Entangled Obsession

The conference room was buzzing with the sound of people trying and failing to look like they weren't judging each other. The faint hum of whispered conversations mingled with the soft clinking of glasses, as though this was some high-end cocktail party where the dress code was "rich, but still want to look like they don't care."

Lily Hart stood at the front, looking every inch the picture of power and grace. Her auburn hair, which she'd spent twenty minutes perfecting that morning, cascaded in soft waves over her shoulders. Her emerald-green eyes sparkled with a mixture of determination and-let's be honest-maybe just a hint of "I will totally destroy you if you try to mess with my company."

She clicked her remote, advancing the slide on her pitch deck for LushGlow. It was a beauty brand, sure, but it was so much more than that. Sustainability, clean ingredients, and a hella lot of heart. It wasn't just about skincare-it was about giving people the confidence to embrace their natural selves. And she wasn't going to let some corporate giants rain on her parade.

The investors at the table were an eclectic group of middle-aged men in suits that probably cost more than her rent for a year. Most of them looked mildly intrigued, a few more than mildly bored, and one...

Well, one was making her wish she could teleport.

Adrian Blackwell.

He was seated at the end of the table, all power and mystery in a suit so perfectly tailored it probably had its own zip code. His jet-black hair was combed back like a James Bond villain, his jawline sharp enough to cut glass "probably an actual hazard at parties", and those silver-gray eyes? They weren't just looking at her-they were dissecting her like she was the last slice of pizza at a party where no one wanted to admit they were hungry.

He didn't just watch her. He studied her, and not in a flattering way. Like she was some specimen in a lab, a puzzle that needed solving, and he already knew the answer was "I'm way too much for you."

Which, fine. She was used to it. But it didn't make it any less annoying.

She cleared her throat and pushed forward, shaking off the nerves as she started her pitch. "LushGlow isn't just another skincare brand," she began, her voice steady and confident. "It's a movement. A response to a world that's way past due for cleaner, greener solutions."

She clicked to the next slide, the screen flashing a compelling chart. "We've seen a 200% increase in online engagement in the last quarter. With the right investment, we can scale and bring this vision to the global stage. I'm looking for the kind of partnership that sees the potential and doesn't shy away from the work it will take."

A couple of investors nodded, a few of them even leaning in, which was a good sign. She could practically taste victory. But when her eyes flicked over to Adrian, his expression was... well, basically the equivalent of a "meh" emoji.

He leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled in front of his mouth, like he was some kind of corporate monk meditating on the futility of life. His voice cut through the silence. "Impressive numbers," he said slowly, the words dripping with a mixture of polite interest and something else-something that was just a little too condescending for her taste. "But numbers don't guarantee sustainability. What's your plan for scalability? Do you even have one?"

Lily blinked. That was a lot of skepticism for a guy who probably got his coffee served by someone who'd signed a non-disclosure agreement.

"I've outlined my strategy," she said, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. "It's in the proposal you've been sent."

Adrian's lips curled into a smile, but it wasn't the charming kind. It was the kind of smile you give a dog when it finally stops barking. "Proposals are easy to write, Miss Hart. Execution is where most startups fail. Do you have the resources to pull it off? The infrastructure? The experience?"

Lily could practically hear the unspoken 'darling' at the end of that sentence.

She resisted the urge to snap, "Do you have the resources to stop being so insufferable?" Instead, she smiled coolly, her hands still firmly gripping the edge of the table.

"I have the vision. And I have the drive," she said, holding his gaze. "Something that's pretty rare in your world, I'm guessing."

She couldn't resist. It slipped out before she could stop it.

A flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes. Good. She'd caught him off guard.

"Well, then," he said, leaning forward, his voice dropping low and dangerous. "This should be interesting."

******

After the meeting, Lily was done. It wasn't just that Adrian had rubbed her the wrong way. It was his whole "I'm the king of the world" energy that made her want to flip a table. So instead of heading to her car, she found herself in the hallway of the office building, making a beeline for the elevator, trying to get as far away from Adrian Blackwell as humanly possible.

"Lily!"

The sudden voice yanked her out of her thoughts. She turned and saw Evelyn-her best friend and co-conspirator-hurrying toward her, her blonde curls bouncing with every step.

"Tell me everything," Evelyn said, practically vibrating with excitement. "How did it go? Did anyone pass out from sheer amazement at your brilliance?"

Lily forced a smile, taking a deep breath. "Well, Adrian Blackwell is definitely good at one thing: making me want to strangle him with his own tie."

Evelyn gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her heart. "The Adrian Blackwell? CEO, billionaire, and destroyer of dreams?"

"The same," Lily deadpanned.

Evelyn's eyes went wide with mock horror. "You survived? I thought he only left survivors if you offered him your soul in return."

Lily rolled her eyes, chuckling despite herself. "It's like he's got a sixth sense for finding exactly what will piss me off."

"Maybe he's into you," Evelyn teased. "Maybe all that snarky, control-freak energy is just his way of flirting. Ever think of that?"

Lily stopped in her tracks. "Please, no. That man's ego is big enough to have its own reality show."

"Oh, so you are into him?" Evelyn waggled her eyebrows.

"I'm just saying, I'm not a fan of men who think they can buy everything and everyone."

"Yet here you are, trying to sell him your soul, I mean, your business," Evelyn added with a grin.

"I'm not selling him my soul," Lily said, although the faintest trace of doubt entered her voice. "I'm trying to sell him the future of LushGlow. But I'm not sure it's worth the price if he's gonna keep questioning everything I say."

Evelyn clucked her tongue. "I think you should just lock him in a room with you and force him to watch the entire season of The Bachelor. Nothing kills an ego faster than bad reality TV."

Lily laughed out loud, feeling some of the tension ease from her shoulders. "I think I'd rather just have a coffee and maybe a cookie. Definitely a cookie."

******

Later that evening, Lily sat in her small but cozy office, surrounded by stacks of proposals, spreadsheets, and a handful of skincare samples that had yet to make their mark on the world. The city outside was quiet, the lights twinkling like stars. Her fingers drummed against the edge of her desk in rhythm with her thoughts. She'd learned long ago that she couldn't let setbacks get to her-not when so much was riding on LushGlow.

But just as she was about to dive back into work, she glanced up and caught a glimpse of movement outside the window.

A black car.

And a figure in a dark suit standing on the sidewalk, looking up at her building. His posture was stiff, deliberate-too still, almost unnaturally so, like he was waiting for something. The man's face was obscured by the shadows, but the intensity of his gaze seemed to pierce through the night.

Lily's heart skipped a beat, a strange unease slithering up her spine. She couldn't make out any details, but something about the figure sent a chill through her.

Her eyes narrowed. She had no idea who the person was. It could have been anyone-some businessman, a stranger waiting for a ride, or maybe even someone just passing by. But she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it.

Was it paranoia? Maybe. But she had learned long ago to trust her instincts.

With a slow breath, she turned away from the window and focused back on her work, pushing the unease to the back of her mind. But she couldn't quite escape the feeling that the night had just taken an unexpected turn.