Seated behind the massive mahogany desk, watching her with a mix of surprise and amusement, was the man himself.

The beggar. The homeless man.

His eyes—now sharp, calculating—studied her with a faint glimmer of amusement… almost disdain.

Something about him was different now. Not just the flawlessly tailored suit or the perfectly cut hair. It was the way he looked at her. As if he had already won some game she didn’t even know she had been playing.

“Miss Bernardes…” he murmured, fingers interlacing on the desk. “What an interesting coincidence.”

Celina swallowed hard, trying to mask her shock.

What was he doing here?

More importantly—what did he know about her?

Still reeling, she eased into the leather chair across from the enormous mahogany desk. The shock of seeing him in that luxurious office—the man from that night, the beggar—stole her words for several seconds. And now here he was, in front of her, as her potential boss.

Thor Miller’s gaze didn’t waver, his eyes intense, assessing every flicker of her expression. There was a trace of amusement there. He didn’t seem surprised to see her, which only unsettled her more.

“Miss Bernardes,” he began, his deep voice laced with an infuriating calm, “please, make yourself comfortable.”

Celina swallowed again, forcing herself to regain control. She straightened her posture, trying to appear professional.

“Thank you,” she managed, almost in a whisper.

Thor leaned back in his chair, eyes never leaving hers.

“Before we begin, let me introduce myself. I’m Thor Miller, CEO of Miller Holdings. My grandfather, Thor Miller, and my father, Raul Miller, built this empire, and now I’m running it. I’m also the president of T&R Enterprises, and I’m personally conducting this interview because the position is for my executive secretary.”

Celina nodded, feeling the weight of the Miller name. It was enormous in the business world. A shiver ran down her spine. Work directly for him? Her pulse quickened.

“I make it a point to personally choose who takes this position,” he continued.

She swallowed again, forcing herself to focus.

“I understand,” she replied.

He leaned back, eyes half-lidded, scrutinizing every detail of her.

“You have an interesting profile… rare qualities. Valuable ones.”

There was an undertone in his voice, subtle yet loaded. Celina felt the tension rise, but she didn’t look away. She kept her professional mask on, even as a crushing weight pressed against her chest. Was he really not going to mention that night? Still, she held her ground, knowing he was testing her.

“This position requires absolute discretion. Unexpected situations come up all the time when working directly with me.”

She nodded silently. Was that a warning—or a provocation?

Thor seemed determined to behave as though they’d never met.

Then, at one point, he glanced toward the panoramic glass behind her, and for a brief moment, his mind betrayed him.

He remembered that night at the hotel.

Her body beneath his. Her muffled moans against the pillow. The sweet scent clinging to her skin…

A sudden rush of heat surged through him, but his self-control was ironclad. His expression hardened as he smoothed it over, resuming the conversation without the faintest shift in his posture.

Celina caught the way his fingers brushed lightly over the edge of his laptop. Quick. Almost imperceptible. But she knew what it meant.

He remembered.

Determined to hold herself together, Celina crossed her legs and folded her hands in her lap.

“Now, tell me…” Thor’s voice returned, laced with a faint note of irony. “After five years away from the job market, what made you decide to apply for this opportunity?”

Celina hesitated.

“I’m getting divorced,” she said quietly.

One of his eyebrows lifted as his gaze returned to the résumé on his screen.

A barely-there smile touched his lips.

Scanning the document, his tone took on a sharper, more sardonic edge.

“Interesting,” he murmured. “It doesn’t say here that you’re married. So, you’re not ‘Miss’ Bernardes… you’re Mrs. Bernardes.”

His eyes locked onto hers.

Celina felt her body tense. Blood rushed to her face, her cheeks burning.

“I didn’t think it was relevant.”

His mouth curved in a sidelong smile, as though he knew it bothered her.

Closing the laptop, he crossed his arms.

“If you’re getting divorced, wouldn’t it be easier to just live off your husband’s alimony?” he asked, his tone lightly provocative. “From your clothes and demeanor, it’s obvious you’re a lady of high society.”

Heat flared in Celina’s veins. Her voice was firm when she answered.

“I’d rather die than depend on a man.”

Thor’s eyebrows lifted, intrigued by her response.

“Wounded pride?” he countered, challenging her.

Her gaze didn’t falter.

“No. I just want to start my life over.”

He studied her for a few moments in silence.

“I see,” he said at last.

But something still nagged at him.

“Is your divorce finalized?”

Celina’s brow furrowed, irritation creeping in at the direction of the conversation.

“Not yet.”

He leaned forward slightly.

“I need someone available for travel. Inevitably, you’ll have to travel alone with me, your boss. Will that be a problem for your husband?”

Her throat tightened at the thought. The idea of being alone with Thor on business trips unsettled her, but she couldn’t afford to hesitate.

“Ex-husband,” she corrected, her tone sharp. “And no, that won’t be a problem.”

He watched her again, as though testing the resolve in her answer.

“We’ve already shared a… deep and passionate exchange once before, and you left quite an unforgettable impression on me. So I’m entirely confident in offering you the position of executive secretary. I just have a few more questions you need to answer.”

Before she could speak, the door swung open.

“Baby!” a syrupy voice filled the room.