The weekend passed in tense silence.
Liam barely left his bedroom. Isabella heard him moving around occasionally—the sound of his home gym, his office door opening and closing—but he never emerged when she was in the common areas. It was like they were ghosts haunting the same space, never quite occupying it together.
Isabella didn't ask about the date. Didn't mention Friday night. Didn't acknowledge the way he'd stood in the rain looking up at her window.
Whatever had happened, it wasn't her business.
That's what she told herself, anyway.
Monday morning arrived with a new client meeting—Alex Chen, CEO of Chen Technologies, a rising tech company that wanted to partner with Blackwood Global. It was a huge potential deal, and Liam had been courting Chen for months.
Isabella prepared the conference room meticulously. Presentation materials, refreshments, every detail perfect. She'd learned her lesson about mistakes.
At 10:00 AM sharp, Alex Chen arrived.
He was young for a CEO—maybe thirty-five—with an easy smile, designer glasses, and a casual confidence that filled the room. Not as ruthless as Liam, but successful in his own right.
"Mr. Chen," Isabella greeted him professionally. "Welcome to Blackwood Global. Mr. Black will be with you in just a moment. Can I get you anything? Coffee? Water?"
"Coffee would be great, thank you." Alex's eyes lingered on her face, his smile widening. "And please, call me Alex. Mr. Chen makes me feel old."
"Of course... Alex." Isabella maintained her professional distance as she prepared his coffee. "How do you take it?"
"Black, no sugar. Same as my soul, apparently." He laughed at his own joke, and Isabella offered a polite smile. "I have to say, Liam's been holding out on me. He never mentioned his secretary was so beautiful."
Isabella's professional smile didn't waver, but internally she cringed. "That's very kind of you to say. Your coffee."
She handed him the cup, careful to avoid any hand contact, and moved toward the door. "Mr. Black should be here any moment—"
"Wait." Alex set down his coffee and pulled out his phone. "Before the meeting starts, I wanted to ask—I read the market analysis you prepared. The one about emerging tech sectors?"
Isabella paused, surprised. "You read my analysis?"
"Liam sent it over as part of the briefing materials. It was brilliant. Really insightful." Alex's eyes lit up with genuine interest. "That observation about AI integration in traditional industries? That's exactly where I want to take Chen Technologies. You clearly understand the market better than most analysts I've worked with."
Despite herself, Isabella felt a small flush of pride. Her analysis had been noticed. Her work had mattered.
"Thank you. I'm glad it was helpful."
"Helpful? It was genius." Alex leaned against the conference table, his posture relaxed and open. "How long have you been working with Liam? You must have a degree in business analytics or—"
"She has a degree in business management," Liam's cold voice cut through the room like ice. "And she's my secretary, not an analyst."
Isabella turned to find Liam standing in the doorway, his expression carved from stone, his eyes locked on Alex with barely concealed hostility.
"Liam!" Alex straightened, extending his hand. "Good to see you."
Liam's handshake was brief, perfunctory. "Chen. Shall we begin?"
"Absolutely. I was just complimenting your secretary on her excellent market analysis. You're lucky to have someone so talented working for you."
"Yes," Liam said flatly, moving to the head of the table. "Ms. Hart, the presentation."
The dismissal was clear, but Alex spoke up again. "Actually, would Ms. Hart be joining us? Since she prepared the analysis, I'd love to hear her insights during our discussion."
Isabella's eyes widened. Clients never requested her presence in meetings. She was support staff, not a participant.
"That won't be necessary," Liam said, his voice dropping to something dangerous. "Ms. Hart has other responsibilities."
"I'd really appreciate her input," Alex pressed, smiling at Isabella. "If you have time, of course. I find that the people who do the real work often have the best insights, you know?"
The compliment was genuine, and Isabella felt torn. She wanted to contribute, wanted her work to be recognized. But the look on Liam's face—cold, controlled fury barely held in check—made her hesitate.
"I appreciate the invitation," Isabella said carefully, "but Mr. Black is right. I have other work to attend to. I'm sure you'll both have a productive meeting."
She moved toward the door, but Alex stood up. "At least let me take you to lunch sometime? I'd love to pick your brain about the market trends you mentioned. Maybe discuss potential collaboration between our analyst teams?"
Isabella froze. Was he asking her out? Or was this actually business?
"That's not necessary—" she began.
"Ms. Hart's schedule is fully booked," Liam interrupted, his voice like steel. "For the foreseeable future."
Alex raised an eyebrow, his smile turning slightly challenging. "Surely she can spare an hour for lunch? It would be valuable for both our companies—"
"No." The single word from Liam carried the weight of absolute authority. "Ms. Hart's time is allocated to Blackwood Global business exclusively. Now, shall we discuss the actual reason for this meeting, or would you prefer to continue wasting my time?"
The temperature in the room dropped twenty degrees.
Alex's easy smile faded slightly, but he nodded. "Of course. Let's get started."
Isabella escaped gratefully, her heart pounding. She could feel the tension radiating from that conference room even after she closed the door.
