Bella's POV
Weeks had passed since I started this job, and the workplace tension finally started to ease. The fluorescent lights didn't seem as harsh anymore. Colleagues who previously wore permanent scowls now offered genuine smiles in the hallways. I clutched my steaming coffee cup while hurrying toward the elevator bank, my employee badge bouncing against my blazer with each step.
The elevator chimed its familiar arrival, doors parting with mechanical precision. What should have been routine suddenly became my personal nightmare when I spotted him stepping inside, mid-conversation with several executive assistants. His posture radiated authority, one hand casually tucked into his tailored pants pocket as if the entire world operated on his schedule.
Silas VALERIUS'Empire.
