Beneath His Touch

Katherine Greene stood in front of her tiny bathroom mirror, smoothing her fingers over the collar of her blouse. The fabric felt too tight, the white too stark against her skin. She had only a few minutes before she needed to leave, but every moment felt like an eternity. Her reflection stared back at her, an image she could barely recognize. The girl she used to be-before the bills piled up, before her life became a game of survival-was hidden beneath a veil of exhaustion.

She sucked in a breath, hoping the blouse would magically fit a little better or make her feel a little more confident. The interview at Blackwood Enterprises was a dream come true. A chance to finally prove herself. A shot at a real career. She was an undergraduate at NYU, studying English Literature on scholarship. But that scholarship was barely enough to cover tuition, let alone living expenses or medical bills. Every semester, it felt like she was running just to stay in place.

Her fingers brushed the fraying edges of her cardigan before she grabbed the worn-out leather bag slung over the chair. She shoved her resume into the folder, barely noticing how it creased at the edges. It didn't matter. It had to be good enough. She had worked too hard for this.

Katherine glanced at the clock again. 8:15 a.m.

"Come on," she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. "You can do this."

She grabbed her phone from the counter, swiping it open to check the text from her grandma.

"Call me when you're done. Remember, you're doing this for Ben too."

Katherine's heart tightened. Her brother, Ben. Only ten years old, and already he'd faced more than most people would in a lifetime. Diagnosed with leukemia at six, Ben had been in and out of hospitals for years. He had more doctors than friends, more pills than toys. And now, his condition was worse than ever.

The bills, though. The bills were the worst part. Every month felt like a new financial disaster. The hospital charges were sky-high, the insurance barely covered half of it. Katherine worked three part-time jobs just to keep things afloat-waitressing at a diner, tutoring at a local high school, and running errands for the elderly residents at a nearby building. It was a gruelling schedule, but it was the only way she could pay rent, keep food in the fridge, and make sure her brother got the treatments he needed. It wasn't just her brother. It was her grandmother too, who had stepped in to raise her after their parents died in a car accident when Katherine was twelve. Grandma was old now-too old to do much more than offer a gentle smile when Katherine needed it most. But her smile was all Katherine had left of her parents, and it was a memory she'd hold onto for dear life.

She shoved her phone back into her bag and left the apartment, slamming the door behind her. The city air hit her immediately-sharp, cold, and unforgiving-but she barely noticed. She had been up all night studying for her interview, too tired to care about the bitter wind or the constant noise of New York City. The subway ride was a blur, her thoughts racing through the potential questions she'd be asked, the expectations that came with a high-profile internship like this.

By the time she arrived at the sleek, glass building of Blackwood Enterprises, her hands were shaking. The receptionist, an impeccably dressed woman with perfectly sculpted hair, greeted her without a smile.

"Name?" she asked, barely looking up.

"Katherine Greene. I'm here for an interview with Mr. Stefan Blackwood." Katherine's voice was steady, though the knot in her stomach threatened to undo her composure.

The receptionist clicked a few keys on her keyboard and nodded, signalling for Katherine to sit. She took a seat in one of the plush chairs, glancing around the waiting area. The walls were lined with expensive art, the floors gleaming with polished marble. Everything in this place screamed wealth and power. It made Katherine feel out of place, like an intruder in a world she didn't belong in.

But she needed this.

Her phone buzzed again, breaking her train of thought. She checked it quickly-just a message from Grandma.

**"Ben's asking about you. He misses you."**

Katherine bit her lip to keep the tears from rising. Her brother, locked in a hospital room, his small body hooked up to machines. Every day, it felt like he was slipping further away, and she could do nothing but fight to keep him alive. She had to succeed. For him.

The doors to the office opened. A tall man in a sharp suit appeared in the doorway. His eyes locked onto hers, and Katherine froze.

"Ms. Greene?" His voice was deep, with an unmistakable authority. Stefan Blackwood.

Katherine stood, her legs suddenly weak. There he was-the man she had read about, the CEO of Blackwood Enterprises. His reputation had followed him, of course-cold, calculating, ruthless. Every article she had read painted him as a man who took no prisoners. The kind of man who could crush her future with a single glance if he wanted.

He was even more intimidating in person. Dark hair, sharp jawline, and eyes that seemed to pierce through her with a look that was almost too intense. He wasn't smiling, but there was something about the way he held himself that made it hard to breathe.

"Please, come in," he said, his voice smooth but demanding.

Katherine nodded, swallowing hard as she walked past him into the sleek, minimalist office. Her heart was racing, her palms slick with sweat. She had to prove herself. She couldn't afford to screw this up.

As she sat down across from him, the air between them felt thick with unspoken tension. Katherine tried to focus on the interview, but all she could think about was the weight of her responsibilities-the bills, her brother, her grandma-and the fact that this internship could be her one chance to change everything.

But one look at Stefan Blackwood, and she knew this interview was going to be more difficult than she ever imagined.