Fractured Fire and Ice

Caught in the Crossfire

Lily’s POV

I had been staring at the screen for what felt like hours, my fingers poised over the keyboard, but the words just wouldn’t come. It wasn’t the task that was difficult—organizing data for the marketing department’s latest campaign was straightforward enough—but my mind just kept wandering. Every few minutes, I’d catch myself tapping my foot or fidgeting with my pen, the familiar tug of anxiety and restlessness clawing at the edges of my focus.

God, why did this always happen when I needed to concentrate the most?

I pushed the thought away, forcing myself to focus. But just as I was about to finally get into the flow, my phone buzzed on the desk, jolting me out of my concentration. I picked it up, blinking at the name on the screen.

Damien Kang.

My heart skipped a beat. What could he possibly want? My mind immediately started racing, a thousand possibilities flooding my brain all at once. Had I done something wrong? Was I about to get scolded? Or worse—was I about to get fired?

I quickly shook my head, trying to banish the thoughts before they spiraled out of control. But the anxiety was already taking hold, my ADHD making it impossible to focus on anything else. My hands trembled as I answered the call.

“Lily,” Damien’s deep voice came through the line, calm but with that underlying edge of authority that always made my stomach flutter. “Can you come to my office? We need to talk.”

My heart pounded in my chest. “Uh, sure. I’ll be right there.”

As I hung up, I felt the familiar wave of panic start to rise. I could feel my mind beginning to spiral, every possible worst-case scenario flashing through my head like a movie reel. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself, but it didn’t help much.

“Hey, you okay?” Emma’s voice broke through my thoughts. I hadn’t even noticed her standing there.

“Yeah, just… I don’t know,” I admitted, biting my lip. “Damien just called me to his office, and I’m kind of freaking out.”

Emma gave me a sympathetic smile and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “You’ve got this, Lil. He probably just wants to check in on how you’re doing. It’s not like you’re in trouble or anything.”

“I guess,” I mumbled, but the anxiety still gnawed at me. “But what if I mess up? What if I say something stupid?”

“Stop,” Emma said firmly. “You’re not going to mess up. You’re one of the smartest, most capable people I know. Just be yourself.”

I nodded, trying to take her words to heart. Emma had always been the steady rock in our friendship, and right now, I needed every bit of that stability.

“Thanks, Em,” I said, giving her a small smile.

“No problem. And hey, if he’s mean to you, just imagine him in his underwear. Always helps to take them down a peg.”

I laughed despite myself, the tension easing just a little. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

With one last deep breath, I grabbed my notebook and headed out, my heart still pounding as I made my way to Damien’s office. As I approached, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of nervous excitement. This was my first real interaction with him since I’d started the internship, and the weight of it was overwhelming.

When I reached the door, I paused, taking a moment to steady myself before knocking.

“Come in,” his voice called from inside.

I pushed the door open, stepping into the room, and instantly felt my breath catch in my throat.

Damien’s office was just as sleek and sophisticated as I’d imagined. Dark wood furniture, floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a breathtaking view of the city skyline, and a massive desk that dominated the room. But it wasn’t the office that held my attention—it was Damien himself.