A week had already passed. I wasn't just handling calls anymore—I was helping Axel with the company's administrative side as well. Working with him was exhausting, but undeniably captivating. Cold, distant, always ready to give orders, yet… there was something in the way he moved his gaze, in the silence that filled the room, that forced you to pay attention to every detail.
It was Friday, and the office closed at noon, leaving the afternoon and weekend free. Combined with the salary that made me feel almost weightless, it made the day bearable. The only complication was Axel—but I suspected I'd get used to him, in time… maybe never fully.
I was alone in Axel's office because he had asked me to reorganize some files, when the door swung open. A woman stormed in, heels clicking sharply across the floor like a warning.
"Where is Axel?" she demanded, not bothering with pleasantries. Her gaze cut like knives. Black hair flawless, makeup immaculate. She looked like a model ready to take on the world with charm and rage.
"He's in a meeting," I answered calmly.
"Then he will hear me, and you're fired," she snapped, leaving behind the sound of the door slamming.
It didn't rattle me. I knew who she was, I recognized that voice: Alyssa. Wife or girlfriend, it didn't matter. It wasn't my responsibility to manage her fury. I sat back, exhaling slowly, refocusing on my work.
Ten minutes later, Axel returned, Alyssa trailing behind him.
"What are you doing here? I thought I fired you," she said.
I crossed my arms, not bothering to hide my cool.
"She's not going anywhere, Alyssa," Axel said, lighting a cigarette and settling into his chair with calm authority. His ice-blue eyes lingered on me for a moment, sending a shiver down my spine.
"But this was our agreement! I don't want secretaries here," Alyssa insisted.
Axel drew a long, slow drag, completely unbothered. "Go home. Don't make yourself look ridiculous."
"Why are you doing this to me?" Alyssa's voice cracked as she left the office.
I remained still, watching. Defending myself wasn't necessary—Axel had already made his decision.
"If my presence is a probl—" I began, but he interrupted without lifting his eyes from the documents.
"You're not going anywhere." He stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray and fixed me with that piercing gaze again. Those ice-blue eyes had a way of digging in, stirring something I couldn't control.
"You're keeping me here, risking your relationship?" I ventured, my voice lower than I intended.
A brief, almost cruel smile escaped him. "Relationship?"
"And what is it?" I asked, trying to remain steady.
He didn't answer, looking away from the papers, focused elsewhere. But I felt his gaze return, heavy, attentive, as if searching for something constantly. Finally, a whisper, barely audible: "I wonder that myself."
It was almost noon. I straightened my desk, taking a deep breath.
"All right, that's it for today. See you Monday."
Axel rose, removing his jacket, the top buttons of his shirt slightly undone. The way the light hit his skin and the fabric made me look away quickly, heat rising in my chest.
"Monday, I want you at the airport by seven."
I froze. "Airport?"
"Yes. You'll be accompanying me to Frankfurt."
I ran a hand over my forehead, trying to organize my thoughts. "I wasn't informed about this."
Axel lifted his gaze, eyes intense like a challenge. "It's a last-minute meeting."
"I'd appreciate some notice," I admitted, unable to stop the words.
He stepped closer, briefcase in hand, stopping less than a meter from me. His scent was subtle but unmistakable, and my heart began racing.
"Working for me is like this."
"Like what?" I asked, my gaze briefly drifting to his lips—and immediately regretted it.
"Unpredictable, Crystal," he replied, a faint smile brushing his lips. Without another word, he turned toward the door, leaving behind a silence charged with tension.