Kajoru

Sabrina Vance, a brilliant but fiercely independent woman, finds herself caught up in the harsh world of corporate power when she is compelled to work for the famed CEO Nathaniel Knight. Nathaniel, a powerful, cold, and enigmatic figure, is known for eliminating his foes and meddling with people's lives. However, Sabrina sees something beyond his frigid exterior—something that fills her with both fear and longing.

What began as a professional relationship quickly devolved into a lethal game of manipulation in which the lines between love, hatred, and obsession blurred. Sabrina becomes caught in Nathaniel's labyrinth of secrets, dark pasts, and a lethal family conflict. As she delves more into Nathaniel's world, she understands that trusting him might lead to either an all-consuming love or a trap that destroys everything she knows.

Tangled in Power

She should have taken the folder, revealed Nathaniel's plan, and then left him behind.

"What is this?" she demanded, slamming the file onto his desk.

Nathaniel leaned back in his chair, completely unfazed. "A record of your progress."

She narrowed her eyes. "You've been watching me. Planning something. What does 'She's ready' mean?"

He stood, moving toward her with deliberate slowness. "It means you've proven yourself, Sabrina. You're no longer just an employee. You're my equal."

His equal? Then why did it feel like she was still a piece on his chessboard?

Sabrina exhaled sharply. "I don't know if I can trust you."

Nathaniel reached out, his fingers trailing down her arm. "Then stop trying to trust me." His voice was low, almost dangerous. "And start trusting what you feel."

Her breath caught as he pulled her closer. The tension between them had been building for weeks—every glance, every unspoken word.

"Is this just another game to you?" she whispered.

Nathaniel's grip tightened. "You think I'd risk everything for a game?" His jaw clenched, his voice raw. "You're not a pawn, Sabrina. You never were."

Her heart pounded. She wanted to push him away. She wanted to pull him closer.

Then Nathaniel's lips crashed into hers before she could react.

It wasn't gentle. It was fire and fury, control slipping for the first time.

Sabrina responded in kind, fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him impossibly close. It was careless. Risky. But for once, she didn't care.

Because for the first time in this game—

She was playing for something real.

Chapter 22: The Line Between Love and War