I was already late, and the rip in my flat shoes felt like a personal insult from the universe.
I tightened my grip on my bag as I rushed into the glass building, praying today wouldn't be the day I finally got fired from a job I barely earned enough to survive on.
I was late again because of the heavy rain. The kind that flooded the streets and turned a simple commute into a punishment. By the time I reached the office building, my clothes clung to me and my nerves were already frayed.
And I was just a temporary assistant. Easily replaceable.
This couldn't continue like this, I thought.
Boom.
I bumped into him.
The impact sent my bag slipping from my shoulder, and its contents spilled across the polished marble floor. Papers. Lip gloss. My phone.
"I'm so sorry," I blurted out, dropping to my knees to gather everything.
I didn't look up at first. I couldn't. My heart was already pounding too fast.
Then I felt it.
That heavy, suffocating presence.
A pair of expensive black shoes stopped right in front of me. Perfectly polished. Untouched by rain or chaos.
I slowly lifted my head.
And froze.
He was tall and intimidating, dressed in a dark suit that probably cost more than my monthly salary. His expression was cold. Not angry. Not amused. Just sharp, like he was always judging the world and finding it lacking.
The most cruel billionaire ever.
Working for him hadn't been easy. Everyone in the office knew his reputation. Ruthless. Demanding. Completely unforgiving. I had seen assistants quit within weeks. Some left in tears.
But what could I do? I needed the job.
His eyes locked onto mine, dark and unreadable, and for a moment, the noise of the building faded away. It felt like he was staring straight through me, like he could see every fear and weakness I tried so hard to hide.
"You should be more careful," he said finally, his voice calm but cutting.
My throat tightened. I nodded quickly. "Yes, sir."
He didn't move. Didn't help. Just stood there, watching as I scrambled to my feet, my hands trembling.
Then he said my name.
And my heart dropped.
"Come with me," he said.
It wasn't a request.
My stomach twisted as I followed him down the hallway, my steps uneven as I tried to keep up. People moved out of his way instinctively, heads lowered, conversations stopping the moment he passed.
I could feel their eyes on me.
Poor girl.
She's done for.
His office doors opened silently, revealing a space so large and immaculate it barely felt real. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city, rain streaking down the glass like it was afraid to touch the building itself.
He walked behind his desk and finally turned to face me.
"Do you know what time it is?" he asked.
I swallowed. "Yes, sir."
"And do you know what time you were supposed to be here?"
My fingers clenched around my bag strap. "Yes."
Silence stretched between us. Thick. Suffocating.
"I don't tolerate excuses," he said calmly. "Especially from people who are easily replaceable."
The words stung because they were true.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "It won't happen again."
I meant it. I always did. But apologies didn't change the fact that life kept happening to me whether I was ready or not. Bills. Rent. Rain that didn't care about schedules. None of that mattered in a building like this.
His eyes flicked over me, taking in the damp edges of my clothes, the worn shoes, the tension written all over my face. Something unreadable crossed his expression, gone as quickly as it appeared.
"You're lucky," he said finally.
I blinked. "Lucky?"
"I'm in a generous mood today," he replied. "Sit."
I hesitated before lowering myself into the chair opposite his desk. The leather was cold beneath my fingers, far too expensive for someone like me to touch without feeling guilty.
My heart raced as I sat, my back stiff, my hands folded tightly in my lap as if that might somehow stop them from shaking. Sitting this close to him made the air feel heavier. Harder to breathe.
"You work hard," he continued. "But you're distracted."
My breath caught. "I…."
"Save it," he interrupted. "I don't need your life story."
Heat rushed to my face.
He leaned back slightly, studying me like a problem he hadn't yet decided how to solve.
"I need an assistant who can keep up," he said. "Someone reliable. Someone who won't crumble under pressure."
I nodded quickly. "I can do that."
His lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile.
"We'll see."
He stood up and walked around the desk, his movements slow and deliberate. Each step he took toward me made my pulse jump, until he stopped so close I could smell his cologne. Something deep and expensive that didn't belong in my world.
"Starting today," he said quietly, "you'll be working directly under me."
My heart skipped.
"That wasn't part of the arrangement," I said before I could stop myself.
His eyes darkened.
"It is now."
And just like that, I knew my life had shifted, whether I was ready for it or not.