The morning air bit at Elena's cheeks as she crossed the plaza leading to Steel & Cross.
The skyscraper towered above her, gleaming glass and steel catching the weak sun. She clutched her coffee cup like a lifeline, her phone pressed between her shoulder and ear as Nia's voice rang through.
"So?" Nia's teasing tone carried through the speaker. "How's the life of a hotshot PA? Broken any hearts yet?"
Elena rolled her eyes, taking a careful sip of coffee. "It's day three, Nia. All I've broken are my heels."
"Mm-hmm. That's not what Tessa said when you came home blushing last night," Nia sing-songed.
"I wasn't blushing!" Elena hissed, though her cheeks warmed at the memory. Yesterday had been manageable, normal even, except for Damien's messages that lingered in her head. He didn't need to be here in person to unsettle her.
Nia chuckled. "El, I know that tone. You've got that I swear nothing happened voice. Which always means something happened."
"Nothing happened," Elena muttered, pushing through the revolving glass doors of the building. The lobby buzzed with employees, security badges flashing, the smell of coffee thick in the air.
Nia wasn't letting go. "So you're telling me your boss didn't text you at all yesterday?"
Elena froze mid-step. "Nia..."
"Oh my God, he did!" Nia squealed. "Spill. What did he say?"
"I'm not..." Elena stammered, balancing her coffee as she tried to juggle her bag and phone. "I'm not talking about this in the middle of the lobby."
"Fine," Nia relented with mock defeat. "But we're not done. Call me tonight. I expect details."
"Bye, Nia," Elena said firmly, ending the call and sliding her phone into her bag. She exhaled, sipping her coffee. Just one normal morning. That was all she wanted. She adjusted her grip on the cup, turned toward the elevators, and collided with someone.
The impact jolted her coffee dangerously close to spilling. A loud thud echoed as the man's files scattered across the polished floor.
"Oh my God..." Elena gasped, dropping to her knees instantly. "I'm so sorry!"
Julian crouched beside her, his tie slightly askew, cheeks pink with surprise. "No, no, it's my fault. I wasn't looking."
They both reached for the same stack of papers, their fingers brushing. Elena snatched her hand back quickly, heart skipping. "I really didn't mean to..."
Julian laughed softly, the sound warm and easy. "Relax. It's not the first time I've been ambushed by caffeine and paperwork."
Elena let out a nervous laugh, stacking the last of the files. "Still, I feel terrible."
"You can make it up to me by not telling Sophie I nearly lost half the quarterly reports in the lobby," Julian joked, straightening and smoothing his tie.
Elena smiled faintly as she handed over the last folder. "Deal."
"Thanks." His grin was boyish, almost disarming. "See you upstairs."
Elena stood, brushing her skirt, cheeks still warm. She turned toward the elevators, only to see Sophie standing a few feet away, arms crossed, eyes narrowing like a hawk that had just spotted prey.
Elena's stomach dropped.
Sophie's gaze flicked between her and Julian, lingering just long enough to send a clear message. Her lips curled into a faint scowl before she pivoted on her heel and strode away, heels clicking sharply against marble.
Elena swallowed hard, pulse skipping. She hadn't done anything wrong. It was an accident. But Sophie's expression had already convicted her of some unspoken crime.
By the time she reached her desk, her hands were trembling slightly.
Marcy glanced up from her computer, raising a brow. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Elena sank into her chair, setting her coffee down carefully. "I bumped into Julian in the lobby. Papers everywhere."
"And?" Marcy prompted.
"And Sophie saw," Elena whispered.
Marcy winced. "Oof. She hates when people look human around Julian."
Elena blinked. "What does that even mean?"
Marcy leaned closer, lowering her voice. "Julian's… safe. Easy to like. Friendly. Sophie thinks being friendly with him is a waste of time, or worse, a threat. She's territorial about Damien, but she polices everything else too."
"She scowled at me like I set the building on fire," Elena muttered.
"Get used to it." Marcy gave her a sympathetic smile. "That's just Sophie's version of a good morning."
****************************************************
Not ten minutes later, Sophie appeared at their row of desks. Her smile was sharp, her eyes calculating as she clutched a folder.
"Mr. Kline has called a departmental meeting in Conference Room B," Sophie announced, her tone crisp. "Assistants are expected to attend. Bring notepads. Try to be on time."
Her gaze landed on Elena, cool and deliberate. "Some of us, I know, have trouble with… professionalism. Let's not make it a pattern."
The jab stung. Elena clenched her jaw, keeping her voice polite. "Of course."
Sophie's lips twitched, satisfied, before she turned and walked off.
Elena sat stiffly, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. "Did she really just call me unprofessional because I bumped into someone?"
Marcy snorted. "That was generous for Sophie. You should've heard what she said when Lily spilled coffee last month."
Lily popped her head up over the divider, grinning. "She told me, and I quote, 'Some people can't even manage basic motor skills, let alone office work."
Priya's calm voice floated in. "To be fair, you did spill it directly on her shoes."
"Accident!" Lily cried.
Aria leaned back in her chair, perfectly composed. "Sophie thrives on accidents. She twists them into proof that everyone else is incompetent."
Marcy patted Elena's arm. "Don't let her get to you. Meetings are her playground, though. Just be prepared."
Elena frowned. "Prepared for what?"
Marcy gave her a knowing look. "You'll see."
