The moment Elena fled Damien's office, her heart was hammering so loudly she thought the whole floor might hear it. She forced her legs to carry her back to her desk, heels clicking against polished marble. Her palms were damp, her cheeks still hot from the closeness of him, and she couldn't shake the feel of his whisper against her skin.
She just needed to sit down, breathe, and convince herself she'd imagined the intensity of it all.
But Sophie was waiting.
The older assistant leaned casually against Elena's desk, arms folded, a smile plastered on her face that didn't reach her eyes. Her red lipstick gleamed like a warning sign, and the tilt of her chin was pure superiority.
"There you are," Sophie said smoothly, her voice dripping with sugar and steel. "I was wondering how long it would take."
Elena stopped short, her throat tightening. "Excuse me?"
Sophie stepped closer, lowering her voice so only Elena could hear. "Word of advice, sweetheart. Don't get ideas about Mr. Cross. He's not your class. He's not your world. And girls who think otherwise don't last long here."
The words hit like a slap. Elena's eyes widened, but Sophie only smiled wider.
"You're here to type, fetch coffee, schedule meetings. That's it. Stay in your lane."
Sophie's manicured nails tapped the edge of Elena's desk before she leaned back and dropped a stack of thick files onto it. The thud made Elena flinch.
"These need to be reviewed before tomorrow morning," Sophie said lightly, as though she hadn't just threatened her. "Summaries, notes, highlights. Consider it… a test."
Elena's stomach sank at the sheer weight of the files. "All of these?"
"Of course." Sophie's eyes glinted. "Unless you think you're not cut out for this job?"
Heat rushed to Elena's cheeks. She forced her chin up, though her insides quivered. "I can handle it."
"Good." Sophie's smile was knife-sharp. "Because Mr. Cross doesn't tolerate incompetence. And he doesn't have time for little girls with big eyes who think they're special."
With that, she turned and strutted away, her heels striking the floor like punctuation marks.
Elena sat down heavily, staring at the pile of files that looked more like a punishment than work. Her throat tightened, her nerves sparking with anger and humiliation.
A quiet voice broke her thoughts.
"You should watch yourself with her."
Elena looked up. At the desk a few feet away sat Marcy, a junior assistant who had smiled politely during Elena's morning introductions. She was mid-thirties, with kind eyes behind her glasses and an expression that said she'd seen a lot in her years at Steel & Cross.
Elena blinked. "What do you mean?"
Marcy leaned closer, lowering her voice so no one else could hear. "Sophie. She's been here for nearly five years, and she doesn't like competition. Especially not… new competition."
Elena frowned. "I'm not competing with her. I just want to do my job."
Marcy gave a wry smile. "That's what the last girl said."
A chill ran down Elena's spine. "The last girl?"
Marcy nodded. "Bright. Hardworking. Pretty. She caught Sophie's eye the wrong way. Rumors started spreading about her being too close to Mr. Cross. Next thing we knew, she was gone. Packed her desk overnight. HR called it a 'mutual separation,' but everyone knew Sophie pulled the strings."
Elena's stomach turned. "That's… awful."
Marcy's eyes softened. "Just be careful. Do your work, stay polite, but don't give Sophie any reason to see you as a threat. She doesn't play fair."
Elena glanced at the files again, a knot tightening in her chest. "Thanks for the warning."
Marcy gave her a sympathetic smile. "You seem like a good one, Elena. Just… don't let her see you sweat."
******************************************************
The next few hours blurred into a haze of paper and ink. Elena sat hunched at her desk, flipping through contracts, financial statements, and reports dense with numbers she barely understood. She scribbled notes, underlined key lines, and typed summaries until her fingers cramped. The office around her emptied one by one, colleagues gathering their bags, calling goodnights, the hum of conversation fading into silence.
By the time she leaned back in her chair, the building was nearly deserted. Her eyes ached from staring at fine print, and her neck throbbed from bending over files. She stacked the papers neatly, her chest tight with frustration. This wasn't a job, it was a gauntlet.
When the clock struck six, she gathered her things and finally headed for the elevator.
The moment the doors closed, she sagged against the wall, her body aching from exhaustion.
"You survived," a voice said lightly beside her.
She turned her head. Julian stood there, tie loosened, a tired smile on his face.
Elena blinked. "Barely."
He chuckled. "That's normal. The first week always feels like drowning. You'll find your rhythm."
She gave him a faint smile. "Do you think Sophie gives every newcomer a mountain of files?"
Julian's smile flickered. "Let's just say she's… protective of her territory."
