Married To The Billionaire Alpha King-Chapter 28 - you’re fired

28

~Elara’s POV

I took a shaky breath and straightened my shoulders, even though my hands were trembling as I spoke. "I... I was just hired by Alpha Darlon," I whispered, my voice barely audible, like saying it louder would make the world collapse around me. "That’s why I’m here."

The receptionist’s eyes narrowed, sharp and cold. "Hired? There was no interview conducted," she snapped, her voice loud enough that a few nearby footsteps faltered. "And you..." she reached for her phone, dialling with exaggerated slowness, "are going to embarrass yourself if you think you can just walk in here. Security will..."

I froze, the blood in my face rushing like it wanted to escape. My stomach twisted, my chest tightened, and I felt every nerve in my body scream that I should just disappear.

Before I could even try to explain, the sliding doors behind me swooshed, and a familiar voice cut through the tension like fire. "Elara," Darlon’s voice rumbled, calm but sharp, and the entire lobby seemed to shrink around him.

The receptionist flinched violently, her phone dropping slightly in her hand. Her eyes went wide, like a deer caught in headlights, and she couldn’t speak.

Darlon’s gaze was ice and fire all at once as he stepped closer to me, his hand brushing lightly along my arm in passing, not romantic, but grounding, and said softly, "Follow me, Elara."

I swallowed, nodding quickly, stepping behind him, almost tripping on my nerves as we walked.

Without turning, he fixed the receptionist with a stare so cold it made the hairs on my neck stand. "Next time you try that," he said slowly, deliberately, "you won’t only lose your job. You’ll lose your life."

Her lips quivered, and she stammered out a barely audible apology, bowing slightly. I could see the fear in her eyes, and for a moment, I didn’t even notice Darlon beside me, just how calm and collected he was while everyone else quivered.

We reached the elevator, and I followed him in, clutching my bag tightly. The doors closed with a soft ding, and I kept my eyes down. He leaned slightly closer, his shoulder brushing mine. "My office is on the top floor," he said, voice low, almost a whisper. "Your office will be there too."

I nodded, too flustered to speak, feeling my ears heat. "It’s... It’s fine," I muttered quickly, trying to sound composed, even though I felt like my heart was pounding out of my chest.

He turned his gaze on me, studying me like I was fragile glass. "It’s okay," he said again, almost softer this time, and I thought I saw a ghost of a smile tug at his lips. I couldn’t tell; my mind was too busy telling me that I was probably too small, too insignificant to deserve this attention.

The elevator hummed upward, and the city lights reflected off the glass walls outside. I felt like I was inside a bubble, removed from everyone else, my thoughts spinning in loops of "don’t mess this up" and "he probably regrets hiring you already."

Finally, the elevator doors opened with a soft ding, and Darlon led me down a short hallway to a polished mahogany door. "Here," he said simply. "You’ll work here too. Right next to me."

I froze for a second, staring at him. "O-okay," I whispered, feeling the familiar knot of anxiety tighten in my stomach.

He opened the door, and I stepped inside slowly, my chest tightening as the morning light poured through the massive windows.

"Come," he said softly, not looking up from his tablet at first, his tone commanding yet calm. "You’ll be working here as well. Your desk is ready."

I stepped in, the floor cool under my shoes, and my hands fidgeted with the strap of my bag. "I... I’ll... I’ll start," I murmured, almost to myself, moving to the small desk and reaching for the system to turn it on.

He nodded, showing me his office across from mine and then left.

I was about to turn on the system on my table when I heard a soft click, and that made me look up. A woman entered, elegant and poised, hair perfectly done, heels clicking sharply against the floor. My heart thudded painfully in my chest, comparing her instantly to myself. She was flawless, every inch a picture of confidence, and I felt my stomach twist.

Her gaze landed on me, and I noticed the disgust in her expression. My throat constricted. I cleared it softly. "Can I... help you?" I asked, voice small.

"I was told to see if you’d like some coffee," she said coolly, her eyes flicking over me like I wasn’t even there, just an obstacle in her path.

I swallowed hard. "I... I can manage my own coffee. You can just tell me where the machine is," I whispered, hoping I sounded polite, not foolish.

Her lips curled in a thin hiss. "I’m not here to serve you but the Alpha. Just tell me what you want because he told me to get you anything you need, and mind you, I will be doing that just once!" she spat out, and my stomach dropped, my fingers tightening on the edge of the desk.

"I... I want coffee," I said softly, my voice barely carrying across the office. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

She muttered under her breath as she walked past me, "Alpha Darlon already has her personal secretary... I don’t see why he needs another."

Another secretary?

I took a deep breath and stepped into Darlon’s office immediately.

Darlon was seated behind his desk, a tablet propped in front of him, and several people visible on the screen in an online meeting. His eyes flicked up at me, sharp and piercing even from behind the screen. The room felt like it tilted slightly, my legs weak as I approached.

He paused the meeting with a soft click, his gaze settling on me. "Elara," he said, and the sound of my name from his lips made me stiffen, like I’d just been caught in the spotlight.

"Darlon," I whispered, stepping closer, my voice small and careful. "I... I wanted to ask... why did you want me as your personal secretary? You... you already have one."

He raised a single eyebrow, leaning back slightly in his chair, his fingers steepled together. "There’s nothing wrong with having two," he said evenly, his voice calm but commanding, making my chest tighten even more. "Two minds are better than one. You won’t be redundant."

I nodded slowly, though my stomach still twisted with nerves, my hands fidgeting with the strap of my bag. "I... I see," I muttered, my voice barely audible, unsure if I was doing the right thing just standing there.

Before I could think further, the door to the office creaked open. The woman from earlier, the one who had hissed at me about the coffee, stepped in. She bowed sharply to Darlon, her heels clicking against the floor.

"Alpha Darlon," she said, her tone smooth and flirtatious, and she placed a cup of coffee gently on his desk.

Then she turned to me, her eyes narrow. "And you, your coffee is on the table too," she said, her words clipped, almost like a warning, and her expression held a thin layer of disdain.

I blinked, unsure if I had heard her correctly. My voice came out soft, hesitant. "I... I..."

Darlon’s head tilted slightly, his dark eyes narrowing as he leaned forward. "Repeat that," he said, his voice low, controlled, and somehow terrifying.

The woman froze, then bowed even lower. "I... I apologise, Alpha Darlon," she stammered, her voice shaking slightly.

Darlon’s lips curved into a faint, cold smile. "You’re fired," he said quietly, the words slicing through the room like a knife.

Her eyes went wide, her jaw dropping in disbelief. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.