Chapter 1
My name is Celine Knight. I'm 26, so ordinary people wouldn't even notice me in a crowd.
I'd been an administrative assistant at Carter Holdings for three years, constantly at everyone's beck and call.
I had a younger brother, and my parents only called when they needed money.
I lived carefully, like a snail tucked inside its shell.
That all changed last week during the company's annual health screening.
The doctor looked at my report, his face grim. "Ms. Knight, you need to get a second opinion at a major hospital as soon as possible. The results... aren't good."
Three days later, the hospital downtown confirmed it.
It was terminal cancer, already spread. I had at most six months left.
I walked out of the hospital and ended up at an intersection, watching cars and people rush by.
At that moment, it felt like my world was crashing down. Yet somehow, I felt strangely free.
I was dying anyway. Why should I be afraid of anything now?
*****
Friday night, we had a department dinner.
Like always, my coworkers pushed the hardest tasks onto me. I just smiled and took them. Then I turned around and ordered the most expensive liquor on the menu.
"Celine seems off tonight," someone muttered.
I didn't say a word. I just kept pouring myself drink after drink.
The alcohol burned all the way down. With every sip, it felt like it was burning away every rule I had lived by for 26 years.
As the dinner ended, I stumbled out, barely able to walk straight.
In the hotel hallway, I bumped right into someone.
He wore a black suit and had a cold, stern look. It was Keith Carter, the CEO of Carter Holdings.
Everyone in the company knew he kept his distance from women. No woman was allowed within 10 feet of him.
Rumor had it, a female executive once tried to "accidentally" fall into his arms, and the very next day, she was shipped off to the branch in the northwest.
Right then, I fixed my gaze on him, unblinking.
"Mr. Carter." I flashed him a grin.
He frowned, trying to step around me.
I moved right into his path, blocking him.
The booze made me bold—reckless, almost crazy.
I stood on my toes, grabbed his tie, and pulled him in close.
"Heard you don't like women," I murmured right in his ear, my breath heavy with alcohol. "Here's the thing. I'm dying soon. Before I go, I want to know what it's like to spend the night with the boss."
His eyes widened, startled.
After that, everything got blurry.
All I remembered was pushing him into an empty suite and ripping off his jacket, shirt, and belt.
He never resisted. He just watched me with those cold eyes, like he was witnessing some crazy show.
I climbed on top of him and bit down hard on his collarbone.
*****
The next morning, I woke up in the hotel room with a splitting headache.
Keith was already dressed, standing by the window, his back straight as a blade.
I sat up, the blanket slipping off me.
He turned around, his gaze icy.
I rubbed my temples, flashes of last night flickering in my mind. I let out a mocking laugh. "Mr. Carter, your skills are pretty average. What a waste of that face."
The air froze.
Keith walked over, leaned down, and grabbed my chin.
His grip was so tight that it hurt, and I sucked in a sharp breath.
"Celine," he said, sounding like he was grinding my name between his teeth. "You've got some nerve."
I slapped his hand away. "Who cares about nerve? I'm dying anyway."
He stared at me for ten seconds, then turned and left.
The door slammed shut behind him.
I sat there on the bed, laughing. And before I knew it, I was crying.