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The man persisted, grabbing a glass filled with whiskey and handing it to her. “Here. Drink this.”
“I don’t want to drink right now.” She gently pushed the glass back.
The man’s face twisted with displeasure, his eyes narrowing. “Young girls like you have become so rude nowadays.” His voice turned sharp, condescending. “Look around you—everyone’s drinking. You’re the odd one out. This is disrespectful attitude for a new hire.”
He gestured toward the other interns, who were laughing, clinking glasses, and drinking freely with their colleagues.
Ivy’s shoulders stiffened further. The man’s stare bore into her like a drill, making her uneasy.
“Take it,” he barked, making her jump.
Caught off guard, Ivy instinctively reached for the glass.
His eyes gleamed with something she couldn’t name, but it sent a chill down her spine.
Hesitantly, she clutched her fingers around the glass.
“Go on.” The man clinked his own glass against hers. “Drink.”
Ivy’s fingers tightened around the cold glass. Her heart pounded in her chest. With a hesitant gulp, she lifted it to her lips—
BANG!
The sound of the bar doors bursting open cut through the noise like a gunshot.
Every head turned. The music didn’t stop, but the energy in the room shifted.
Ivy turned, too.
And then she saw him.
Christian Evans. The CEO of Evans Holdings, one of the richest billionaires in the country at just thirty years old.
Ivy had only ever seen glimpses of him before—once in the office, walking toward the private elevator, a towering presence no one dared to approach.
But now, standing there in the dimly lit bar, he was utterly captivating.
Tall. Powerful. Intimidating.
His sharply cut features were impossible to ignore. High cheekbones, a strong jawline, and a perfectly straight nose that only added to his effortless dominance. His dark hair was neatly styled, but a few strands had fallen out of place, giving him an edge of carelessness. His deep-set eyes, a stormy shade of black,were sharp yet held a quiet intensity, as if he saw everything and missed nothing.
The tailored black suit he wore molded to his broad shoulders, emphasizing his lean yet commanding frame. Everything about him spoke of control, power, and untouchable wealth.
Her breath hitched.
‘He’s so handsome…’ The thought slipped into her mind before she could stop it.
“Oh my god,” one of the interns squealed, grabbing onto her friend. “He’s so freaking hot.”
Christian’s sharp gaze scanned the bar.
And then—his eyes landed on her and they stopped moving.
Ivy froze.
His dark eyes were unreadable, yet they seemed to pierce right through her. For a second, it felt like he could see everything. Every thought in her head, every secret, every fear.
Her grip tightened around the glass in her hand as she quickly dropped her gaze, heart pounding against her ribs.