Chapter 2: The Unseen Gaze

Selene sat at her desk, the glow of her office lamp casting soft shadows across the documents spread before her. The legal complexities of Castellan Corp's case demanded her full attention, but no matter how much she tried to focus, a strange sensation clung to her—a feeling she couldn't quite shake.

It started subtly, just a prickle at the back of her neck, like the weight of unseen eyes pressing against her skin. At first, she dismissed it as exhaustion. The contract with Castellan Corp had thrown her headfirst into a whirlwind of legalities, back-to-back meetings, and negotiations that left little room for distractions. But the sensation persisted, creeping into the edges of her consciousness like an unseen specter.

She exhaled, rolling her shoulders before glancing at the clock. Nearly midnight.

The floor-to-ceiling windows of her high-rise office reflected the dim glow of city lights, the streets below alive with movement. Her firm's offices were mostly empty at this hour, save for a few late-night associates. Still, the unease curling at the base of her spine didn't come from the usual solitude of working late.

It came from something else.

Pushing back from her desk, she stood, crossing the room to the window. Her reflection stared back at her—sharp, composed, but behind that, there was a flicker of something unspoken. She wasn't the type to let paranoia seep into her thoughts, but she also wasn't the type to ignore her instincts.

Taking a slow breath, she turned back toward her desk, her gaze sweeping over the office. The glass walls provided an open view of the hallway outside, where everything remained still. No shadows shifted. No footsteps echoed in the silence.

Get it together, Selene.

Shaking off the feeling, she settled back into her chair, skimming the contract details once more. The case was intricate, layered with technicalities Rafael had been smart to hire her firm for. Developers were vying for an exclusive Castellan property—one that, if acquired, would shift the power balance in the real estate market. There were legal loopholes Rafael intended to use to his advantage, and she had to make sure no one found a way to exploit them.

Her phone buzzed, breaking the silence.

A text from an unknown number.

Still working late, I see.

Selene's pulse spiked. Her grip on the phone tightened as her eyes flicked around the office again. No movement. No sounds beyond the faint hum of city life below.

Who the hell…?

Her thumb hovered over the keyboard before she typed out a response.

Who is this?

No reply.

Seconds stretched into minutes. She placed the phone down, jaw tightening. Probably a wrong number, or some poor attempt at intimidation from the opposing party. She had dealt with worse.

But then—her screen lit up again.

You shouldn't ignore when someone is watching.

The air in the room suddenly felt heavier.

Selene stood abruptly, her breath controlled but her mind racing. The rational part of her said it was a prank, a competitor trying to shake her confidence. But deep down, something told her it wasn't that simple.

This wasn't just about the case.

This was something else.

Something unseen.

And she wasn't sure she wanted to know who was behind it.

Selene arrived at Castellan Corp's headquarters early the next morning, determined to shake off the unease from the previous night. The sleek, towering building loomed over the city, a testament to Rafael Castellan's power and influence. She had barely stepped into the lobby when a familiar voice called her name.

"Ms. Carter."

She turned to find Rafael himself standing near the glass elevator, his presence commanding as always. Dressed in an impeccably tailored charcoal suit, his expression was unreadable, but his gaze was sharp—too sharp, like he saw right through her.

"You're early," he noted.

"Always." She adjusted the strap of her bag, maintaining her professional demeanor. "You didn't mention a meeting this morning."

He stepped closer, the space between them shrinking just enough for her to feel the subtle pull of his presence. "Didn't I?"

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "No. But I assume there's a reason you're here?"

Rafael's lips curved at the edges, something dark flickering in his gaze. "There's always a reason, Selene."

Before she could respond, he turned and gestured for her to follow. With a quiet sigh, she fell in step beside him.

This wasn't the first time he had orchestrated an unexpected meeting.

Over the past few days, it had become increasingly clear that Rafael was ensuring she was always within reach. Every scheduled conference, every business negotiation, every casual corridor encounter—it was calculated. He was calculated.

At first, she thought it was coincidence. But then, the pattern emerged.

Meetings that could have been handled over email were suddenly in-person. Briefings that didn't require her presence now included her. Rafael's schedule and hers overlapped more often than logic dictated.

And then there were the unplanned run-ins.

Like at the coffee shop near her firm, where he had been seated at a corner table, sipping his espresso as if he had all the time in the world. Or the charity event she attended, where she had felt his eyes on her long before she spotted him across the room.

Every time, his presence was undeniable. Unshakable.

As they stepped into the elevator, she kept her posture composed, refusing to let him know how much she noticed his silent maneuvers.

