The conference room was packed, tension already thick before the meeting even started. Executives talking over each other, papers sliding across the table, the usual mess of people trying to prove they mattered.

At the head of it all sat Valeria Voss, completely still, completely in control. One look from her and the room would shut the hell up.

Beside her, calm and composed like always, was Lena Marquez, flipping through documents like none of this chaos touched her.

“Enough,” Valeria said, voice low but cutting through the noise like a blade.

Silence dropped instantly.

People straightened. Someone coughed. Nobody dared speak first.

Lena leaned slightly toward Valeria, voice professional. “We should move to the next agenda point before they start arguing again.”

“Already ahead of you,” Valeria replied.

On the surface, everything looked normal. Strict. Controlled. Untouchable.

Under the table, it was a different story.

Valeria’s hand rested against Lena’s thigh, subtle enough that no one across the table could see a damn thing. Still, the contact was deliberate. Possessive. Risky as hell.

Lena didn’t react at first. Didn’t even blink. Just kept her eyes on the documents in front of her like nothing was happening.

“Revenue projections,” Lena said smoothly, sliding a file forward. “Page six.”

Valeria’s fingers shifted slightly, just enough to make a point.

Lena’s pen paused for half a second. Barely noticeable. Anyone else would’ve missed it.

Valeria almost smirked.

“You seem distracted, Ms. Marquez,” one of the executives said, trying to sound bold.

Big mistake.

Lena looked up, expression sharp. “Do I?” she said coolly. “Because from where I’m sitting, I’m the only one here actually prepared.”

A couple people shifted uncomfortably. Someone muttered under their breath.

Valeria’s voice followed, calm but dangerous. “If anyone has an issue with my manager, you can take it up with me.”

No one did.

Under the table, her hand didn’t move away.

Lena inhaled slowly, steadying herself, keeping her composure locked tight. “As I was saying,” she continued, tone perfectly even, “if you’d all focus for more than five seconds, we might actually get somewhere today.”

The meeting dragged on, but the tension wasn’t just about business anymore.

It was the risk.

The thrill of getting caught.

The fact that in a room full of powerful people, no one had a clue what was really going on right in front of them.

When the meeting finally ended and chairs started scraping back, Lena gathered her papers like nothing had happened.

Valeria stood last.

Their eyes met for just a second. Enough to say everything without a word.

“Don’t be late tonight,” Valeria murmured as she passed by.