A Game Of Desire

The Game Begins

I stepped back into Martin’s office, the coffee cup firm in my grip, determined not to spill a single drop. My fingers curled around it tighter than necessary, my palms slightly damp with nervousness. This time, there would be no mistakes. No careless errors that would make me look even more incompetent on my first day. I willed myself to stay composed as I walked toward his desk.

"Here is the coffee, sir," I said, my voice low and steady.

He did not immediately acknowledge me. He remained focused on the document in front of him, his expression unreadable. I placed the cup down carefully, feeling the weight of the silence in the room.

Still nothing from him.

I stole a glance at him, waiting—expecting some sort of response so I could head back to my office to study the file he had given me earlier. Maybe another sarcastic remark, maybe a brief nod of approval. Instead, he reached for the cup with that same slow precision he seemed to do everything with.

As he took a sip, his gaze flicked to mine for a second before looking away again.

The silence in the room stretched, so very uncomfortable for me.

I had expected him to say something—anything. Maybe a jab about the coffee incident. Maybe a reminder that I was nothing more than a temporary inconvenience to him.

Instead, he placed the cup back down, then leaned back in his chair, staring at me like I was some kind of experiment he was still figuring out. Then, just as I thought he would say nothing at all, his lips curled into something almost resembling a smirk.

"You did not spill it this time, Mrs. Martins." he said

I immediately froze with shock. The words hit me like a jolt of electricity, not because of what he said, but how he said it. Was that… a joke? A taunt? There was no clear emotion behind his tone. It was calm, indifferent, yet something about it pricked at me.

My stomach twisted, irritation flaring inside me, but I forced my face to remain neutral. I had promised myself I would not give him a reaction today. Not on my first day. Not when he was clearly testing me but before I could even process the weight of his comment, movement from the side of the room caught my attention.

A soft, amused chuckle.

I turned my head slightly, just enough to see her. Victoria.

She had not moved from her spot, still perched elegantly on the sofa in that perfect ivory dress, but something about her had shifted. The way she carried herself—relaxed, yet commanding made the air feel heavier.

Then, she let out a soft, knowing laugh. Not loud. Not exaggerated. Just a quiet ripple of amusement that seemed almost… surprised. Like she had not expected Martin to say that.

Her lips curved into a smirk as she finally spoke.

"Oh, she even bears your name. How fancy."

Her voice was smooth, edged with a trace of amusement but there was something else woven into it. Something I could not quite decipher. She was staring at Martin, slowly looking him up and down, like she was sizing him up—fully aware of the effect she had. She never once looked at me, not even a glance and somehow, that unsettled me. She must think I do not matter, I thought to myself.

There was something fierce about her, something dangerous. She sat back so casually in Martin’s office—the office of the company’s owner, like she wasn’t in the presence of her boss. Her fingers grazed her thigh absentmindedly, as if everything around her was just a game she had already won.

Then, she exhaled dramatically, crossing her arms as if my mere presence was a nuisance.

"I have been waiting here for the meeting, and I do not have this much time to wait for your employee to arrive," she added, rolling her eyes before shifting just slightly in her seat.

The movement was subtle, yet intentional. Her dress slid against her thigh, revealing just enough to make it seem accidental—but I knew better as a lady myself.

This was no damn accident, it was more like moving seductively, she was playing a different game now, one meant for Martin alone but I am glad I am not that daft not to understand body languages.

Her voice dropped lower as she tilted her head, watching him through her lashes. "But I suppose, since you seem so... occupied, I’ll have to be patient," she added.

Still, she never looked at me. But when her fingers traced the rim of her glass in a slow, idle motion, her gaze flickered—just once—in my direction and I caught the glaze at that second. It was not a glare, not curiosity. Just something that felt like a warning.

At that moment, I knew she had already decided I was beneath her. And the worst part? She was right. Compared to her, I was nothing. The realization settled in my chest, stirring something sharp and irritable—jealousy.

Before I could react, the door swung open—not gently, but forcefully, as if the person on the other side had no patience for knocking.

I flinched, my eyes darting toward the new arrival. A lady.

Tall, very sexy sharp features, her red lips pursed as she scanned the room. Her icy-blue eyes landed on Victoria like she had just caught her in the middle of a crime. And that look? It terrified me.

For a second, the room shifted, I could feel the tension in the air. A silent battle happening right before my eyes, one I did not understand.

The new lady who just badged into the office stepped forward, her voice cutting through the air like a blade.

"I see you do not know how to talk properly."

The way she said it was not casual. It was an attack. A statement laced with venom.

She dropped her designer bag onto a chair, then gracefully took her seat like she owned the room before Victoria responded.

Talk of the devil, Victoria said eyeing her very inappropriately

I immediately looked back at Martin who had just been watching to see his reaction, he left out a huge sigh before he finally responded to me.

"Mrs. Martins, I need you to handle these files,” he said, stretching a bunch of files towards me. Sort them out, and update them into the system. I will call the landline to get your attention if I need you, so for now, excuse us." he added.

There was no please. No warmth. Just a command. Dismissal.

I blinked, caught off guard by how cold his tone was. Maybe I was overthinking it. He is my boss afterall and maybe that was just him. Still, the way he said it rubbed me the wrong way. I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to respond calmly.

"Yes, sir."

That was when I heard it again.

Another annoying chuckle—low, amused, and directed at me. This time not from Victoria. not from Martin, It came from the lady who had just walked in.

I glanced at her, noticing the slight tilt of her head and the amused glint in her eyes. She laughed when Martin said my name, like she had just pieced something together.

It had to be because me and Martin shared a name—Martin and Martins. Probably the same reason Victoria chuckled earlier. The only difference was that his was a first name, while mine was a surname.

I just didn’t get what was so amusing about it that it interested both of them.

It was actually the first time she acknowledged me since sitting down and as I walked past her with the files, she finally turned, her gaze dragging over me from head to toe. Her lips curled at the corners, like she had just made up her mind about me.

I did not wait to find out what that decision was. I grabbed the files and walked out, my pulse racing.

As soon as the door shut behind me, I let out a slow exhale. The tension in that room had been suffocating. I had never felt so small and observed at the same time. Every glance, every expression, every unspoken word—it was like they were all part of some complicated game, one I had just unknowingly stepped into.

But if they thought they could intimidate me, they were damn wrong. I might be new. I might be walking into something I did not fully understand yet but hell no, I was not about to let anyone be-little me on my first day. I had enough problems already. Just dealing with Martin alone was a headache, and I knew he was doing all of this to get back at me for spilling coffee on his fancy suit.

But honestly I was glad I had made that mistake of spilling coffee on his fancy suit. At least now, I was making five thousand dollars a month to support myself and that was what mattered most to me!

As I reached my office, I sank into my chair, staring at the stack of files in front of me. I had a long day ahead but I refused to let this place swallow me whole. I would play their game.

And I would win.