CHAPTER 4: Unwanted Attention
Richard Knight didn't believe in distractions. He built his empire with sharp focus, long hours, and a heart cold enough to survive betrayal. People came and went. Some impressed him, others disappointed him. None of them stayed on his mind once the meeting ended.
But lately, Ann Smith was becoming a problem. She was quiet, but not invisible. Smart, but not showy. And no matter how much he tried, he kept noticing her.
It started small. A voice in the conference room that didn't shake when others did. A flash of fire in her eyes when she argued a point she believed in. The way she tapped her pen when deep in thought, or bit her lip when unsure.
He noticed. He didn't want to. It annoyed him. Because now, every time he entered the office, his eyes searched for her. And every time he saw her, he felt something unfamiliar. Not attraction, that was too easy to name. It was something more frustrating. She didn't smile at him like the others did. Didn't flirt, didn't flatter. She treated him like a man not a myth, not a monster. That, too, was a problem. Richard didn't like problems he couldn't control.
It was Friday morning. The office buzzed with the usual energy that came before a deadline. Richard walked in early, tie crisp, shoes clicking across the marble floor. His mind was already filled with numbers, names, and strategies. Then he saw her.
Ann stood near the copy machine, holding a thick stack of papers. She wore a simple blue blouse and black slacks nothing special, yet somehow, it stopped him.
There was a smudge of ink on her hand. She was talking to someone probably one of the new assistants. Her laugh was soft, almost shy. But it caught him off guard. He didn't stop walking. But the image stayed with him even after he shut his office door.
Later that day, during a strategy meeting, he found himself watching her again. She sat across the room, her eyes fixed on the presentation. Her brow furrowed slightly when a manager explained the numbers wrong. Richard noticed how she leaned forward, fingers twitching like she wanted to speak but she didn't.
He waited. Curious. At the end, she raised her hand and corrected the error gently, respectfully. But firm. Richard's lips twitched. Almost a smile.
After the meeting, he returned to his office, poured a glass of water, and stood by the window. He didn't like how often she popped into his thoughts. It wasn't just about looks. Yes, she was pretty, but in a natural, unaffected way. What pulled him in was how she held herself. Calm, steady, but never weak. She didn't try to impress anyone. And somehow, that made her more impressive. He hated that.
That night, he stayed late again. Old habit.He didn't expect to see her still working. Through the glass wall, he saw the faint glow of her desk lamp. She was reading, highlighting a document, eyes focused. Her hair was tied up, a few loose strands falling near her cheek. Something about the scene made his chest tighten.He looked away. This wasn't good. He wasn't the type to crush on interns. He wasn't the type to crush at all.
This wasn't a schoolboy fantasy. It was... something else. Some strange need to understand her, to pull her closer, to see if the calm on her face was real or just a mask like his.
He stood there too long. Then, as if feeling his gaze, Ann looked up. Their eyes met through the glass. He didn't move. She blinked, then gave a small, polite nod before returning to her work. That should have ended it. But Richard didn't leave his office for another thirty minutes.
The next morning, he walked into the building thinking of her again. And that made him angry. He was acting like a fool obsessing over a woman who worked for him. It was unprofessional. Dangerous. And worst of all, it made him feel... vulnerable. He was not that man.At least, he didn't used to be. So he did what he always did when something got under his skin. He tested it.
Ann was filling a report when the call came through. "Mr. Knight wants to see you. Now." She didn't show it, but her stomach dropped. She hadn't spoken to him since the late-night dinner earlier that week. That moment had felt... different. Personal. Unsteady. Now, she wondered if she'd crossed a line. She knocked softly. "You wanted to see me?"
"Come in."
Richard didn't look up right away. He was reviewing something on his screen. Finally, he turned. "Close the door." Her heart thumped louder, but she obeyed. He motioned for her to sit. She did. "I reviewed the new account analysis you submitted."
Ann braced herself.
"It was good," he said.
She blinked. "Thank you."
"Better than good. It was precise. Efficient."
"Okay..." she said slowly, unsure of where this was going.
He leaned forward, hands folded. "Tell me. Are you ambitious, Miss Smith?"
Ann's brow furrowed. "I suppose I am. Why?"
"Do you want a future here?"
She hesitated. "That depends."
"On?"
"On whether it's a place where people like me are allowed to grow."
He nodded slowly, as if weighing something heavy.
"You're not like the others," he said again.
"You've said that before."
"And yet I keep saying it."
His eyes were intense, fixed on hers.
Ann shifted slightly. "Is this a compliment or a warning?"
"Both."
She stared at him.
Richard stood suddenly. Walked to the window. Hands behind his back. "You make me... notice things," he said quietly.
Ann froze.
"Things I usually ignore. Distractions. Emotions. Possibilities." He turned to face her. "That makes you dangerous, Miss Smith."
She stood, suddenly tired of being analyzed. "I didn't come here to be anyone's weakness," she said, voice steady.
Richard's jaw tightened. "You are not a weakness."
"Then stop treating me like one."
Their eyes locked.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Then Ann turned and walked out.
Richard didn't stop her. But the second the door closed, he sat down hard. His chest ached. A dull pressure right where his walls were supposed to be. He didn't want to want her. But he did. And something told him she wasn't going to make this easy.