Later that afternoon, Eva knocked lightly on Andrew’s office door. She stepped inside, bracing herself for whatever new task he might throw her way.

Andrew barely looked up as he handed her a thick stack of files, the weight of them nearly tipping from her hands.

“Sir…” Eva’s eyes widened as she stared at the overwhelming pile of work. “How am I supposed to do all of this by the end of the day?”

Andrew’s cold gaze met hers. “I need them finished. No excuses.”

Eva stared at him, her frustration bubbling beneath the surface. But knowing how futile it was to argue with him, she decided it was best to leave without making a scene. “Fine,” she muttered, biting back the bitterness in her voice as she walked out of the office.

The moment the door closed behind her, Andrew allowed a small, self-satisfied smile to creep across his lips. “Let’s see how you meet your so-called brother now,” he whispered to himself.

Back in her office, Eva threw the files on her desk with a loud thud. She dropped into her chair with a long sigh, her hands pressed against her temples as if trying to ward off the looming headache.

“Ahhh…” she groaned, dragging her hands down her face. “Andrew King, you’re really getting on my nerves.”

Andrew watched her through the hidden cameras, seeing her frustration unfold in real-time. Her quiet mumbling amused him, though his expression darkened at the sight of her looking so close to tears. But then, as always, Eva squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. No matter how much he pushed her, she refused to let him see her break.

Stubborn woman, Andrew thought, a flicker of admiration passing through his cold exterior.

About an hour later, Kai strolled into Eva’s office, a playful grin on his face. “Woah, that’s a lot of work,” he said, his eyes sweeping across the mountain of files.

Eva looked up from her desk, smiling despite the exhaustion tugging at her. “Hi, Kai. What brings you here?”

Kai ran a hand through his messy hair. “I just came to see if you’ve eaten lunch.”

Eva shook her head. “Too busy. And not really hungry, anyway.”

Before Kai could say more, Aurora popped her head inside the office, flashing a knowing grin. “Let me guess—did the Iceberg give you all that?”

Eva gave a weary sigh. “Yes. What else is new?”

Aurora chuckled and gave a quick wave. “Well, good luck. I won’t distract you. See you later!”

Kai frowned at the files strewn across Eva’s desk and leaned against the doorway. “If you won’t eat, at least let me grab you a coffee,” he offered kindly.

Eva smiled, grateful for the gesture. “Thanks, Kai. I could use one.”

Satisfied, Kai turned to leave, saying over his shoulder, “I’ll be right back.”

Meanwhile, Andrew was watching the entire interaction from his office, and his jaw clenched in anger. His hand curled into a fist as he muttered under his breath, “That idiot just can’t leave her alone.”

Andrew’s frustration only grew. He pressed the intercom button. “Edward,” he called sharply.

A few moments later, the door opened, and James Allen entered instead. “Edward is on leave, sir,” James informed him.

Andrew narrowed his eyes, annoyed by yet another inconvenience, but quickly adjusted his plan. “Move Eva’s workspace to my office,” he ordered. “We need to work closely. Too many distractions where she is.”

James arched a brow, though he kept his expression neutral. As he left to carry out the order, he couldn’t help but smirk to himself. Possessive much, Mr. King? he thought, amused by how tightly Andrew seemed to hold onto Eva.

When James arrived at Eva’s office, Kai was just returning with her coffee.

“Here you go,” Kai said, placing the cup on her desk with a charming smile. “Need a ride home after work?”

Eva shook her head gently. “No need. My brother’s coming to pick me up.”

Kai tried to hide his disappointment, though it showed in the way his smile faltered slightly. “Well, if you change your mind, let me know.” He gave a quick wave. “See you around, Eva.”

Eva returned his wave as Kai walked off, but the moment he disappeared, James cleared his throat to get her attention.

“Mrs. King,” James said with a formal nod, “Mr. King has requested that you move your work to his office.”

Eva blinked, taken aback by the sudden order. “Why?”

James smiled politely, though there was a hint of amusement in his expression. “He said it’s for work purposes. No more distractions.”

Eva rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, “Of course.” She knew better than to argue—Andrew’s orders weren’t requests.

With a resigned sigh, Eva gathered the files on her desk, took a quick sip of the coffee Kai had brought, and followed James toward Andrew’s office. This day just keeps getting better, she thought sarcastically.

When she reached Andrew’s office, he didn’t even look up from his papers. “Sit,” he ordered, gesturing to the desk now set up beside his.

Eva bit back a snarky comment, instead settling into the chair and beginning to organize her files. They worked in tense silence, the only sounds in the room the rustling of papers and the occasional click of a pen.

But beneath the surface of that silence, emotions simmered—Andrew’s possessiveness, Eva’s frustration, and something unspoken that neither of them dared acknowledge.

As the minutes ticked by, Andrew’s gaze occasionally flickered toward Eva. His mind wandered back to the interaction he’d seen between her and Kai, and jealousy burned in his chest. She’s my wife. Not his.

Eva, meanwhile, tried her best to focus on the work, but Andrew’s presence was impossible to ignore. His intense gaze, his cold demeanor—everything about him pulled her in and pushed her away at the same time.

The tension between them was suffocating, yet neither of them said a word. But the question lingered in both their minds: How long could they keep pretending this was just business?

And as the day wore on, one thing became increasingly clear—whatever was happening between them was far from over.