Aria's POV

Knock, knock.

"Come in," the chief's voice echoed through the door.

I stepped into the room, expecting the usual, but was met with an unfamiliar sight—two men sitting beside the chief, who smiled warmly as he always did. His kindness had always felt paternal, a father figure I never had. He was one of the few people who never expected much from me, just a small smile. Yet no matter how hard I tried, I could never manage even that. Emotions felt distant, unreachable.

"Let me introduce you," the chief said, gesturing towards the younger man on the right. "This is Evin Ray."

Evin looked like a ball of energy about to explode. He jumped up from his seat, extending his hand. "Hi! Nice to meet you", he said.

I shook his hand firmly, acknowledging his enthusiasm with a nod. "Aria Elsher."

"And this," Evin said, turning to the man beside him, "is my best friend, Atlas Sharein."

Atlas. The name struck me even before I looked up. When I did, I was momentarily taken aback. It wasn't just his looks—handsome, almost ethereal—but the cold, calculating eyes that pierced right through me. He didn't extend his hand, didn't even offer a smile. His expression was distant, judgmental.

Great, I thought. Another guy who thinks women can't handle the job.

I extended my hand despite his attitude. His grip was firm but cold, his eyes never leaving mine. If he was trying to intimidate me, he failed. I was used to that look.

Turning back to the chief, I cut to the chase. "Sir, how can I help you?"

"Aria, I want you to handle Mr. Sharein's case. You'll be his full-time hacker and bodyguard." He leaned forward, his tone serious now. "Someone has breached his business network, and he has been under constant attack. I need you to be with him 24/7."

"I'll get on it right away, sir."

"Good. You all can head to the conference room and go over the details." The chief glanced at his watch. "I won't be able to join you, unfortunately. I have another meeting to attend."

"No problem, Chief. We'll handle it," Evin chimed in with his usual enthusiasm. Atlas, still silent, just nodded, his eyes never leaving me.

The chief patted my head gently, a rare gesture of affection, then left the room.

"Follow me," I said, gesturing toward the conference room. I could feel Atlas's gaze burning into my back as we walked, but I didn't care. He was always watching, always analyzing, but it didn't faze me.

Once we settled in the room, I broke the silence.

"I already know about the hacking," I said, my tone firm. "But I want more details on the attack."

My eyes flicked between them, waiting. I needed answers, not just the surface-level facts they'd given before.

Evin was about to speak when Atlas shot him a sharp glare. Evin clamped his mouth shut, visibly nervous. Atlas's control over him was evident, but I wasn't having it.

"If you want this issue resolved, Mr. Sharein, I need every detail," I said, my voice steady, eyes locked with his.

Atlas sighed, breaking his cold facade just slightly. "Fine. One night, we noticed..."

He went on to describe the attacks, how their systems were breached, and how they'd been targeted ever since. His voice was firm but tired, as if the weight of the situation had been dragging him down.

"Got it. I'll start tomorrow as your bodyguard," I said, gathering my things. I handed them the contract, and they signed it without hesitation. As I stood to leave, Evin grinned, full of excitement.

"See you tomorrow, then?"

"Sure," I replied, my voice as emotionless as ever. Evin's smile faltered, but I wasn't here to make friends.

Atlas? He just glared, an expression that seemed to be permanently etched on his face. He said nothing as he stood and left the room. What's his problem? I thought.

"Don't mind him," Evin said, noticing my reaction. "He's always like that."

I nodded, already turning back to my desk. Evin seemed to understand I wasn't in the mood for chit-chat and left as well.

For the next four hours, I poured over the details, creating a report with everything I had gathered. I was focused, blocking out the world around me, until Elisha  interrupted.

"Let's grab lunch."

I nodded, gathering my things, and we headed to a nearby store. We bought meal kits and sat outside on a bench, enjoying the pleasant weather.

"So, how was the new client?" Elisha asked, excitement in her voice. "I heard it's none other than Atlas Sharein. Is he really as hot as they say?"

I stared blankly at her for a moment. She sighed, realizing I wasn't the type to care about looks. Though, in some corner of my mind, I couldn't deny that she was right. Still, I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction.

"Come on, Aria! You never check out guys, but this one's like a god! How can you not notice?" She facepalmed dramatically.

"I'm just doing my job."

"Yeah, but your job is to be with him all the time," she teased. "You're gonna break eventually. No one can resist someone that good-looking for long."

"No one comes between me and my work, Elisha. You know that."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," she waved me off.

Back at the office, I asked Elisha to pull up all the intel she could find on Atlas's rivals, and we worked late into the evening. By 9 o'clock, I was done for the day.

When I finally returned home, my stomach clenched as I saw my aunt and uncle waiting on the couch. Their faces twisted into sneers.

"So, you finally decided to show up," my uncle snapped. "You work for a broke company; what could possibly keep you this late every night?"

Before I could answer, my aunt chimed in, her voice dripping with venom. "Oh, please. You know what she's doing. Whoring around for money, I bet."

I ignored them, as I always did, and started up the stairs. But my uncle wasn't done. He yanked my hair, pulling me back down. "You disrespectful little bitch!" he shouted, raining down blows until he tired himself out. I could've fought back, taken him down in seconds, but I never did. I had to keep my job—and my abilities—secret.

When he was done, he shoved me aside and stormed out, my aunt smirking as she followed. I picked myself up, numb to the pain, and headed to the shower.

After cleaning up, I grabbed a granola bar from the kitchen. I'd skip meals if I could, but I needed to stay fit for my job.

As I lay down in bed, the darkness felt comforting. Tomorrow was another day, another challenge.

Let's see what happens with Atlas Sharein.....