Elena Carter tightened her grip on the worn leather strap of her handbag as she stepped out of the taxi, her heart pounding against her ribs. The towering glass building of Knight Enterprises loomed before her, a striking reminder of the past she had spent years trying to escape. Five years. Five years since she had walked away from this world, from him. And now, fate had brought her back to the very place she had sworn never to return.
A gust of wind swept through the bustling New York street, making her shiver despite the warmth of the late morning sun. She took a deep breath, willing her nerves to steady. She wasn’t that naïve, hopeful girl anymore—the one who had believed in love, in promises, in forever. She was stronger now. She had to be.
"Miss? Do you need help?" a security guard near the entrance asked, eyeing her curiously.
Elena forced a polite smile and shook her head. "No, I’m fine. Just taking it all in."
He nodded before returning to his post, and she let out a slow breath. This was it. There was no turning back now.
Squaring her shoulders, she stepped through the revolving glass doors, immediately greeted by the cool, crisp scent of expensive cologne and polished marble. The lobby of Knight Enterprises was as sleek and intimidating as she remembered—high ceilings, elegant chandeliers, and a floor so pristine it reflected everything above it. Businessmen and women strode past her with purpose, their designer suits and heels clicking sharply against the tiles.
Elena swallowed hard and approached the reception desk. A young woman with perfectly styled blonde hair and a headset barely spared her a glance.
"Do you have an appointment?"
"Yes," Elena replied, her voice steadier than she felt. "Elena Carter. I’m here for an interview with Mr. Reynolds in the marketing department."
The receptionist tapped a few keys on her computer, then nodded. "Take the elevator to the twenty-fourth floor. Someone will be there to escort you."
"Thank you," Elena murmured before heading toward the gleaming elevators.
As she stepped inside, her pulse quickened. She had spent weeks preparing for this moment, convincing herself that taking this job at Knight Enterprises was just a means to an end. She needed stability for her son, Lucas. She needed a steady income, and Knight Enterprises offered the best opportunities in the industry.
But deep down, she knew the truth.
She had tried to run from her past, but it had always been a matter of time before it caught up with her.
The Man She Left Behind
Alexander Knight sat behind his massive desk, his sharp blue eyes scanning through the reports his assistant had just placed before him. The morning had been as monotonous as ever—meetings, contract negotiations, and the constant demand for his attention.
Nothing surprised him anymore. Nothing fazed him.
At thirty-two, he was at the top of his game, the CEO of Knight Enterprises, a company his father had once nearly destroyed before Alexander had taken over and built it into the empire it was today. He had learned the hard way that emotions had no place in business.
His phone buzzed, and he pressed the intercom button. "What is it, Emily?"
"Sir, Mr. Reynolds just informed me that they’ve found a new hire for the marketing team. A woman named Elena Carter."
The pen in Alexander’s hand stilled.
Elena Carter.
The name sent an unexplainable ripple of something through him—something dark and distant. It wasn’t a particularly uncommon name, yet it felt… familiar.
"Have HR send me her file," he said curtly before ending the call.
He shouldn’t care. It was just another employee. Another name in the endless sea of faces that worked beneath him.
And yet, as he stared out the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, a strange unease settled in his chest.
A Face from the Past
Elena’s heart pounded as she followed her escort down the hallway of the twenty-fourth floor. The interview had gone smoothly, but now that she had been officially offered the position, reality was sinking in.
She was back.
Her new office was a sleek, minimalist space with a large window overlooking the city skyline. As she set down her handbag on the desk, she allowed herself a brief moment of relief.
She had made it.
But just as she was about to take a seat, a deep, commanding voice cut through the air like a blade.
"I don’t remember hiring you."
Elena’s breath caught, and she slowly turned.
There, standing in the doorway, was Alexander Knight.
The air in the room shifted, crackling with tension as their gazes locked. He was exactly as she remembered—tall, powerful, and devastatingly handsome. Dressed in a crisp black suit, his strong jawline was even more defined than before, his piercing blue eyes as sharp and unreadable as ever.
For a moment, the world around them faded, and all Elena could hear was the pounding of her own heart.
Five years.
Five years since she had last seen him. Since she had walked away without looking back.
Alexander’s eyes darkened, his expression unreadable. "You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Miss Carter."
Elena forced herself to breathe. To steady herself.
She had prepared for this moment, yet nothing could have braced her for the intensity of facing him again.
"You seem surprised to see me, Mr. Knight," she replied smoothly, lifting her chin in defiance. "I work here now."
Something flickered in his gaze—something dangerous.
"We’ll see about that."
A Storm Brewing
Hours later, Elena sat at her small dining table in her modest apartment, watching as her four-year-old son, Lucas, happily played with his toy cars. His dark brown curls bounced with every movement, his bright blue eyes—the same shade as his father’s—filled with innocence and joy.
She reached out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind his ear. "Did you have fun at preschool today?"
Lucas grinned. "Miss Anna said I’m really good at coloring! I drew a picture of a castle, just like the one in my storybook!"
Elena smiled, though her mind was still stuck on the events of the day. On Alexander.
She had seen the suspicion in his eyes, the way he had looked at her like a puzzle he was determined to solve.
She had managed to slip away once, but now that she was back in his world, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to escape again.
Especially not with their son being the biggest secret of all.
