Chapter 4: Power Plays and Unspoken Desires

The morning after the tense meeting, Lily arrived at Blackwood Enterprises with a renewed sense of purpose.

If Adrian Blackwood thought he could intimidate her into submission, he was wrong.

She had survived his tests, his cold stares, and his mind games. And now, after standing her ground in that boardroom, she had proven that she wasn’t just another disposable employee.

The real question was what was his next move?

By noon, she had her answer.

Adrian ignored her.

No emails. No passive-aggressive tests. No unexpected demands.

It was as if she had been erased from his radar entirely.

Good.

At least, that’s what she told herself.

But deep down, there was an unsettling tightness in her chest.

Why did it feel like his absence was more suffocating than his presence?

By  3 PM, an unexpected email landed in her inbox.

From: Adrian Blackwood

Subject: Event.

Message: You will accompany me to the Aston Holdings gala tonight. Be ready by 7. A car will pick you up.

Lily stared at the screen.

What the hell?

Was this an order? A request? A power move?

Before she could think too much, Veronica strolled past and noticed her expression.

“Oh,” she mused, glancing at Lily’s screen. “So he’s making his move.”

Lily frowned. “What move?”

Veronica smirked. “You’re the first assistant he’s ever taken to an event. This isn’t about work, sweetheart.”

Lily scoffed. “It’s a gala. He probably just needs someone to take notes while he networks.”

Veronica gave her a knowing look. “Sure, let’s go with that.”

At 6:50 PM, a sleek black car pulled up outside Lily’s apartment.

She had debated whether or not to go. Whether or not to let herself be pulled further into Adrian Blackwood’s world.

But in the end, curiosity won.

She stepped into the car, the soft hum of the engine the only sound as the driver took off toward the venue.

When she arrived at the grand ballroom, her breath caught.

It was an opulent display of power and wealth, filled with New York’s most elite business moguls.

And at the center of it all, Adrian Blackwood.

Dressed in a perfectly tailored black tux, standing in easy conversation with some of the most influential men in the industry. But the second he saw her, he stopped talking.

Grey eyes swept over her, slow, deliberate, assessing.

Lily’s spine straightened. “Am I late?” she mumbled to herself

Adrian took a step closer, voice low as he spoke. “No. But you’re distracting.”

Her pulse jumped.

Was that… was that a compliment?

Before she could respond, someone approached them.

Cassandra Sterling. Adrian’s ex-fiancée.

Cassandra was impossibly beautiful, a woman carved from ice and fire, her gaze sharp as she looked Lily over.

“Well, well,” she mused, swirling the champagne in her glass. “This is new.”

Lily lifted a brow. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

Cassandra’s smile was blade-sharp. “Oh, darling, you don’t need an introduction. I know exactly who you are.”

Lily held her gaze. “Is that so?”

Cassandra leaned in, lowering her voice. “A little warning? Adrian doesn’t get attached. Whatever game you think you’re playing—don’t.”

Adrian stepped in before Lily could respond, his presence a wall of quiet authority.

“Cassandra.” His voice was cool. “I don’t recall inviting you into this conversation.”

Cassandra smiled sweetly. “Oh, darling, I go where I please.”

Then, with one last glance at Lily, she walked away.

Lily let out a slow breath. “She seems… charming.”

Adrian’s jaw tightened. “Ignore her.”

Lily studied him. “You were engaged.”

He didn’t deny it.

“Past tense,” he said simply.

Lily tilted her head. “And yet, she still walks around like she owns you.”

His gaze snapped to hers. “No one owns me.”

Her lips curved. “Good to know.”

And just like that, the tension shifted.

Because now, Adrian wasn’t just watching her.

He was intrigued and that was dangerous.

The gala continued, conversations flowing, deals being made.

But Lily felt him even when he wasn’t looking at her, even when he was across the room—she felt his presence.

And when a new song started, when the lights dimmed just slightly, when the dance floor filled with New York’s elite—Adrian appeared beside her.

“Dance with me.”

Lily hesitated. “Is that an order?”

A flicker of amusement. “Would you obey if it was?”

She smirked. “Not a chance.”

Adrian extended his hand. “Then take it anyway.”

Against her better judgment, she did.

The second his hand touched hers, something shifted.

The air between them was electric.

An Unspoken spark flowed between them.

His grip was firm as he pulled her onto the floor, his other hand settling against the small of her back.

They moved in perfect sync, each step calculated yet effortless.

Lily couldn’t breathe.

Because this wasn’t just a dance.

This was a power play. A game of control.

And Adrian Blackwood?

He never played to lose.

His voice was a low murmur against her ear.

“You’re enjoying this.”

She tilted her head. “Are you?”

His lips barely brushed her cheek. “More than I should.”

Lily’s pulse jumped.

This was dangerous. A line she shouldn’t cross.

But as she looked up, meeting his gaze, she knew one thing.

She wasn’t the only one falling.