Elena's brows furrowed. "Territory?"
Julian only shrugged as the doors slid open. "You'll figure it out. Just… keep your head down. And good luck."
His tone was kind, but the words made her stomach sink.
*************************************************
By the time Elena reached her apartment, all she wanted was a shower, a glass of wine, and unconsciousness. Instead, the moment she opened the door, she was greeted with two voices in perfect chorus:
"Elena!"
Her best friends were sprawled across her couch like they'd been waiting all evening, wine glasses in hand, the smell of takeout wafting from the table. Nia wore leggings and one of Elena's old sweatshirts, her braids piled high. Tessa was in silk pajamas, eyeliner still sharp enough to kill.
Elena dropped her bag and groaned. "Why are you here?"
"Because it's your first day!" Tessa chirped, bouncing up to grab her hand. "We need the debrief."
Nia smirked, swirling her wine. "And we already ordered Thai food, so you can't kick us out."
Elena kicked off her shoes and collapsed onto the armchair. "You two are impossible."
"Correct," Tessa said, plopping down beside her. "Now, spill. How was it?"
Elena rubbed her temples. "Exhausting. Sophie tried to bury me under paperwork. My feet feel like they've been stabbed. And I nearly passed out at my desk."
Tessa gasped. "So basically… a normal first day."
"Normal?" Elena shot her a look. "Normal doesn't include finding out your one-night stand is your boss."
Both friends erupted into laughter.
"Oh, I wish I'd seen your face," Nia cackled. "You must've turned red as a tomato."
"You knew," Elena accused, glaring between them. "You knew it was him, and you didn't tell me."
Tessa grinned unrepentantly. "Of course we knew. You think we'd let you walk into that office blind if we didn't? That was the point!"
"The point?" Elena sputtered.
"You needed the shock," Nia said, deadpan. "Otherwise you'd have chickened out. Now you have no choice but to deal with him."
Elena buried her face in her hands. "You two are the worst friends alive."
"Correction," Tessa said brightly. "We are the best friends alive. We dared you into the most exciting disaster of your life."
Elena groaned. "It's not exciting, it's humiliating. Sophie basically threatened me today."
Nia frowned, setting down her glass. "What did she say?"
Elena recounted the warning, her voice tight. By the time she finished, both her friends were scowling.
"That witch," Tessa muttered. "She's jealous."
"She's dangerous," Nia corrected. "Be careful, El. People like her don't just warn once. She'll try again."
Elena sighed, slumping against the cushions. "I don't know if I can do this."
Nia leaned over, squeezing her hand. "You can. You're stronger than you think."
Tessa draped an arm over her shoulders. "And if she tries anything again, just remind yourself, you already have something she doesn't."
Elena rolled her eyes. "Don't."
Tessa smirked. "You've seen him naked."
Elena groaned so loudly the neighbors probably heard.
Her phone buzzed then, vibrating against the table. All three of them froze. Elena's stomach sank as she reached for it with trembling fingers. One new message lit up the screen.
Unknown Number: Sweetheart, you ran fast today. Did you think I wouldn't notice?
Her breath hitched.
"Oh. My. God." Tessa snatched the phone before Elena could react. She read it aloud, her jaw dropping. "HE TEXTED YOU?!"
Nia leaned over, her mouth falling open. "Oh, this is gold. He's already chasing you."
Elena lunged for the phone, but Tessa danced out of reach, waving it triumphantly.
"You're screwed, El. Absolutely screwed."
Elena snatched it back, clutching it to her chest, her cheeks burning. "It doesn't mean anything. He's just, he's playing with me."
Nia shook her head, eyes wide. "No, El. Men like Damien Cross don't play. If he's texting you, it means he's already claimed you."
Elena swallowed hard, her heart hammering. She didn't answer. She couldn't.
And the silence said it all.
*************************************************
Dinner was loud, messy, and comforting. They ate Thai straight from the cartons, argued over which movie to watch, and finally settled on an old rom-com none of them had seen in years. Nia provided sarcastic commentary, Tessa swooned at every kiss, and Elena laughed harder than she had in weeks.
By the time the credits rolled, they were a tangled pile of blankets and limbs on the couch. Tessa snored softly, Nia scrolled half-asleep through her phone, and Elena stared at the ceiling, exhaustion pulling her under.
For a few precious hours, she was just herself again, no boss, no threats, no secrets. Just Elena.
But as her eyes fluttered shut, one image slipped through her tired mind: storm-gray eyes and a smirk that promised she wasn't free yet.
And deep down, she knew the real battle was only beginning.