The meeting was held in a small side conference room. Aside from Ethan Sterling and the senior managers of the design department, only Lisa Chen and Ava Moore were present. Ava was surprised—a company like Sterling Designs hosting such an intimate meeting felt strange.
Just as she was wondering why no one was speaking, she glanced up and noticed Lisa and Ethan both looking straight at her. The other two managers exchanged confused glances.
A flicker of panic crossed Ava's face.
Lisa's smile deepened, though it didn't feel entirely reassuring. Ava suddenly felt the pressure. Then, she noticed Lisa lightly tapping a finger on the documents on the table, and instantly understood.
Clearing her throat, Ava spoke up."Today's meeting is regarding…"
She straightened her posture, quickly organizing her thoughts. After summarizing the document, she exhaled in relief and gave a grateful nod to Lisa. Had she not been prompted, she would've completely missed her cue—and made a fool of herself on her very first day.
An hour later, Ethan closed the file in front of him and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"That's enough for today. We're done here. Lisa, have the design team hold an internal meeting and finalize the proposal. I want to see the results in three days."
"Yes, Mr. Sterling," Lisa replied. As she stood up, she gave Ava a sideways glance—a look that unmistakably said: Good luck.
Ava braced herself, half expecting to be reprimanded. But Ethan simply looked at her for a moment and, with a tone of detached finality, said,"You're coming with me to a banquet tonight."
She blinked, startled.
"No need to dress up. Light makeup is fine." He gave her a once-over from head to toe. "That'll do."
Ava watched him leave and looked down at herself: a plain white blouse, fitted jeans, and flat shoes. Since it was her first day, she hadn't even put on the official company uniform. Now, she seriously suspected he was doing this on purpose.
At 7:00 p.m., a sleek black Maserati pulled up in front of the Luzern Hotel.
The passenger door swung open, and Ava stepped out, looking wildly out of place in her casual clothes. She quickly ran around to the back seat to open the door for Ethan.
As she took in his tailored suit and polished shoes, her insecurities spiked again. Is this really okay? Do I even belong here like this?
She remembered the short conversation they'd had before leaving the office.
"Do you know how to drink?" he'd asked.
She shook her head.
"Then do you know what you're supposed to do tonight?"
Another shake.
Ethan had sighed and rubbed his forehead in frustration.Why did Lisa even assign her to me? he'd clearly thought.
Though the position was only temporary, Ethan had a strict rule—he didn't hire female assistants. It was an unspoken truth across the company. He doubted Lisa had forgotten.
"Just keep people from forcing drinks on me. And if things get out of hand, come up with an excuse for me to leave," he'd said shortly before getting in the car, like even explaining things to her was a waste of his time.
Ava had nodded, but inside she was flustered. Keep people from drinking? I've never even had alcohol. How do I know how much is too much?
She hated that she was dragged into situations like this doing things she didn't want to do, just to survive. And in the end, it was always the powerless ones like her who got stuck paying the price.
The banquet hall was already bustling with guests when they arrived. As soon as Ethan Sterling stepped inside, a wave of whispers swept through the room.
"Is that Ethan Sterling? He rarely shows up to events like this."
"I heard the host tonight is Mason Fang, his childhood friend."
"Really? I thought Mason was some ruthless businessman, and Sterling always seemed... calmer. How would those two get along?"
"Oh, it's true. Don't be fooled by Ethan's calm face. He and Mason are cut from the same cloth. Cold, calculating, both of them."