Jake was the youngest CEO in the building—28 floors of glass, marble, and relentless ambition. His name was printed on every door plaque, whispered in every boardroom, and etched into every deal made in that skyscraper. He wore tailored suits, signed million-dollar contracts before lunch, and didn’t have time for anything outside the business. That was, until the elevator doors opened on Floor 14.

He wasn’t looking where he was going—skimming through his phone, replying to a director about Q2 projections—when he turned the corner and bumped straight into someone. Papers flew, a folder hit the floor, and a gasp escaped from the woman he had collided with.

“I’m so sor—” he began, but paused mid-sentence as he knelt down to help pick up the papers.

She knelt too. Their hands both reached for the same document at once.

Their eyes met.

For a brief second, the world quieted.

It wasn’t just her stunning features—though she had soft brown eyes, curled hair tied loosely, and wore a navy pencil skirt and blouse like she belonged on the cover of a fashion-forward finance magazine. It was something else. Calm. Spark. A heartbeat slowed… and then sped up.

“Oh,” she blinked, giving a small laugh. “Didn’t think my first day would involve body-checking the CEO.”

Jake blinked too, as if snapping out of a daze. “First day?” he said, standing up and handing her the papers. “You’re new?”

“Hannah,” she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Hannah Lowery. Intern in Marketing. Kind of lost.”

Jake gave a short smile. “Well, Hannah Lowery… You just made a very bold first impression.”

She smirked, raising an eyebrow. “You tackled me.”

He chuckled. “And you survived. You’ll do well here.”

Jake turned to walk away, heart strangely racing, then paused. He looked over his shoulder. “Hey—if you’re lost… want me to walk you to Marketing?”

Hannah smiled—one that wasn’t fake or corporate.

“Sure. Unless you’re too busy running an empire.”