It's was today, the day she was to summit her new sketch to the CEO.
"Out of all people I was chosen?"
Said in panic frantically the one who was happy the day she was chosen.
" and now I'm about to be late all thanks to you, Tiana!"
screaming as she hastily walked down the busy lobby toward the employee open elevator.
"Seriously I should have listened to…"
Just then her word was cut short as she entered the elevator. Clearly ignoring someone she just saw.
"You're ignoring me again."
A voice like silk brushed against her ear—dangerous silk. Smooth. Entitled. Annoying.
The golden boy of the runway. H&T's top model Lux. All cheekbones, arrogance, and a smile that made weaker girls melt—and made Tiana want to vomit.
"I'm tired," she said flatly.
"You looked great, Especially in the red." He stepped closer. "You know, I could recommend you for the winter campaign. Guaranteed exposure. If..." He leaned in. "You just gave me a little more of your time. Off-work."
Her stomach twisted not only that the closeness makes as super uncomfortable as the mind screamed. "can this man just leave me alone, how hard is a no!"
"Not only did this bastard want me to sleep with him, he only sees me for that. The pretty face!!"
She thought calming herself as she glance side way at him coldly under pressure.
"Well can't full blame him, because I'm indeed spellbinding."
Ding!!
"You're disgusting," she said under her breath, but loud enough for him to hear.
With that she walked out like he never existed.
"This bastard almost made me loose my job as always!"
Tiana rant as she hastily walked towards her office.
"You're late! Miss Parker."
"What?!"
She thought in confusion looking at her manager glaring angry at her along her co-workers.
"This is three minutes earlier Madison."
"Miss Madison to you!"
She glaring unacceptably at her.
"And Three minutes earlier? Well congratulations miss tiana, the boss lost interest!"
"What just happened?"
"That's for the company owner to determine, now get back to work!"
With that Madison left.
Not only was Tiana shocked by this she was taken by a sudden whispering beside her ears.
"He suddenly lose interest in your work because it wasn't good to begin with!"
"Calm down, calm down, don't lose your job."
Tiana thought refrain from slapping Annabel.
Not was she only smirking but her supporters looked away with smiles.
"At least it was chosen, unlike yours that was never given a thought to begin with!"
With that she walked out.
"Don't have time to waste, I need to convince him."
She rushed out.
"This was my time to get noticed by him."
***********************************
Entering the elevator, to see a message from lux.
Lux: "You still have me if you wish to get to him. Am more than willing to help you, as long as you help me"
"How the hell did he get my social media account to be spamming me like this"
Not was Tiana only confused as his behavior of his as been going since she got to the company.
But then If there was one thing Tiana hated more than fake people, it was elevator malfunctions.
She stabbed the "close" button like it owed her money, silently begging the God to keep the elevator doors shut.
Just one floor. One minute of silence.
Enough time to scream internally about that arrogant rat, lux.
"That jerk," she muttered, voice rising, "just wait till I smack him with shock he can't resist. That'll kick him right off my back!"
"Ugh! That annoying face… just 'cause he's handsome? Please. Handsome with a nasty attitude is basically ugly!"
She reached into her bag to put her phone back,
Everything tumbled out onto the elevator floor.
"Am never going to fall on my feet for him, that's certain."
And of course, life wasn't that kind.
The elevator doors slid open.
He stepped in.
"Cooked!!"
Tiana froze, halfway bent over, arms full of her scattered things, eyes widening in disbelief.
Black suit. Black coat. Black energy.
Like winter itself had walked into the elevator — wrapped in perfect posture and a Rolex.
She didn't need to look twice. She knew before he even glanced at her.
Ethan Don Luke.
CEO. Legend. Devil in luxury.
And somehow ten times more intimidating in real life than on magazine covers.
Her brain scrambled, processing two things at once:
The universe hated her.
He looked way too good for someone she was supposed to seduce for revenge, and use for her goal as a famous designer.
Ethan glanced down at her, calm and unreadable.
"You're pressing the 'close' button. Repeatedly."
Tiana straightened, still clutching her stuff. "I was… stretching, Sir"
she said, face heating up. "After picking all this up, my fingers needed… exercise."
He arched a brow. Just slightly. Enough to make her regret breathing.
"What was that, Tiana!!"
Her mind screamed as she stared straight ahead in humiliation.
Not only in the presence of his secretary, that was another level of embarrassment.
They stood in silence as the elevator began its descent.
Tiana kept her gaze locked on the glowing floor numbers—but her mind was screaming.
"Say something. Be charming. Act normal. Seduction 101, right? Get him to check off go."
"He's right here, now, no securities with him and his secretary. it as if God just answered your prayers, so This is your shot! Go on, girl!"
But even as she thought it, she knew the truth:
She had no business trying to seduce this man—not with her nerves tangled like headphone cords.
"So," she blurted, way too loud, "how's the empire?
The Silence was deafening for a moment.
He turned his head toward her. "Excuse me?"
Her soul left her body.