Fate's Unwritten Path

Chapter Three

Third Person POV:

The soft hum of the city outside barely penetrated the thick walls of Sasha's office. It was mid-morning, and she was already deep into her work, her mind consumed by the intricate details of a new case. The early win with Ashley had only increased the demand for her skills, and her calendar was now filled to the brim with meetings, court dates, and endless paperwork.

Her office, with its floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Manhattan skyline, was both a sanctuary and a battleground. The world outside was a constant reminder of the heights she had scaled, and the struggles that came with them. Today, though, something felt off. There was a strange tension in the air, a sense of unease she couldn't quite shake.

Just as she was finishing up her notes on a deposition, there was a knock on her door—three sharp raps that made her instinctively tense. Before she could respond, the door swung open, revealing the last person she wanted to see today: her boss, Richard Caldwell.

Richard was an imposing man in his late forties, with thinning dark hair and a well-tailored suit that did little to hide the arrogance he wore like a second skin. He was known for his aggressive tactics in court, but it was his behavior outside the courtroom that had earned him a different kind of reputation—one that made Sasha's skin crawl.

"Sasha," Richard drawled, closing the door behind him as he stepped into the room. "I wanted to talk to you about your recent case. Quite impressive, what you did for that Carter girl."

Sasha forced a polite smile, though her stomach churned. "Thank you, Richard. I'm glad it turned out well."

He moved closer, too close, his eyes raking over her in a way that made her feel like she was being dissected. "You know, it's not just your legal skills that impress me, Sasha. You're a woman of many... talents."

Her heart began to race, a familiar knot of anxiety tightening in her chest. She had dealt with Richard's insinuations before, but today there was something more menacing in his tone. She tried to keep her voice steady. 

"I'm just doing my job, sir."

"Oh, but you do it so well," Richard murmured, his voice dropping to a whisper as he leaned over her desk, invading her personal space. 

"A woman like you deserves to be recognized... rewarded."

Sasha's hand tightened around her pen, her knuckles turning white. She needed to get out of here, to put distance between herself and the man who now loomed over her. "I should get back to work," she said, her voice clipped. "I have a lot to do today."

But Richard didn't move. Instead, he reached out and brushed a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her skin. 

"Don't be like that, Sasha. We could make a great team, you and I. In and out of the courtroom."

Sasha's breath caught in her throat. The office that had once felt like her fortress now felt like a cage, with Richard blocking her only escape. She quickly gathered some papers from her desk, using them as a shield as she stood up. "I really need to get some coffee," she said, moving toward the door.

Richard followed her, his eyes darkening as she tried to sidestep him. "You're always so focused on work," he said, his tone hardening. "But there are other ways to get ahead, you know."

Sasha didn't reply. She couldn't. Her mind was spinning, her body on high alert as she hurried out of the office and into the hallway, hoping to lose him in the crowded lobby.

The lobby was bustling with activity—people coming and going, the steady murmur of conversations blending with the click of heels on the polished marble floors. Sasha made a beeline for the coffee station, hoping that the busy atmosphere would keep Richard at bay. She just needed a moment to catch her breath, to calm the adrenaline that was surging through her veins.