What just happened?
She returned to her desk, trying to focus on work, but she couldn't stop thinking about Liam's reaction. The cold fury in his eyes. The way he'd shut down Alex's compliments so viciously.
Was he angry that Alex had been unprofessional? Or was it something else?
The meeting lasted two hours. Isabella could hear raised voices occasionally—not quite arguing, but the discussion was clearly intense. Finally, the conference room door opened, and Alex emerged, looking slightly frustrated but professional.
"Ms. Hart," he said, stopping at her desk. "It was a pleasure meeting you. And I meant what I said about your analysis. Really excellent work."
"Thank you," Isabella replied, keeping her voice neutral. "I hope your meeting was productive."
"Very... intense." Alex glanced back at the conference room where Liam was still gathering his materials. "Your boss is quite protective of his staff."
Protective. Was that what that was?
"He takes the company's resources very seriously," Isabella said diplomatically.
"Clearly." Alex pulled out a business card and set it on her desk. "If you ever want to discuss market trends—purely professional, of course—feel free to reach out. Someone with your analytical skills shouldn't be hidden behind a secretary's desk."
He left before Isabella could respond.
She stared at the business card, her emotions tangled. It was flattering to be recognized for her work. To be told she was talented, intelligent, capable of more than just scheduling meetings and making coffee.
But the card felt dangerous somehow. Like accepting it would cross some invisible line.
"Ms. Hart."
Isabella jumped. Liam stood in the doorway of the conference room, his expression unreadable but his eyes burning with something dark and furious.
"My office. Now."
The command sent ice through her veins. She grabbed her tablet and followed him, dread building with every step.
Liam closed the office door behind her with controlled force. Didn't invite her to sit. Just stood there, staring at her with barely contained rage.
"You will be reassigned from the Chen account immediately," he said, each word bitten out like broken glass.
Isabella blinked. "What? Mr. Black, why? The account is—"
"Not your concern anymore. I'll have Johnson take over the administrative work."
"But I've been managing that account for months. I know all the details, the negotiations, the—"
"And now you don't." Liam moved closer, and Isabella instinctively stepped back until her back hit the wall. "You're off the account. Effective immediately."
"I don't understand," Isabella said, frustration breaking through her professional mask. "Did I do something wrong? Was my analysis flawed? Did—"
"Your analysis was fine."
"Then why—"
"Because I said so." Liam planted his hand on the wall next to her head, leaning in until Isabella could feel the fury radiating off him. "Do you have a problem with that?"
Isabella's breath caught. He was so close. Too close. She could see the tension in his jaw, the dangerous glint in his eyes, the way his control was hanging by a thread.
"Yes," she heard herself say. "Yes, I have a problem with that. I worked hard on that account. My analysis helped secure this meeting. And now you're removing me without explanation?"
"You want an explanation?" Liam's voice dropped to something low and dangerous, his eyes boring into hers. "Fine. Alex Chen was unprofessional. He crossed boundaries. And I will not have my secretary subjected to that kind of behavior."
"He was complimenting my work—"
"He was flirting with you." The words came out harsh, almost a growl. "In my conference room. During a business meeting. That is unacceptable."
Isabella's heart raced. "Even if he was, I handled it professionally. I didn't encourage—"
"I know you didn't." Liam's other hand came up to grip the wall on her other side, caging her in. "But that doesn't matter. You're off the account. You will have no further contact with Alex Chen. No emails. No calls. No lunch meetings to 'discuss market trends.'"
"That's not fair—"
"Fair?" Liam's laugh was bitter and cold. "You think any of this is fair?"
The question hung between them, loaded with meaning Isabella didn't dare unpack.
They stared at each other, breathing hard, the air thick with tension and unspoken things. Isabella could feel her pulse racing, could see something dangerous flickering in Liam's eyes—something that wasn't just anger.
"You're my secretary," Liam said quietly, his voice rough. "You work for me. Not for Chen. Not for anyone else. Is that clear?"
"Crystal clear," Isabella whispered.
But the way he was looking at her—like he wanted to say something else, do something else—made her wonder if this was really about professionalism at all.
Liam pushed away from the wall abruptly, putting distance between them like he'd touched something burning.
"Get back to work, Ms. Hart. Johnson will brief you on the reassignment."
Isabella moved toward the door on shaking legs, her mind spinning.
"And Ms. Hart?"
She turned back.
Liam stood at his window, his back to her, his shoulders rigid with tension.
"Throw away that business card. Now."
Isabella's hand went instinctively to her pocket where she'd tucked Alex's card.
How did he know?
She pulled out the card, walked to Liam's desk, and dropped it in his trash can.
"Done," she said quietly.
Liam didn't turn around. Didn't acknowledge her. Just stood there, staring out at the city, radiating a fury and something else—something that looked almost like fear.
Isabella left his office, closing the door softly behind her.
And for the first time since signing that contract, she wondered if maybe—just maybe—Liam Black wasn't as emotionally detached as he claimed to be.