Silver Adams woke up with her heart already tired.
Not because she lacked sleep—but because her thoughts refused to rest. She lay still, staring at the ceiling of her small apartment, replaying the same scene from the night before. The way his hands had steadied her. The calm in his voice. The way he had said her name like it carried meaning.
Raymond Cole.
She pressed a hand against her chest, annoyed at herself. She barely knew him. One brief interaction should not have been enough to stir something this deep.
And yet… it had.
Silver rolled out of bed and prepared for work as usual, choosing a simple outfit that reflected who she was—quiet, modest, careful. She tied her hair back, glanced at her reflection, and sighed.
Don't hope, she warned herself. Hope has disappointed you before.
Still, a tiny part of her wondered if some meetings were not accidents at all.
The office felt different that morning.
There was an unspoken tension in the air, the kind that made people straighten their backs and lower their voices. Silver noticed it immediately as she stepped inside.
"The CEO is in today," someone whispered near the elevators.
Silver paused briefly but didn't linger on it. Raymond Cole—the billionaire behind the publishing empire—was not someone she expected to cross paths with. Men like that lived behind glass offices and guarded doors.
She returned to her routine, organizing files, responding to requests, and delivering documents. Being useful gave her a sense of control over a life that often felt uncertain.
As she rounded a corner, her shoulder brushed against someone solid.
"Oh— I'm so sorry," she said quickly.
She looked up.
It was him.
Raymond stood there, tall and composed, dressed simply in dark slacks and a crisp shirt. No flashy suit. No obvious display of power. Just quiet authority that settled into the room effortlessly.
"You're apologizing again," he said, a faint smile touching his lips.
Silver felt her pulse quicken. "I should probably start watching where I'm going."
"Or maybe we're meant to keep running into each other," he replied lightly.
The words sent warmth rushing through her chest.
"I doubt that," she said shyly.
Raymond studied her for a moment—really studied her—and something thoughtful crossed his expression.
"You look like someone who carries too much on her own," he said softly.
Her breath caught.
No one had ever seen her that clearly before.
"I'm just doing my job," she replied, lowering her gaze.
"And doing it well," he added. "I've noticed."
That surprised her. "You have?"
"Yes."
Just one word, but it landed heavy.
Later that afternoon, Silver was asked to deliver important documents to the executive floor. Her hands trembled slightly as she stepped out of the elevator. This place always intimidated her.
As she approached the main office, she froze.
Raymond was standing there—speaking with senior executives.
Their posture toward him was different. Respectful. Attentive.
Something clicked.
Her heart skipped.
Before she could fully process it, one of the men said, "Mr. Cole, shall we—"
Mr. Cole.
The realization struck her like a wave.
Raymond Cole.
The CEO.
Silver's breath hitched. She suddenly felt too small, too exposed, too ordinary.
Raymond turned and saw her.
For a brief moment, surprise flickered across his face—then something softer. Something protective.
"Excuse me," he said to the executives. "Give me a moment."
They nodded immediately and stepped away.
Raymond walked toward her, his presence calm despite the power surrounding him.
"You look like you're about to faint," he said quietly.
"I—I didn't know," she whispered.
"I know," he replied gently.
She swallowed hard. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because it didn't matter to me," he answered honestly. "You treated me the same before you knew."
That made her chest ache.
"I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable," he added. "That was never my intention."
Silver shook her head. "I just… didn't expect it."
"Most people don't," he said.
She handed him the documents, her fingers trembling as they brushed his. This time, neither of them pulled away immediately.
The air between them tightened.
"You don't belong running errands forever," Raymond said quietly. "You have more potential than you realize."
Her eyes burned.
No one had ever spoken to her like that.
"I've never been given the chance," she admitted.
"Then maybe it's time you were," he replied.
Their gazes locked.
For a moment, Silver forgot who he was. Forgot the gap between their worlds. Forgot every rule she had ever set for herself.
She just felt.
And that scared her.
"I should go," she said quickly, stepping back.
Raymond didn't stop her—but his eyes followed her until she disappeared into the elevator.
That night, Silver sat on her bed, hugging a pillow to her chest.
He was the CEO.
A billionaire.
A man far beyond her reach.
And yet, the way he had looked at her… it wasn't the way powerful men looked at women they planned to discard.
It was the look of a man who saw her.
Across the city, Raymond Cole stood by his penthouse window, the city lights glowing beneath him.
Silver Adams had not been part of his plan.
But now, she was the one thing he couldn't stop thinking about.
And for the first time in years, power felt less important than the fragile heart of a woman who didn't yet realize how deeply she had already captured his.