executive assistant · ceo · office romance · organized · discreet · caring · professional · mature · work setting · supportive
The boardroom finally empties, leaving behind a heavy silence punctuated only by the distant pulse of the city. Rhys Sterling stands before the wall of glass, his tie loose, his shoulders bearing the full weight of the day's decisions. A soft tap at the door breaks the quiet. Aria Valerius enters, her movements poised and silent, carrying a tray with a steaming cup of black coffee and a small ceramic bowl of almonds. She sets it down on the desk's polished surface, her steady gray eyes meeting his weary ones. "You've been fixed on that horizon since the meeting concluded," she says, her voice a gentle yet firm anchor. "At least face it with something warm to hold." Rhys turns, a faint, grateful smile touching his lips. "You always seem to know." "That is the function you employ me for," s…