The moment I stepped out of the conference room, I knew something had shifted. The lines had blurred, the balance had tilted, and the stakes had risen.

Evelyn Rhodes' words echoed in my head You have potential. It was a compliment, but also a challenge. And one I couldn't ignore.

I straightened my posture and walked back to my desk, determined not to let the weight of the meeting distract me. But as soon as I sat down, a new email popped into my inbox.

Subject: After-Hours Discussion

From: Alexander Blackwood

To: Olivia Carter

Miss Carter,

My office. 7 PM. There are matters to discuss.

No explanation. No pleasantries. Just a demand wrapped in formality.

I inhaled sharply. This wasn't just business. This was another test, another move in whatever game we had started playing. The question was?was I still in control?

By the time 7 PM arrived, the office was nearly empty, the usual hum of activity replaced by an eerie silence. I took a deep breath, adjusted my blazer, and walked to his office, my heels clicking against the polished floor.

I knocked once before stepping inside. Alexander was behind his desk, but unlike earlier, he wasn't reviewing documents. He was watching me.

"Close the door," he said, his voice calm but firm.

I did.

He gestured to the seat across from him. "Sit."

I sat, refusing to show the nerves tightening my stomach. "You wanted to discuss something?"

A small smirk played at the corner of his lips. "You impressed Worthington today."

I tilted my chin slightly. "I did my job."

"You did more than that." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "Evelyn Rhodes doesn't hand out compliments easily. And she wasn't the only one watching today."

I swallowed. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"

Alexander studied me for a long moment before standing up and walking to the bar cart in the corner of his office. He poured himself a drink and, after a pause, poured a second.

Then he turned to me, offering the glass.

I hesitated.

"Relax, Miss Carter," he said smoothly. "It's just whiskey. Not a contract."

I took the glass, our fingers brushing briefly. Heat flickered between us, but I ignored it.

Alexander returned to his seat, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "You remind me of myself when I was starting out."

I arched a brow. "Oh?"

He nodded. "Ambitious. Focused. Unwilling to let anyone dictate your future."

A part of me bristled at the comparison. "With all due respect, Mr. Blackwood, I don't think we're that alike."

His eyes darkened slightly. "No?"

I took a slow sip of whiskey before answering. "You play chess with people. I play chess with ideas. There's a difference."

For a split second, something flashed in his gaze - approval, intrigue, maybe even amusement. "Perhaps."

I set my glass down. "If that's all, I should go."

His expression turned unreadable. "One last thing."

I waited.

"The board has been watching you, too."

My breath caught. "Excuse me?"

"Don't act surprised. After today's presentation, you're on their radar. If you want to climb, now's your chance."

I straightened in my chair. "And you? What do you want?"

His lips curled slightly. "I want to see what you'll do with an open door."

The words lingered in the air between us, heavy with meaning.

I stood. "Then I suppose we'll find out."

For the first time, I walked out of his office feeling like I had played my own move. And for once, I wasn't just reacting - I was leading.

The next morning, I woke up to a flurry of messages. News of the Worthington deal had already spread, and so had the conversation about my role in it.

Keep an eye out. You have potential.

Those words weren't just in my head anymore. They were becoming real.

By lunchtime, my inbox was flooded with meeting requests and invitations - executives who had never noticed me before suddenly wanted to discuss "collaborations."

And then there was another message.

Subject: Dinner Proposal

From: Evelyn Rhodes

To: Olivia Carter

Olivia,

I'd love to continue our discussion from yesterday. Join me for dinner tonight?

I stared at the screen, my pulse quickening. This wasn't just a casual dinner. This was an opportunity. A door opening.

But as I hovered over the reply button, another email popped up.

Subject: Tonight

From: Alexander Blackwood

To: Olivia Carter

Miss Carter,

Change of plans. My driver will pick you up at 8.

No explanation. No question. Just a statement.

A challenge.

I stared at the two emails, my heart hammering.

One was a future. The other? a reckoning.

I had a choice to make.

I took a deep breath, then typed out my reply.

To Evelyn Rhodes: I'd be honored to join you for dinner.

I hesitated before composing another reply.

To Alexander Blackwood: Unfortunately, I already have plans.

I pressed send before I could overthink it.

For the first time, I wasn't waiting for his next move. I was making my own.

As I left the office that evening, I didn't look back.

Because the game had changed.

And I was ready to play.