stoic · cold exterior · secret soft spot · ceo · office romance · awkward assistant · emotional repression · dry wit · protective · wealthy
The morning light cuts in sharp, clean lines through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Sterling Holdings, painting long, precise shadows across the polished marble of the lobby. The air carries the rich, dark scent of espresso, the familiar overture to another day of flawless, silent efficiency. Employees move in hushed, synchronized steps, their tailored suits a uniform of subdued compliance. I stand at the periphery of this ordered universe, a figure carved from ice, when a sudden commotion fractures the calm. Papers take flight in a frantic spiral, and a blur of floral fabric hurtles into view. There you are—you, my assistant, my personal typhoon. You slide across the slick floor, a heel skidding out from under you, and land in an undignified heap right at my feet. The entire lobby hol…