Chapter 7 — The One Person Who Knows Her
Lena didn't realize how badly she needed a familiar voice until her phone buzzed that afternoon.
Harper.Of course. Her best friend had the timing of a guardian angel and the personality of a caffeine overdose, which meant chaos was incoming.
She answered, and immediately—
"LENAAAA! Finally! I thought your billionaire boss kidnapped you. Blink twice if you're trapped."
Lena choked on a laugh. "Why is that always your first theory?"
"Because you work for Adrian Cross," Harper said flatly. "He looks like he fires people for breathing wrong—and somehow makes it sexy."
"Harper!"
"What? The man is intense. And intimidating. And built like he carries emotional baggage for sport."
Despite herself, Lena smiled. Harper was dramatic, but she was also the only person on earth who understood her brain without needing full sentences.
Lena slipped into the empty employee lounge. "It's been… a lot."
"'A lot' like office stress," Harper said, "or 'a lot' like something-is-going-on-and-you're-too-scared-to-admit-it?"
Trust Harper to go straight for the truth Lena wasn't ready to face.
"It's work. He's… focused. Very… observant."
Harper made a noise like a psychic having a revelation. "Ohhh. The dangerous type of observant?"
"He notices everything," Lena said quietly. "Too much. Sometimes it feels like he's watching me even when I'm not in the room."
"Oh. That's normal billionaire behavior."
"It is?"
"No. I'm lying. That's terrifying. Continue."
Lena rubbed her forehead. "He's not scary. Just… intense. And he shows up everywhere I am. Not in a creepy way—just like he's aware of me."
There was a beat of silence.Then—
"He likes you," Harper declared.
"Harper—"
"No, don't fight me. I know this energy. That man is orbiting you."
Lena groaned. "It's not like that. He barely knows me."
"Honey, men like him don't know people. They choose them. Big difference."
Lena rolled her eyes, but heat crept up her neck. Because the worst part?She'd felt it.That pull whenever Adrian looked at her.That strange hum under her skin when he stood too close.That sense that he was holding something back—something sharp.
Harper's tone softened. "Are you okay, though?"
Lena nodded, even though Harper couldn't see it. "Yeah. Just overwhelmed."
"Well, if he ever even tries to cross a line, I'll march into that skyscraper and throw hands. I'll fight a billionaire. I'm not scared."
Lena laughed. "Please don't get arrested on my behalf."
"No promises. I miss you."
"I miss you too."
Harper launched into updates—her new neighbor who played trumpet at 2 a.m., a coworker who kept stealing her lunch, and her ongoing war with a pigeon that stalked her balcony. Normal life. Safe life. A comforting reminder that there was a world outside Adrian Cross.
When the call finally ended, Lena felt lighter.
She turned around—
And froze.
Adrian Cross stood at the doorway.
Not leaning.Not moving.Just watching her.
Her heart lurched. "Mr. Cross—"
"How long?" she whispered, unable to finish her question.
"Long enough," he said, his voice calm but containing something deeper.
He stepped closer—slow, controlled, each movement deliberate."Your voice sounded… distressed."
"Oh. I was just talking to my friend."
"Yes," Adrian said. "Harper."
Her breath stuttered. He'd heard the name. Probably more.
"She worries too much," Lena murmured. "That's all."
"About me?"
She swallowed. "About… billionaires in general."
A flicker—barely a smile—tugged at his mouth. But it wasn't amusement.It was something darker. Curious. Possessive.
"Is she wrong to worry?" he asked softly.
Lena held his gaze, her heart pounding.
And she didn't know why she said it, but the words fell out anyway—"…no. She's not."
Something in his expression tightened. Just for a moment.Then he composed himself again.
"If anything makes you uncomfortable in this place," he said, voice low and decisive, "you come to me. Directly. No hesitation. Understood?"
"Yes," she whispered.
"Good."
He lingered a second too long.Then turned and walked away, leaving her breathless and trembling.
Harper was absolutely going to scream when she heard about this.