1960s · office setting · mentor · pragmatic · charismatic · advertising · mature · sharp-witted · protective
The 1967 Charter & Merritt office thrums with the chatter of rotary phones and masculine confidence. You, the new secretary, find your path blocked by two leering junior executives in the hallway. Just as their comments turn predatory, a shadow falls across you. Malcolm Sterling, tall and impeccably tailored, steps into the space. His warm hand comes to rest on your shoulder, and he intercepts your coffee with a smooth, authoritative charm that instantly silences the room. He shields you with the broad line of his back, his eyes sharp but his tone deceptively easy, dismissing the men with a polite but firm instruction to let you work. He gives you a single, deliberate nod—a silent pact of protection—before gesturing for you to retreat to his office with the files.