C4 Unwelcomed Distraction

The ride back to the office was quiet. Adrian leaned against the car window, eyes fixed on the city rushing past, but his thoughts were anywhere but calm.

Liam Hart. Just hearing his name made Adrian’s teeth clench. It had been three years, and yet the memory of that betrayal felt as fresh as yesterday.

He could still hear the smooth lies Liam had spun, still feel the sting of watching someone he’d once called a brother sell him out.

He exhaled slowly, loosening his tie. Why did I even agree to this meeting? The answer was simple — business. He’d built his empire on logic and discipline, not emotions. But today… today had felt personal.

And then there was her.

He glanced to the side, watching Elena Carter fidget with her notepad. She was typing something into her phone, probably trying to organize the mess of notes she’d scribbled during the meeting. Her brows were furrowed, her lower lip caught between her teeth as she concentrated.

Adrian looked away, annoyed at himself for noticing.

She was a distraction — a loud, clumsy, wide-eyed distraction. From the moment she’d stumbled into the elevator that morning, she’d been throwing off his rhythm. The way she talked, the way she fumbled through the office… even the way she tried to fill the silence at lunch with some ridiculous comment about movies.

He almost laughed. Almost.

Adrian pressed his fingers against his temple. He didn’t have time for this. She was his assistant, nothing more. Her job was to handle schedules, take notes, and stay out of the way. Not… whatever this was.

Yet, somehow, she kept slipping past his walls.

The car slowed as they pulled up to the office.

Adrian straightened his tie, schooling his features back into their usual unreadable mask. As they stepped into the building, he heard Elena’s heels clicking behind him, a little faster than usual as she hurried to keep up.

“Mr. Blackwood?” she ventured softly.

He paused at the elevator, glancing at her. “Yes?”

She shifted on her feet. “I, um… I know the meeting was tense. I just wanted to say I’ll do better next time. I know I talk too much when I’m nervous.” She laughed awkwardly. “You’ve probably noticed.”

Adrian stared at her. She looked so earnest, standing there clutching her notepad like it was a life preserver. For a moment, he considered brushing her off — reminding her that this was business, not some school project. But instead, he found himself saying:

“You didn’t do terribly.”

Her eyes widened. “Really?”

He pressed the elevator button. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

The doors slid open, and he stepped inside, ignoring the small smile that tugged at the corner of her lips.

As the elevator ascended, Adrian found his gaze drifting to her reflection in the mirrored walls. There was something about her — something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

And that unsettled him more than any meeting with Liam ever could.

Adrian sat behind his desk, staring blankly at the city skyline through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The meeting was over, the tension still simmered under his skin, but it wasn’t Liam Hart that lingered in his mind.

It was Elena.

He sighed, leaning back in his chair, fingers steepled beneath his chin. She was only his assistant. A new one at that. She shouldn’t be taking up this much space in his head.

But there she was — fumbling into elevators, nervously rambling, trying to ease a tension she didn’t understand. Her ridiculous attempts at small talk during the meeting should’ve irritated him. Yet somehow, they’d done the opposite.

He rubbed his temple, frustrated. She was clumsy, too talkative, and completely unpolished for the corporate world. And yet… she intrigued him. She wasn’t intimidated by him the way others were. Sure, she was nervous — he could see that much. But there was a certain fire in her, hidden beneath the awkwardness. It made him curious.

The soft ping of an email interrupted his thoughts. Adrian glanced at his screen and saw her name flash across his inbox. She’d already typed up the notes from the meeting — efficient, despite her earlier nerves. He opened the document and scanned her work.

The notes were detailed, organized, and peppered with the occasional side comment.

'Liam seemed smug here. Probably on purpose.'

'Adrian didn’t say much, but his glare said plenty. Yikes.'

Adrian’s brow arched. She was bold — even in writing. He wasn’t sure if that annoyed him or amused him.

There was a knock on his door. “Come in.”

The door opened quietly, and there she was, peeking in like she wasn’t sure if she was allowed. “Um… I just sent the meeting notes.”

“I saw.”

She hesitated. “Are they… okay?”

He studied her for a long moment. “They’re acceptable.”

Her shoulders relaxed. “Oh, good. I was worried I missed something.” She hesitated again, chewing her lip before blurting out, “Also… I just wanted to say I’m sorry if I messed things up today. I know it was important.”

Adrian folded his hands on the desk, watching her. She was nervous — he could practically feel it radiating off her — but she stood her ground, meeting his gaze. That took courage.

“You didn’t mess anything up,” he said quietly.

Her eyes widened slightly. “Really?”

“Really.” He tilted his head. “Though next time, perhaps avoid discussing the weather during high-stakes business negotiations.”

She winced. “Right. Noted.”

She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her. “Elena.”

She paused, glancing over her shoulder. “Yes?”

He hesitated, the words catching in his throat. What was he doing? Why did he care? But the curiosity gnawed at him, refusing to be ignored.

“You handled yourself better than I expected.”

Her brows shot up. “Was that… a compliment?”

“Don’t get used to it.”

She smiled — a soft, genuine thing that made his chest tighten uncomfortably. “Thank you, Mr. Blackwood.”

As the door closed behind her, Adrian leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair.

She was a distraction. A dangerous one.

And for the first time in a long time, he wasn’t sure he minded.