The Olympian's Concubine

Chapter 2

By the time I stepped out onto the streets, it was almost 10 a.m., which meant I needed to get moving if I wanted to reach my friend's workplace by lunch. I had barely an hour, maybe less, so I did what any capable woman would do—I ran like my life depended on it, Panting like an overworked dog, I finally made it to the city center. This time, I managed not to get almost run over by a car, yey. I ran straight to the imposing, enormous building that was Warfront Enterprises, barely stopping myself before slamming into the back of a beast of a man at the entrance. I almost fell flat on my ass, but before I even looked up, I started apologizing.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to crash into you," I yelped. My body froze the moment I heard his voice—the same voice from the call—but this time, he was standing right in front of me.

"And here I thought I wouldn't meet you in person," he grumbled, I was glad he didn't mention the way I had comically slammed into him.

I tilted my head back, nearly 90 degrees, to look up at him. Well, now I knew—this man in person was far more intimidating than he'd been on the call. He was tall, built like someone who could challenge the limits of physical strength, and everything about him was sharp: his eyes, his jawline, even his biceps. The way his shirt hugged his toned body made it clear—if he wanted to kick my ass, he could, and no one would be able to stop him. He looked like my staring was starting to annoy him, so I forced a smile and quickly walked around him to where Alkmini was standing—right behind him, I glanced at my friend and nodded.

"Girl, now I understand why you called me instead of facing that beast of a man," I whispered, fully aware that a certain someone was still right behind me. I could feel his gaze burning into my back. My comment made Alkmini laugh because, honestly, it was true. How rude was I? To think she'd dump her problems on me without a second thought—clearly, someone who doesn't have to face that man every day.

"I'm the worst friend ever," I joked with exaggerated drama, only making Alkmini laugh even harder. She was practically bent over, holding her stomach from laughing so much.

After a minute, she finally composed herself, grabbed my hand, and all but dragged me inside the building. As we passed through the glass doors, I glanced over to where Adrian was standing. He was chatting with a much shorter man, someone far less threatening, and—how should I phrase it?—with more of a goofy style.

"That's Derek Vineyard," she said, noticing my interest in the new man.

"He's the Chief of Product Development in the Beverages Division," she continued, filling me in. "He's the second-in-command around here. No one knows much about the two of them, only that they're half-brothers."

At this point, I was just staring at my friend, letting her drag me around the lower level of the building while she rattled off the information. Half-brothers? Like, they share a father... or a mother? Let's not assume; women can cheat just as much as men can.

The lower level of Warfront Enterprises felt like walking into a fortress disguised as an office. The air was thick with purpose; it was the kind of place where even the walls seemed to watch you. Polished marble stretched out beneath my feet, impossibly smooth and gleaming under harsh, clinical lights that bounced off chrome accents, each surface shining as though competing to be the most intimidating. Every step echoed—heels clicking in sharp, organized rhythms, leather-soled shoes whispering purposefully against the floor. It was like everyone here had somewhere crucial to be and zero seconds to spare.

And the security—gods, it was too much. Almost like they were waiting for some kind of threat to explode through the front doors. It made my stomach churn in the worst way, especially since, well... I'm a hacker. Just being here felt dangerous, like I'd walked right into the place I'd only ever seen as an untouchable digital fortress. The irony was painfully clear: this was the ultimate no-go zone for someone like me, and yet here I was, strolling past checkpoints and guards just because my best friend works here.