BOUND TO THE BLACKWOOD BILLIONAIRE

Lila Hart had imagined her first day at Blackwood Industries too many times to count. In her head, she walked in confident. Collected. Perfectly put together.

Reality?

Her heart hammered so loudly she was certain the security guards could hear it from across the marble lobby.

The building itself felt alive-steel, glass, and gold rising into the sky like a monument built for people far more important than her. Blackwood Industries wasn't just a company. It was an empire. And stepping inside felt like walking into a world designed for people who didn't make mistakes... or spill their coffee on their only blazer twenty minutes before arriving.

She inhaled deeply, brushed invisible lint from her sleeve, and whispered to herself, "You can do this, Lila. Don't freak out. Don't embarrass yourself. Don't-"

Thud.

Her forehead hit something solid.

No-someone solid.

She staggered back, mortified, as her bag slipped from her shoulder, its contents spilling across the polished floor. Pens scattered. Papers slid. Her phone skidded dangerously close to the elevator shaft.

"Oh my God-I'm so sorry!" she blurted, dropping to her knees as she scrambled for her belongings. "I wasn't watching where I-"

"Clearly."

The voice was quiet but cold enough to freeze her mid-reach.

Lila's breath caught. She looked up.

The man towering over her wasn't simply handsome-he was devastating in a way that didn't feel human. His suit was black, tailored with surgical precision. His hair dark, styled effortlessly. And his eyes... sharp, unreadable, with the exact same chill as his tone.

He studied her with the stillness of someone who didn't waste energy unless absolutely necessary.

"I-I'm really sorry," she stammered, cheeks burning. "I didn't see you."

"You should pay more attention."

He didn't raise his voice.

He didn't need to.

Every syllable rolled off his tongue like a command forged in steel.

She forced a painful, flustered laugh. "Right. I'll try to keep my eyes open next time."

No reaction. Not even a curve of the lips.

Lila grabbed her last paper and stood, expecting him to step aside or walk away like normal people.

Instead, he simply... stared.

Not with interest.

Not with annoyance.

But with something quieter, more assessing-like he was calculating her usefulness and finding her lacking.

Embarrassment wrapped around her throat like a tight scarf.

"Um. Sorry again," she whispered.

His gaze swept over her-her cheap bag, her nervous posture, her entire existence-and for a split second, she thought she saw a flicker of something. Recognition? Amusement? Annoyance?

She couldn't tell.

Then he walked away, towards a private elevator guarded by security.

"Mr. Blackwood," one guard greeted.

Lila froze.

Blackwood.

As in... Blackwood Industries.

As in... the CEO.

As in... the extremely powerful man she just collided with like a malfunctioning robot.

Her stomach dropped so far it practically hit the ground.

"Oh no," she whispered to no one.

She managed to get herself onto a different elevator, gripping her bag like it was the only thing anchoring her to the planet.