"You're unusually involved for someone who has a full executive team handling legal affairs," she remarked.

Rafael turned his head slightly, studying her. "I like to be thorough."

She scoffed softly. "No, you like control."

His gaze darkened. "You say that like it's a flaw."

Selene met his stare, unwavering. "It is when it borders on unnecessary micromanagement."

A slow smirk played at his lips, but he didn't deny it. The elevator doors opened, and he gestured for her to step out first.

"Let's not waste time, then," he murmured as they entered the conference room.

She should have felt victorious at challenging him. Instead, she felt something else entirely.

An awareness that he was toying with her—closing the distance, eliminating the barriers, pulling her into his world one step at a time.

And she wasn't sure she could stop him.

Selene set her briefcase down on the polished conference table, ignoring the way Rafael's presence seemed to take up all the space in the room. He moved with effortless control, his fingers skimming the back of one of the leather chairs before he sat down, watching her with that same unreadable intensity.

She exhaled, centering herself before speaking. "You've made it impossible to ignore that you're deliberately ensuring I'm always around you."

Rafael leaned back, unbuttoning his suit jacket. "Is that so?"

She folded her arms. "Don't insult my intelligence. The unplanned meetings, the conveniently overlapping schedules, your sudden preference for in-person discussions when emails would suffice—it's not a coincidence."

His gaze didn't waver, didn't flicker with guilt or even amusement. He simply listened, as if waiting for her to finish.

Selene's pulse quickened. There was something infuriating about arguing with a man who gave nothing away.

"You don't trust me to do my job independently, do you?" she pressed. "Is this about control?"

Rafael's lips twitched, but the smirk never fully formed. Instead, he leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "Selene, you're the best at what you do. I wouldn't have hired you otherwise."

"Then why not let me do my job without you hovering over every move I make?"

His fingers tapped idly against the table, the only sign of any reaction. "I like to ensure things are done to my satisfaction."

"Even if that means controlling every detail?"

A silence stretched between them. Then, in a voice as smooth as the whiskey he favored, Rafael responded, "Control ensures precision. Precision ensures success. That's how I built Castellan Corp into what it is."

Selene narrowed her eyes. "And what about people? Do you control them, too?"

Rafael tilted his head, studying her. "Only the ones who matter."

Her breath caught for a fraction of a second. It was subtle, but there was something possessive in the way he said it—something dangerous.

She straightened, pushing away the unsettling sensation curling in her stomach. "I'm your lawyer, Rafael. Not your employee. And certainly not someone you can manipulate at will."

He let the words hang in the air, unreadable as ever. Then, with slow deliberation, he stood, closing the space between them.

"I don't manipulate, Selene," he murmured. "I strategize."

She clenched her jaw. "Same thing."

A ghost of a smirk flickered across his lips before he turned toward the floor-to-ceiling windows, as if the conversation had already ended in his favor.

Selene exhaled sharply. He wasn't going to admit it. He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of an answer.

And somehow, that frustrated her more than if he had outright confessed to orchestrating everything.

Selene inhaled slowly, steadying herself. This was a game to him. A calculated move. And if she let him, Rafael Castellan would pull her in like gravity—effortless, inevitable.

She refused to let that happen.

Shaking her head, she forced a chuckle. "You know what? Do whatever you want, Rafael. If you need to play puppet master to feel in control, that's your business. But I have work to do, and I don't have time for these mind games."

She reached for her briefcase, snapping it shut with more force than necessary. The room felt stifling, thick with something unspoken, but she refused to acknowledge it. Rafael was a powerful man, used to bending the world to his will. She wouldn't be another piece on his board.

Rafael turned to face her again, watching with that same unreadable gaze. "Is that what you think this is?"

She met his eyes, refusing to back down. "I don't think, Rafael. I know."

The silence stretched between them, a charged pause filled with things neither of them would say.

Then he did something unexpected.

He smiled.

Not his usual smirk. Not the sharp, knowing curve of his lips when he was toying with someone. This was something deeper—something that sent a shiver down her spine.

Selene ignored it. She had to.

Without another word, she turned on her heel and strode toward the door. Her heels clicked against the marble floors, each step purposeful, determined. She wouldn't let him see how rattled she felt, how his presence had a way of lingering even when she was trying to walk away from it.

She pushed open the heavy glass door and stepped out, refusing to look back.

Behind her, Rafael watched her go, his expression unreadable. But inside, he knew.

She was already thinking about him.

She could deny it all she wanted.

But he was under her skin.