Lila Hart's heart was still racing from the near disaster in Alexander Knight's office. Her body tingled with the shameful memory of his hands, his lips, the heat that had almost consumed her. She adjusted her torn blouse, hastily pinned together, and stepped into the glass-walled conference room. Another day as his "secretary." Another day pretending she wasn't what everyone whispered about.
The jealous glances followed her. The whispers stung. Mistress. Homewrecker. Liar. She wasn't any of those things—at least, she kept telling herself that. But the contract, and Alexander's suffocating obsession, kept her chained all the same.
The morning crawled by, filled with his clipped commands and those lingering touches that set her skin ablaze. She hated herself for the way her body betrayed her—how her pulse quickened every time his fingers brushed her wrist.
Two years ago, she had saved him from a burning car, her trembling hands pulling him from the wreckage in that rain-soaked alley. She'd thought it was a single act of courage. Instead, it became her prison. His obsession had been born that night—and ever since, it tied her to him like a noose.
Then the monotony cracked.
A new face walked in. Ethan Caldwell, CEO of Caldwell Enterprises, entered the conference room for a meeting with Alexander. Tall, confident, with warm hazel eyes and a disarming smile—he carried none of Alexander's predatory edge.
Lila froze when he spoke.
"Lila Hart? I haven't seen you since your father's old company dinners. You've grown up."
Her chest tightened. Ethan Caldwell. A name from better days, before her father's business collapsed and everything fell apart. His gaze held no judgment, only quiet concern, as if he could see the cage she lived in.
"Ethan," she murmured, her voice barely above a breath. A flicker of hope sparked. Could he… help her escape?
Then Alexander walked in.
His presence filled the room like a shadow. Those cold blue eyes narrowed at the easy familiarity between them. The meeting began, but tension crackled through the air. Ethan's glances toward Lila were subtle—protective—and Alexander noticed every one of them. His jaw clenched. His pen nearly snapped in half.
When the meeting ended, Ethan lingered. He found her by the coffee station, his tone low and steady.
"You don't belong here, Lila," he said softly. "This place… it's not you. If you need a way out, I can help. My company could use someone with your fire."
His hand brushed hers. A gentle touch. So unlike Alexander's possessive grip. For a heartbeat, freedom didn't feel like a fantasy—it felt possible.
Then the air shifted.
A shadow fell over them. Alexander. His eyes burned with jealousy so raw it stole her breath.
"Lila," he growled, voice low and dangerous. "Step away from him. Now."
Ethan didn't flinch. "She's not your property, Knight." His calm tone carried a sharp edge, a challenge that made the air between them electric.
Alexander's smile was lethal. "She's mine in ways you'll never understand."
Before she could move, his hand closed around her wrist—tight, bruising. He yanked her toward the elevator. She stumbled, heart pounding with fear and that twisted thrill she hated herself for feeling.
Ethan's gaze followed, silent but promising. Help. Hope.
But Alexander's fury was a storm she couldn't outrun.
He dragged her through the lobby, ignoring the stares, and shoved her into the back seat of his sleek black car. The door slammed shut, trapping her inside the leather-scented cage.
His body pressed close. His breath was hot against her ear.
"You belong to me, Lila. Only me." His voice was a growl, rough and possessive. His hand slid to her thigh, fingers digging in with a claim that burned through her anger. "Flirt with him again, and I'll destroy him."
Her pulse thundered. Fear. Anger. Desire. It tangled inside her until she couldn't tell them apart.
What would Alexander do to keep her?
And could Ethan truly be the one to set her free?