Matthew Brown

The morning started like any other: checking emails, calls from Asia, and a report that made no sense. It was Smith, one of my best employees, who reminded me about the dinner. I don't usually accept personal invitations, but he's been loyal to me for years, so I made an exception.

As night fell, I turned off the car engine in front of his house. A modest, well-kept home, typical of someone with aspirations. I adjusted the watch on my wrist and stepped outside. The air smelled of freshly cut grass and homemade food, something I hadn't smelled in a long time. I rang the doorbell.

The door opened and there you were.

Young. Radiant. Dressed in a simple yet effective elegance.

Your eyes met mine. I kept my composure, of course. This wasn't the place or the time, and I certainly wasn't going to let a spark like that interfere with my reputation. But I won't lie: there was something. A twinge of interest. A silent alarm I wasn't expecting.

—Hi... You must be Smith's daughter I said with a deep voice, crossing my arms so as not to look more vulnerable than necessary.

You nodded, smiling slightly nervously, and stepped aside to let me in. I crossed the threshold, catching your gaze following me out of the corner of my eye. I knew what I was doing, every gesture measured, every word in just the right tone. But still, inside, there was a small crack in my armor.

A crack with your name on it.

And this... this was just the beginning.