Chapter Seven: Terms of Fire and Ice
Kelly Adeniyi hadn't expected to see her again.
The moment he walked into the office, the air changed—too cold, too tense. He didn't need to read the name on the door. That sharp jawline, those calculating eyes, and that signature scowl were unforgettable.
Kimberley Monroe.
The same woman he'd accidentally splashed water on last week in front of Zuri's school. He'd apologized, but she'd looked at him like he was a roach on a Gucci runway.
Now she sat behind a glass desk, legs crossed, heels that could pierce skulls tapping slowly, rhythmically, like a countdown to execution.
Her lips curled into a venom-laced smile. "You."
Kelly's jaw clenched. "You've got to be kidding me."
"Small world," she said, voice dripping with poison. "So, you're the mechanic my company decided to hire?"
He turned to leave. "I don't need this job that bad."
But the image of Zuri's school fees, the rent reminder on his phone, and the pink ballet shoes she wanted flashed before him like a damn guilt montage.
He paused.
"Actually," he growled, forcing himself to turn back around, "I do."
Kim smiled—vicious, slow. "Sit down."
Reluctantly, he did.
---
Flashback – One Week Earlier
"Bro, I'm telling you, this company pays triple and you know you really need this job," coudlin had said over the sound of a revving engine.
Kelly wiped sweat from his brow. "I'm not qualified. I'm a grease monkey with a CV soaked in motor oil."
Coullin had tossed him a towel. "And you're smart, loyal, and tired ofworking engines at home ever since you got fired you just help People fix their car for peanuts not just talks. I recommended you because I trust you."
"Still..."
"You've got Zuri, right? Take this chance. You can't keep working for peanut money
---
Back in the office, Kim tapped a manicured nail against her desk.
"Your friend coudlin has poor taste in referrals."
Kelly gave her a blank look. "And you've got terrible manners."
Her brow arched, but she didn't deny it.
He sighed. "What exactly is the role?"
"You'll be managing mechanical operations on our new transportation project. Reports go through me. You work under me. You mess up—I ruin you."
"You sure this isn't personal?"
She stood and walked over, heels slicing the silence.
"You threw water on me."
"It was an accident."
"You ran off like a coward."
"I had a sick daughter in the car," he said, voice suddenly sharp.
Kim froze. Her smirk faltered. "Oh."
He stood, eyes blazing. "You don't get to pull rank on me because of an accident. I'm here for the paycheck, not for your drama."
She stepped back, recovering. "Good. Because drama's free. Your salary won't be."
Kelly stared at her for a beat too long. Then:
"When do I start?"
She grinned like a lioness who just spotted an injured gazelle. "Tomorrow. 5 a.m. Don't be late."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
He stormed out.
She turned back to her desk, heart pounding for a reason she refused to name.
But definitely not liking the idiot