Evelyn sat at her desk, the clicking of keyboards and the murmurs of phone calls in the background but her mind was elsewhere. The paperwork on her desk barely held her attention. Yesterday's events, the small escape she had found at the bar kept replaying in her head.
She hadn't wanted to go there. It was an impulsive decision. She had wanted to disappear, to escape the looming presence of her father's anger.
The man at the bar, the one who hadn't introduced himself kept intruding on her thoughts. His cold gaze, his unapproachable demeanor, the way his presence had consumed the air.
They had spoken, but it had been brief. He'd left as abruptly as he'd come, disappearing into the night, and Evelyn hadn't thought much about it afterward.
But she couldn't stop thinking about the way she felt when she was with him. It felt intense, like she had been caught in a moment of clarity only for it to slip away as quickly as it had arrived.
"Miss Hart, a word", called out Mr. Montgomery, her boss. He stood by his office door, a stern look on his face. Evelyn quickly stood and grabbed the stack of papers she'd been working on. She had no idea what he wanted but she couldn't ignore him.
"Coming right up, sir."
Evelyn followed him into his office, a little nervous about the strange tension she'd felt building between them lately. He had been more demanding than usual, and every word from him felt like a slow-burning criticism.
Once inside, Mr. Montgomery closed the door behind her and motioned for her to sit.
"We've got a new client coming in today," he began, his tone all business. "Knight Enterprises. They're requesting a new project and we need to make a solid first impression."
Evelyn nodded, her mind immediately jumping to the Knight Enterprises case she had been working on.
"We'll be working on a proposal for them, and I want you to be prepared," he continued, "but there's someone specific I want you to meet. His name's Damien Knight. The CEO."
She hadn't expected to meet anyone from the company in person, let alone the head of the company.
Evelyn blinked, her mind immediately jumping to the name. Damien Knight? She'd heard that name before. He was the billionaire behind Knight Enterprises. His face was always on the front page of magazines, the subject of business articles and media profiles. He was known for being cold, businesslike, and intensely private. And now, he was about to walk into the office.
"Of course, Mr. Montgomery," she said quickly, trying to keep the surprise out of her voice.
Before she could ask any more questions, the door opened, and a tall, imposing figure stepped into the room. Damien Knight.
Evelyn's breath caught in her throat as she stood, her pulse quickening. He looked exactly like the man from the bar—the same dark hair, the same intense, calculating gaze. But now, dressed in an impeccable black suit, his cold demeanor was undeniable. His eyes scanned the room briefly, before they settled on her.
There was no recognition in his eyes. Just cold, businesslike professionalism. He wasn't here to chat. He was here to get down to business.
"Mr. Knight, thank you for coming in," Mr. Montgomery said, extending his hand with a smile. "I'm sure we'll be able to meet all your legal needs."
Damien shook his hand briefly, his grip firm but not overbearing, before turning his attention to Evelyn.
"Miss Hart, it's a pleasure to meet you." His voice was smooth, low, and completely devoid of warmth. Evelyn, still caught off guard by the recognition, gave a stiff nod.
"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Knight."
They all sat and Mr. Montgomery dove straight into the legal requirements but Evelyn's mind was still racing. Damien Knight, the same man from the bar was now sitting across from her. The same cold, intense gaze.
How could she not have recognized him?
She couldn't let herself be distracted, though. There was too much work to do, too much at stake. She had to focus, had to make sure she performed well in front of such an important client.
Still, her mind kept drifting back to the bar, the brief interaction, the chemistry, the strange tension between them. It felt too much like fate for it to be just a coincidence.
As Mr. Montgomery continued to speak, Evelyn couldn't help but steal glances at Damien. He was everything she expected and more, cold, calculating, and incredibly focused on the business at hand. He barely seemed to acknowledge her beyond the brief pleasantries.
Finally, as the meeting wrapped up, Mr. Montgomery turned to her. "Miss Hart, I'll need you to work closely with Mr. Knight's team on this project. Make sure you're ready."
Evelyn nodded, but a part of her was still processing the shock of the encounter. Damien Knight, the billionaire, the very man she had met at the bar, was now sitting in front of her, discussing a legal project. She couldn't stop the flutter of anxiety in her stomach.
As the meeting concluded, Damien stood, his cold expression still intact. "I'll be in touch," he said, turning toward the door. Before he left, he glanced at Evelyn one last time, his gaze piercing, almost like he was measuring her.
"I'll be expecting updates from you, Miss Hart. I'm confident you'll handle this well."
Evelyn stood there, frozen for a moment as he exited, leaving her alone with the rush of thoughts in her head. He knew exactly what he wanted, and he wasn't about to waste time. But there was something else in his eyes, something that felt strangely familiar. She didn't know if it was just the fact that she had met him the night before or if there was something deeper beneath his businesslike exterior.
The silence in the room was thick as Evelyn slowly sat back down at her desk. Her hands trembled slightly as she picked up the documents, her mind still whirling from the shock of realizing Damien Knight was the same man she had met last night. She hadn't expected this. She hadn't expected to be working directly with him.
As she looked at the door through which Damien had just walked, she couldn't shake the feeling that this meeting wasn't just a business deal. There was something more at play here. Something she hadn't fully understood yet.