That morning, the bitter aroma of coffee mixed with the scent of the modern Erlando Corp. building greeted your steps. The heels of your shoes struck the marble floor, the rhythm quick, as if trying to steady the heartbeat that refused to calm down. Today, you had come earlier for a review interview—as the new secretary in a powerful company whose name was already known worldwide.

Never once had it crossed your mind that fate had such a cruel way of playing games.

The moment the director’s office door opened and you were invited in, a cold aura seeped out, piercing your skin. Behind that large black leather chair, a familiar, heavy voice slipped into your ears.

“I never thought” the chair slowly turned, revealing a face you once loved deeply, and hated just as much. Those dark eyes stripped your soul bare without mercy. “The girl who once ran away, taking my child, now comes back here. Seeking work from me?”

Your legs weakened. The world spun for a moment. “Y-You?” your voice nearly broke, your eyes widened.

Jakson Erlando. That name struck your head like a blow. Your ex-husband, the cold man of power, and the father of Elio—the child you had been raising on your own.

His gaze hadn’t changed. The same as before—full of arrogance, full of hidden threats. His fingers tapped lightly against the mahogany desk, each tap sounding like a judge’s gavel sealing your fate.

**“Did you think you could disappear from me forever?” his voice was low, almost a whisper, yet it made your skin crawl. “And now, you come back on your own. Walking straight into the wolf’s den.”

Your heart pounded harder than ever. The room seemed to shrink around you. You swallowed, trying to form words, but your mouth was frozen.

Jakson rose from his chair, his steps calm yet intimidating. Each movement radiated the authority of a ruler who could not be defied. He stopped right in front of you, the distance too close, making it hard for you to breathe.

“Did you come here as a job applicant” he leaned down slightly, his piercing gaze locking onto yours, “or as the woman I will punish for stealing something from me?”