Chapter 2

Asher is the head of the Stratton Group in New York City, a young man who controls a multi-billion-dollar business empire.

Everyone seems to flock to him, eager for his attention.

But I didn't seem to have that concept at all. At the time, I was about to graduate from college.

Because of my father's connections, I entered the Stratton Group and became Asher's personal assistant.

It's the same office, but now when I push the door open, I just call out flatly, "Mr. Stratton, you called for me."

Three years have passed. The place and people remain unchanged, but my state of mind has shifted.

Asher sits in his chair, head down, reviewing documents. Hearing my voice, his pen pauses mid-signature.

"You're here?"

Asher's voice commands authority without raising it. Even though we've been intimately acquainted countless times in bed, right now, I still feel like he's a stranger.

"What do you need?" I feel uneasy, wanting to escape his gaze quickly.

Asher finally looks up from the pile of documents. He stares at me, his eyes unreadable.

"Lock the door," Asher points at his office door.

I clench my fists and shake my head, "Mr. Stratton, just tell me what you need. I have to get back to work.""Snap!"

Hearing me say that, Asher slammed the pen in his hand onto the desk.

From the corner of my eye, I glimpsed the photo on his desk. It was Aria's hundred-day portrait, the only photo I had left with him.

Asher pulled out a stack of papers from the drawer and threw them in front of me.

"What's the meaning of this?"

I looked down and saw that it was my resignation letter.

"I'm resigning," I said, looking at him, almost without any preamble, cutting straight to the chase. "I don't want to do this anymore."

Asher stood up and slowly walked in front of me.

I looked up at him, thinking to myself how tall this man really was. I had to crane my neck to see him, feeling cornered as he forced me to step back.

Until my back was against the glass door of his office.

"Don't come any closer!" I put my hand up in front of him, "I..."

Without any hesitation, Asher used just one hand to twist my arm and pin it above my head.

He used his other hand to grip my waist, holding me tightly against him.

"You're getting bolder and bolder!"

I turned my head away, refusing to look at him, but my chest, heaving from my breathing, was fully in his view.

"You pervert!" I noticed where his eyes were looking, but as soon as I said it, he leaned in and kissed me.The passionate and forceful kiss quickly ignited us both.

He lifted me onto the desk covered in documents.

"You're the one who didn't want to close the door earlier. I'm thinking, if someone were to barge in recklessly and see us like this, then..."

I reached out to push him away, but the difference in our strength was far too great.

"Don't..."

Asher's heavy breath lingered on my neck.

"Don't you dare say no. You brought this on yourself."

I quickly calmed down, giving up my resistance. I whispered in his ear, "Mr. Stratton, did you not get your fill at Miss Gerald's place last night?"

Asher's movements stopped, and he looked at me with bloodshot eyes.

I knew he was angry.

The last time I saw him like this was when I mentioned his pure love, his first love.