Taming The Billionaire Ceo

d tightly in her hand. She needed to leave, but the thought of appr

lightly on the door and pushed it ope

ark circles under his eyes and the tension in his jaw hinted at a restless night,

but urgent. "I need to speak with you.

d across the paper, his focus unyielding

, but I really need to leave for a

glance. "Do you know how many emergencies I deal with in a single day, Mis

ie pressed on. "I'll make up

He cut her off, his

ere for a moment, biting back the frustration that threatened to

clicking against the floor as she hurried back to her desk. Grabb

ed outside, she dial

Sophie asked, her vo

e voice on the other end replied. "You'd b

racing. Fifteen minutes later, she arrived at the sce

ir framing her flushed face. She was yelling at a group of o

an me?" her mother slurred, stumbling slightly as she g

e pushed through the crowd, grabbing her m

s my perfect little girl. Always so serious, always trying to fix ev

pleaded, her voice b

uder, and Sophie could feel their

ntinued, gesturing to herself with exaggerat

owd muttered loud enough for her to hear, "No wo

the sting of the words h

d, wrapping an arm around her m

, she couldn't ignore the whis

is nothing

p their mess of

didn't stop. She couldn't. Holding her mother stead

th unshed tears. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't escape the wei

******

ars. Her mother's outburst had left her emotionally drained, but she couldn't afford to lose th

king to a group of employees. His sharp suit was immaculate, and his commanding pres

ough to make the small crowd around him scat

orm a response, but before

l keep this job? This isn't some charity. If you can't even

mered, stepping closer. "I

om the moment you walked through those doors. You can't follow instruct

coworkers pretended not to listen, t

e. It won't happen

Oh, it won't happen again, because you won't

ered, her voice trembling. "Please, don't do t

eemed like he might relent. But then he turned

" he said

desperation heaving her chest. "Please, Mr. Steele. I'll wo

, and for a long moment, the s

epeated, his voice quiete

ing at her tears. "Whatever it

o hers. For a second, something unreadable bore in h

u get one more chance. But if you so much as br

elief washing over her eve

laced with disdain. "You're a mess, and I won't

ide and nodded again. "

n Adrian's trust and maybe get an increase. She tho

******

ing down on her all at once. She dropped her bag by the door, her hands tremblin

fingers. The air was thick with smoke, and an empty bottle sat on

ing a long drag of her cigarette, he

surface. She clenched her fists, her che

ave no idea what I've been through today! And all b

rtled by Sophie's outburst. "W

sing my mind, Mum! Every single day, I have to clean up after you. I have to deal with

"Don't you dare talk to me like that, you

more! Do you know what people say about us? About you? I had to stand there today a

another drag of her cigarette,

so hard to keep us stable, but you're dragging us down with your ridiculous b

s quivered, but

, to stop causing scenes, to stop giving people reasons to look down on us. I can't carry this

ette burning between her mother's fingers. Sophie wiped at her

ilt and defiance. "You don't understand, Sophie," she murmure

"Because I'm trying, Mum. But if you don't meet me h

. She walked to her room, shutting the door behind her. Alone in t

motions, cry out and hide h

******

His thoughts were a mess, still haunted by the events of the past few days. The betrayal he'd walked in on,

owned, setting the cup down. He wasn't expecting anyone a

neatly dressed but with a calculating glint in

sked coldly, his