Beneath the Surface

Olivia Lane stood outside Blackwood Tower, her fingers tightening around the strap of her worn purse. She'd faced tough jobs before, but this was different. This job-working for Ethan Blackwood-was her chance to finally break free from the relentless struggle of just scraping by. All she had to do was impress a boss she'd heard could make the most confident people crumble.

Fifty floors up, Ethan Blackwood wasn't thinking about his new assistant. People were predictable-he knew how to work with that. He liked his life controlled, precise, and quiet, with no room for complications or surprises. Assistants came and went; he hardly remembered their names.

As she stepped through the revolving door, Olivia braced herself. She didn't know it yet, but life as she knew it was about to change-whether she was ready or not.