Page 60 of Knot Heirs: Serenity's Reign

Serenity met his gaze directly, unflinching. "Castellano's newest financial consultant. With a specialty in hostile takeovers."

The implication hung in the air as the elevator stopped at the ninth floor. Both men exited, throwing glances over their shoulders. She maintained her composure, but inside, her heart hammered against her ribs.

This was only the first test. There would be many more.

The executive suite was a study in understated luxury—gleaming hardwood, glass, and steel creating an atmosphere of controlled power. The receptionist, a Beta woman with a perfect blonde chignon, looked up with a practiced smile that faltered slightly as she registered Serenity's presence.

"Ms. Vale. Mr. Castellano is expecting you."

Of course he was. Probably had been from the moment she entered the building.

Serenity was escorted down a corridor where glass-walled offices gave way to more private spaces. As they approached the end, a door opened, and Darius Castellano emerged—six feet four inches of controlled menace in a bespoke suit that accentuated the breadth of his shoulders.

Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the corporate facade fell away. This was the Alpha who'd pressed her against a wall and made her body betray her with wanting. This was the man connected to her father's death in ways she still didn't fully understand.

The one who now held her professional future in his hands.

"Ms. Vale," he said, voice deep and measured. "Welcome to Castellano Holdings."

She offered her hand, a professional gesture that felt like stepping onto a battlefield. "Mr. Castellano. Thank you for the opportunity."

When his fingers closed around hers, the contact sent an unwelcome jolt through her system—the traitorous response of Omega biology to Alpha proximity. His nostrils flared slightly—he'd caught the change in her scent, subtle as it was.

His smile was all predator, though his words remained strictly professional. "Let me introduce you to the team."

The morning unfolded in a blur of faces and names—department heads, analysts, legal counsel. Serenity cataloged each one, noting alliances and tensions with the practiced eye of someone who'd grown up learning to identify threats. Darius maintained a cool distance throughout, his hand occasionally brushing the small of her back as he guided her through the offices, each touch sending unwanted heat through her veins.

The financial team occupied a large open workspace dominated by multiple screens displaying real-time market data. As Darius introduced her as their new consultant, Serenity noted the variety of reactions—curiosity, assessment, and from several of the Alpha males, unmistakable interest that had nothing to do with her MBA.

"Ms. Vale comes to us with exceptional credentials," Darius was saying, his tone clipped and professional despite the fleeting heat in his eyes when they met hers. "She'll be focusing on our European acquisition strategy, reporting directly to me."

A low whistle came from somewhere in the back, quickly silenced by Darius's sharp glance.

"Her office adjoins mine," he continued. "I expect everyone to provide any assistance she requires."

The possessive undercurrent in his words wasn't lost on anyone in the room. The message was clear: she was under his protection—or his control, depending on one's perspective.

As they left the main floor, Serenity found herself walking beside Darius down another corridor, their footsteps falling into unintentional synchronicity.

"Subtle," she murmured, just low enough for him to hear. "Making sure everyone knows I belong to you."

His jaw tightened. "In this building, everyone belongs to me. That's business." His voice dropped lower. "What's between us is something else entirely."

Before she could respond, he stopped at a door and pushed it open, revealing a sleek office with a view overlooking the city. "Your workspace. My office connects through there." He nodded toward a door on the side wall. "I've scheduled your first meeting for eleven. The Vetra acquisition file is on your desk."

The abrupt shift back to professionalism left her slightly disoriented. "That gives me less than an hour to review a major acquisition?"

Something like amusement flickered across his features. "Consider it a test, Vale. I don't offer second chances, professionally or otherwise."

With that, he was gone, leaving her alone in her new office with the scent of him—sandalwood and something darker—lingering in the air.

Serenity moved to the desk, running her fingers along its polished surface. The acquisition file waited, thick with potential landmines and opportunities. This was familiar territory—numbers, strategies, market projections. This she could handle.

It was everything else about Darius Castellano that threatened to unbalance her.

The file opened to reveal comprehensive financial statements, market analyses, and projections. Serenity dove in, her mind processing the complex data with practiced efficiency. Within minutes, she'd identified three major discrepancies in the target company's reported assets and a pattern of creative accounting that suggested significant hidden liabilities.

She was making notes when a voice from the doorway interrupted her focus.

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