Tempting the billionaire

The first time Seraphina Vale laid eyes on Darius Blackthorn, he didn't look like a man-he looked like a verdict.

He stood at the top of the grand staircase inside Blackthorn Tower, backlit by golden firelight that shimmered against the obsidian walls. His gaze swept the lobby with cool disinterest, landing briefly on the dozen staff members lined up for inspection. When his eyes touched hers, just for a second, Seraphina forgot why she'd come.

Then she remembered the fire. The screams. Her father's voice cracking as their family estate was torn apart by spells wrapped in legal contracts. She remembered the emblem branded onto the parchment that destroyed her world-Blackthorn Enterprises.

And just like that, the spell of him broke.

He was the enemy. And she was here to end him.

"I don't repeat myself," he said without raising his voice, yet everyone in the room tensed. "If you make a mistake, I won't correct it-I'll replace you. That's how I run my company. If you're sentimental, leave now."

No one moved. Not even Seraphina.

His eyes flicked to her again. Slower this time. Calculating.

He noticed her.

She dropped her gaze, feigning nervousness. It wasn't hard-her heart was pounding like war drums.

He descended the stairs like a king surveying his kingdom, pausing only when he reached the floor. He moved past the staff without acknowledging a single one. That was his power-absolute and effortless.

Except this time, his steps slowed.

Then stopped.

Right in front of her.

"What's your name?" he asked.

She swallowed, then lifted her chin. "Seraphina Vale."

His lips curved, not quite a smile. More like amusement. "New assistant?"

"Yes, Mr. Blackthorn."

He stared at her a moment too long. "Vale... Interesting name."

"It means 'farewell.'"

"Let's hope it doesn't apply to your employment."

Then he was gone, striding down the corridor with shadows licking at his heels, leaving only the chill of his presence behind.

Blackthorn Tower wasn't just a corporate building. It was a fortress of secrets. Magic ran through its veins like electricity-silent, unseen, but dangerous if touched wrong. The upper levels were restricted to those with clearance and spell-sealed access. Seraphina didn't have it. Yet.

But she would.

Her resume had been forged by the best, her background wiped clean, her references enchanted to hold up to inspection. Every step had been calculated. She'd spent years preparing. Training. Waiting for the moment she could stand in this very place.

And now that she was in, she had exactly one goal:

Get close to Darius Blackthorn.

Earn his trust.

Then destroy everything he built.

The next morning, Seraphina reported to his private floor at six sharp. The air was cooler there, perfumed with leather-bound tomes, old magic, and ruthlessness. His office was a cathedral of glass and metal, framed by enchanted skylights that shimmered between sunlight and starlight depending on his mood.

She knocked once.

"Enter."

He didn't look up from his desk when she stepped in. "You're early."

"You said seven."

"I also said I hate lateness. Early shows initiative. That's the first point in your favor."

He gestured to the chair across from him. She sat. The silence stretched, thick and deliberate. Darius glanced up, eyes sharp as obsidian.

"Tell me, Miss Vale-why do you want to work here?"

"I believe in Blackthorn's vision."

He raised a brow. "Do you?"

"I want to learn from the best. You've built a company that dominates not just business, but magic economy itself."

He leaned back, folding his hands. "That sounds like a textbook answer."

Seraphina held his gaze. "Because it is. You don't want honesty. You want strategy. Every conversation with you is a chessboard."

His expression didn't change. But the air shifted-like static before a storm.

"You might actually be interesting," he murmured.

"Thank you, sir."

"I didn't say it was a compliment."

"Noted."

For a long moment, he simply studied her. Seraphina held steady, though the weight of his scrutiny was like standing in front of a dragon deciding whether to burn you or spare you.

Finally, he stood.

"I have a meeting in twenty minutes. Prepare the schedule. Re-alphabetize the contractor registry. And summon the enchantment security review logs for the last quarter."

He walked past her. Then paused.

"Oh, and Seraphina?"

"Yes?"

"Don't lie to me. I always find out."

She waited until the door clicked shut before releasing the breath she'd held. Her fingers trembled slightly as she picked up the datapad. She'd expected him to be cold, cruel, powerful. But she hadn't expected him to be... magnetic.

That was going to make this harder.

Because somewhere between the lies she told and the truth she buried, Seraphina couldn't afford to forget one thing:

This wasn't a job. It was a trap.

And she wasn't hunting the villain.

She was walking straight into the lion's den-armed with nothing but secrets and revenge.