INICIAR SESIÓNThat was the only phrase that accurately described how I’d been acting since Stevan walked into my life.The mere sight of that pathetic asshole looming over him, intimidating him, had been enough to make me completely lose my mind and nearly do something irreversible. Could I have handled the situation differently? Yes. But I couldn’t stop myself.I needed to understand what it was about Stevan that made me act so recklessly, abandoning every shred of logic I’d built my life around. Even asking him to tend to my hand—a ridiculous, minor injury—had been nothing more than an excuse to keep him close a little longer.Those thoughts consumed me all the way to my office. Stevan looked like he was afraid to even voice what was on his mind. I chose silence instead, trying to make sense of the strange, inconvenient feelings he kept stirring up inside me.While he went to the bathroom to get the first-aid kit, I sat on the sofa and stared at my bruised knuckles. I asked myself if I would have
StevanThe walk to Eric’s office was silent—thick, awkward, and unnerving. The moment we stepped inside, I forced myself to speak.“Do you have a first-aid kit here?” I asked, watching as Eric shrugged off his jacket and draped it over the back of his chair.“In the bathroom cabinet,” he answered without looking at me.I headed to the bathroom, wondering why Eric had asked me to do this. The injuries were on his hand—he could easily handle it himself.Am I being selfish for thinking that? After all, he’d gotten hurt defending me from that idiot.I shook the thoughts away and quickly returned. Eric was sitting on the sofa in the corner of his office, staring down at his hand with a distant expression. I’d have to sit right next to him. I drew in a steadying breath and crossed the room.“May I see your hand?” I asked.He looked up at me first, then lifted it. His gaze felt different now than it had just minutes ago, and I was starting to convince myself my boss really was bipolar. I foc
StevanChaos. That was the only word that fit what happened the moment the ice-cold, all-powerful Mr. Winter stepped into the room. Fury burned in his eyes as he came straight for us, not even giving that pathetic excuse for a boss a chance to speak.The first punch landed, and I’ll admit it—I felt a sharp rush of satisfaction, of vindication. But I never expected Mr. Winter to keep going. That satisfaction quickly twisted into fear, and for a few terrifying seconds, I was frozen in place. Yes, I was scared he might actually kill the bastard, and I knew I’d carry the guilt afterward.That my boss deserved it? I didn’t doubt that for a second. But I didn’t want Eric getting into serious trouble because of me. Still… deep down, before things spiraled this far, I have to admit my heart had reacted to the sight of him defending me like that—so fiercely, so unhinged.I couldn’t just stand there watching anymore. I had to step in. The fear that he might actually kill my boss must have been
EricI grabbed my jacket from the chair and left the office with purpose.As I passed the reception desk on my floor, I paused just long enough to fire off a quick order to my secretary.“I want a full report on every employee promoted in the last three years in Stevan’s department. Focus on salary changes, internal evaluations, and transfers. Send everything directly to me.”She nodded at once, already jotting down the details.I already knew the formal complaints. What interested me now were the names that had never appeared in them. The ones who had stayed silent.A bad feeling twisted through me before I could even rationalize why. Then I heard a noise coming from that bastard’s office, and ice slid down my spine.I started toward the door, but somewhere along the way my pace quickened.I didn’t knock.I simply turned the handle and pushed the door open. The second I took in the scene, something inside me snapped.The son of a bitch had Stevan pinned against the desk—too close, to
EricOn the drive back to the office, I stayed silent. I needed to figure out what the hell to do about Stevan. I’d tested the waters carefully during lunch, but hearing him say—plainly and without hesitation—that he wouldn’t sleep with anyone for money had struck me deeper than I’d expected.I’d almost asked if he’d reconsider for just one person. Almost. I stopped myself at the last second.That lunch had been a goddamn storm. Every time he called me “sir,” my mind betrayed the rest of me. An uncomfortable throb beneath my slacks, my imagination running wild. In some moments I saw an opening; in others I felt frustrated, almost powerless. And powerlessness was something I refused to tolerate—especially in myself.When we reached the building, I headed straight for the executive floor. I tried to focus on work, but Stevan occupied every corner of my mind. After a few minutes of mentally cursing myself, I picked up the phone and called Christian.“Yes, Mr. Winter,” he answered, that t
StevanKnowing that Eric already understood part of the truth—that he’d given me permission, no, an order, to push back if that man ever came near me again—ignited something inside me I’d long forgotten existed. A quiet kind of courage.If that lunch had never happened, I would’ve done what I always did: apologized, lowered my head, and swallowed the humiliation one more time. But as I stood there facing my boss, the realization hit me with uncomfortable clarity—I didn’t want to be that version of myself anymore. The one who stayed silent and took it.“You really think you’re better than the others who gave in?” He sneered, the twisted smile dripping with contempt. “They all got exactly what they wanted. Some even came back for more because they liked what they received. But you’re still clinging to this cheap sense of morality, pretending competence alone is enough to get anywhere in life.”He shook his head slowly, as if I were too naïve to grasp how the world really worked.“Wake u
I grabbed my things and got up.I needed to clear my head, and somehow Diego always helped with that.When I stepped outside, I spotted him leaning against a brand-new BMW. I’d never understood how he managed things like this. He wasn’t rich. At least not officially. But somehow, luxury always seem
I grabbed my things and stood up. I needed to clear my head, and Diego, as always, had a way of making that easier.I headed downstairs and spotted him leaning against a shiny new BMW. I never understood how he pulled it off. He wasn’t rich—at least, not on paper—but he’d always lived surrounded by
Stevan“Your mother is going to need additional dialysis sessions.”The doctor said it with the same detached tone someone might use to confirm an appointment time, not like he’d just split my life open. He kept talking after that. Kidney function. Test results. Percentages. Numbers.None of it rea
I glanced at Diego. For a split second, I had the uncomfortable feeling that he’d read every silent word I hadn’t dared to say out loud.“If you were up for it, we could straight-up auction off your virginity,” he blurted, nudging my shoulder with a grin, clearly amused by his own idea.I nearly di







