Chapter 5

Rosie's POV

The meeting made me so worried and anxious. I was gripping the fabric of my pencil skirt while walking along the hallway towards the HR office.

The beat of my heart was louder than the click of my heels on the marbled floor. My sweat was colder than the aircon.

I knocked twice before I opened the door. The head of HR was already inside, waiting.

"Miss Summers, come in."

I bowed my head and entered.

My hands turned colder, scared of what would happen to Thraia and me if I lost this high-paying job. But I knew I should prepare for the worst.

The female head of HR— Ms. Vance— leaned on her swivel chair as she closed the folder in front of her.

I sat across from her, waiting.

"Ms. Summers, HR is aware of the incident between you and Ms. Jones earlier."

I lowered my gaze. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I wasn't thinking clearly. If you give me another chance, I promise nothing like that will happen again."

She shook her head gently. "That's not why you're here."

My lips parted as my heart skipped a beat. I fixed my eyeglasses, shocked. "Ma'am?"

She opened the folder again, her expression shifting into something more neutral, almost professional. "After reviewing your performance and the circumstances, management has decided to offer you a raise."

I stared at her, breath caught in my throat.

A raise?

But... after what just happened? It felt too sudden, too convenient.

She pressed her hands together over the folder. "You've been an exceptionally efficient employee. We don't want to lose someone with your dedication. However, there is a condition—one I believe you're capable of meeting."

"A condition, ma'am?" I repeated, still processing the unexpected turn.

I'd prepared to lose everything. This was... disorienting.

"Think of it less as a condition and more as an expanded role, Ms. Summers. I wouldn't want you to refuse prematurely."

I cleared my throat softly. "Could you clarify what the role entails, Ms. Vance?"

"Well..." She leaned forward again, her tone dropping slightly. "If you accept, you'll be on call for the CEO around the clock. In simpler terms, you'll become his personal assistant."

Thorn's personal assistant?

My whole body froze as I was rendered speechless.

Just being in the same room with him already suffocated me. And now I'd have to be available to him 24 hours a day?

Scenarios appeared in my mind, each one fraught with danger.

My first instinct was to stand and refuse the offer.

Being trapped with a man who already promised to ruin me felt like suicide.

Just as I was about to speak, Ms. Vance slid the document she'd been reviewing across the desk. My eyes dropped to the figure highlighted on the page.

A fivefold increase.

My fingers gripped the fabric of my skirt.

Thraia's hospital bills were living permanently inside my head, keeping me worried all the time. Her condition. The upcoming surgery she needed.

Everything about Thraia and her health rushed to the surface as I stared at the number on that paper.

I looked back at the director, my hands trembling slightly. "May I... have a day to consider, ma'am?"

She nodded. "Of course. The choice is yours. But I'd advise you to accept. Opportunities like this don't come often."

I returned to the executive floor with my thoughts in chaos.

The rest of the day passed like a quiet battle. Voices argued in my head—fear against need, pride against survival. Thankfully, Thorn didn't summon me back to his office. If he had, I wouldn't have been able to focus at all.

After work, I went straight home and cooked Thraia's favorite meal.

My guilt over last night still weighed heavily. My little girl was only five. She must have been so scared.

"Mommy, this is so yummy!" she beamed as we ate.

I smiled at her, watching the light in her eyes—so full of simple joy and optimism. Her giggles echoed in my mind, playing on repeat whenever doubt crept in.

"I love you, Mommy..." she said with a sweet smile, catching me looking at her during our special dinner.

I smiled back, and in that moment, my heart made the decision for me.

My daughter would always come first.

Three months at the new salary would cover Thraia's upcoming treatments. I could even start saving for her surgery. I was willing to sacrifice anything for that. She was the reason I kept going.

After dinner, I bathed Thraia and tucked her into bed.

"Mommy... are you leaving again tonight?" she asked quietly, just when I thought she'd fallen asleep.

I paused, looking at her. "No, sweetheart."

She studied my face. "You don't have to work tonight?"

I brushed her hair back gently. "Tonight, I'm all yours."

She reached up and touched my cheek, her small hand warm against my skin. "Mommy, you don't have to worry about me. I'm a big girl now."

I pulled her close, holding her softly. Humming an old lullaby, I kissed her forehead and let her steady breathing finally calm the storm inside me.

After Thraia fell asleep, I picked up my phone and drafted a formal email accepting the position.

This was the best way forward. I could handle it. I'd do my job well, avoid trouble, and keep my head down. If I didn't argue with Thorn, I could make this work.

I sank onto the couch and let out a slow breath. Just then, my phone chimed—a reply had already come through.

That fast?

Before I could process the surprise, another notification buzzed. This time, a text from an unknown number.

Come pick me up.

My heart stuttered.

No greeting. No explanation. Just an address.

I had a sinking feeling who it was from—and I knew I had no right to refuse. Not after just accepting the promotion.

I slipped into the bedroom and watched Thraia sleeping. I'd promised I wouldn't leave tonight... but now I had to.

'I'll be back before she wakes up.'

I knocked quietly on Mrs. Parker's door, asked her to keep an ear out for Thraia, then left to catch a taxi.

The whole ride, I gripped my phone, mind racing through endless possibilities.

I paid quickly once I arrived and stepped out in front of a sleek two-story building. But when my eyes landed on the glowing neon sign above the entrance, my chest tightened.

I knew this place. The lights, the tinted glass façade, the heavy doors guarding secrets—I recognized it all.

A cold, heavy sense of recognition washed over me.

This was the same upscale club where everything had gone wrong.

Where I'd picked up that client.

Where I'd woken up the next morning in a stranger's bed.