That's me," she replied, her voice only slightly nervous.

"Twenty-seventh floor. Events Department. You'll be meeting with Helena Lang."

"Thanks." She exhaled and made her way to the elevators, heart thumping.

She wasn't here to fall in love, get involved in drama, or even make friends. She was here to do her job. Impress her boss. Maybe even get hired full time.

But that plan started to wobble the second the elevator stopped on the wrong floor.

The top floor.

The doors slid open to a silent, polished corridor lined with black-and-white art and dark wood accents. Her badge didn't even work here she must've pressed the wrong button while trying to multitask.

She reached for the panel to correct her mistake when a tall man in a slate-gray suit stepped out of an office ahead, murmuring something into a phone. He paused mid-sentence when he saw her.

Jet-black hair. Storm-gray eyes. A jaw sharp enough to cut diamonds.

Ethan Wolfe.

She recognized him instantly. The elusive billionaire CEO who rarely did interviews, never attended parties, and whose face only appeared in financial magazines usually with headlines like "The Cold King of Wall Street" or "Wolfe Doesn't Need a Pack."

And now he was staring directly at her.

She froze.

The phone dropped from his ear. "You're not supposed to be here," he said coolly, voice like velvet wrapped around steel.

Lila's brain kicked into panic mode. "Sorry! I uh I pressed the wrong floor. I'm supposed to be on twenty-seven. I'm new."

His eyes narrowed, raking over her face, her badge, her trembling fingers.

He took a step closer. Not threatening. Just… assessing.

"Name?" he asked.

"Lila Monroe. I just started in Events today."

Another pause. Tension stretched thin between them, brittle and electric.

"Event planner," he murmured. "Helena's temp?"

"Yes." She was trying really, really hard not to blush. Or pass out.

Then, to her shock, the corner of his mouth lifted. A fraction. Barely there. But it was enough to soften the sharpness of his expression.

"Interesting," he said, then stepped past her. "Get back to your floor, Miss Monroe. You're not ready for this one."

The elevator doors began to close behind him, but before they shut completely, she heard his voice once more quiet and almost amused.

"You've got fire. Let's hope it doesn't burn you."

Lila finally made it to the Events Department a few minutes later, her mind still spinning. Her supervisor barely looked up from her tablet.

"Late already?" Helena muttered.

"Elevator… mishap," Lila said, trying to sound casual.

"Mmm." Helena handed her a sleek tablet. "You're taking this to Mr. Wolfe. The Winter Gala layout changes. He's personally approving everything now. Don't ask."

Lila blinked. "I just met him by accident. I don't think"

"You'll be fine." Helena waved her off. "Try not to get fired."

As Lila walked back toward the elevator, clutching the revised layouts in both hands, her pulse began to race again.

She hadn't even made it a full hour at Wolfe Enterprises, and she was already heading back into the lion's den.

Except this lion had eyes like a storm and a voice that made promises and threats all in the same breath.