******************************************************
The next hour crawled by with Elena triple-checking her notes, glancing at the clock, her nerves tightening with every tick. She sipped her cooling coffee, trying to focus on the screen in front of her, but Sophie's scowl replayed in her mind
When the meeting notice pinged her calendar, she exhaled sharply, grabbing her notepad.
"Ready for the circus?" Lily asked, swinging her chair around.
Elena forced a smile. "Do I have a choice?"
"Nope," Aria said dryly, gathering her papers.
Marcy fell into step beside her as they headed toward the glass-walled conference room. "Rule of thumb: take notes, look attentive, and don't let Sophie rattle you. She'll try."
Elena tightened her grip on her notepad. "Great."
As they approached the room, she caught sight of Sophie already inside, perched near the head of the table, her expression smug, like she'd been waiting for this exact moment.
Elena's pulse quickened. Whatever today held, she could feel it building already.
********************************************************
The conference room smelled faintly of lemon polish and ink, its glass walls gleaming under the ceiling lights. Assistants filtered in one by one, voices hushed but buzzing with nervous energy.
Elena walked in with Marcy at her side, clutching her notepad like it was armor. Lily and Priya slid into chairs across the table, while Aria took the spot nearest the wall, perfectly composed as always.
"Don't look so stiff," Lily whispered, nudging Elena with her foot under the table. "Meetings are boring. Sophie just makes them… dramatic."
"Dramatic?" Elena echoed nervously.
Priya leaned in, her voice soft. "Translation: she'll try to put you on the spot."
Before Elena could respond, Sophie's voice cut cleanly through the chatter.
"Quiet, please," she said smoothly, though her eyes were sharp. She perched near the head of the table like she belonged there, even though everyone knew she was technically just another assistant. "Mr. Kline will join us shortly. In the meantime, let's ensure we're prepared."
Her gaze swept the table and landed squarely on Elena. A faint smile tugged at her lips.
"Elena," Sophie said, her tone sweet and poisonous at once. "Why don't you explain for us how you handled the Kline quarterly review files this morning? After all, Julian nearly lost them in the lobby thanks to… an accident."
A ripple of laughter went around the table, low and uncomfortable. Elena's stomach clenched. Heat prickled up her neck.
Her voice came out steadier than she felt. "It was an accident, yes, but I returned the files to Julian immediately. They're intact."
Sophie's smile widened. "So you say." She turned to the room. "I suppose we'll just trust that the new girl didn't misplace anything important."
Marcy's voice cut in smoothly before Elena could shrink. "I saw Elena at her desk after that. Everything was accounted for. No harm done."
Priya nodded calmly. "Exactly. Accidents happen. What matters is the follow-through."
Elena's pulse eased slightly, grateful for the support. But Sophie wasn't finished.
"Well, follow-through is important," Sophie agreed, her voice silky. "Though some of us should remember that professionalism is more than… bumping into colleagues in the lobby."
The implication landed like a blow. Elena's cheeks burned. She kept her eyes on her notepad, refusing to rise to it.
Lily kicked her gently under the table again, whispering, "Ignore her. She feeds on reactions."
Before Sophie could twist the knife further, the door opened. Mr. Kline, the department's senior manager, strode in, adjusting his glasses and carrying a thick folder. Conversation snapped to silence as he took his seat at the head of the table.
"Alright," Mr. Kline said briskly. "Let's begin."
The meeting rolled on, charts and schedules flashing on the screen. Mr. Kline spoke quickly, his voice sharp but efficient, assigning deadlines and highlighting issues. Elena scribbled notes furiously, determined to capture every word.
Sophie, of course, chimed in often, her tone polished, her answers practiced. She sat poised like she was presenting herself as the next in line for something greater.
Halfway through, Mr. Kline paused. "We'll need updated scheduling for the Shanghai follow-up. Who can draft a consolidated calendar by tomorrow?"
Sophie's lips parted, ready to volunteer.
But Marcy's voice spoke first. "Elena's been organizing Damien's calendar this week. She's already familiar with the structure. It would be good practice."
Elena's heart stopped. Her pen froze mid-stroke.
All eyes turned toward her. Sophie's gaze sharpened like glass.
"Elena?" Mr. Kline prompted, adjusting his glasses. "You think you can handle that?"
Her throat was dry. But she lifted her chin, forcing steadiness into her voice. "Yes, sir. I can."
Mr. Kline gave a curt nod. "Good. I'll expect it on my desk by nine."
Sophie's smile didn't reach her eyes. "How ambitious. Let's hope she doesn't… trip over the task."
Lily muttered under her breath, "God, she's insufferable." Priya shot her a warning look, but Elena caught the hint of a smirk on Aria's face.
Elena took a slow breath, scribbling the assignment in her notes. She wouldn't let Sophie win.
By the time the meeting wound down, Elena's hand ached from writing. Mr. Kline dismissed them with a sharp, "Meeting adjourned. Let's keep things tight this week."
Chairs scraped back. The room filled with low chatter as assistants gathered their things.
"Not bad," Marcy said softly, patting Elena's arm. "See? Survived your first Sophie strike in public."
Elena let out a shaky laugh. "Barely."
"You'll get used to it." Aria's voice was smooth, calm as she adjusted her blazer. "Sophie thrives on making people squirm. Don't give her the satisfaction."
"Easier said than done," Elena muttered.
Lily leaned over, whispering conspiratorially. "You did great. For a newbie, that's practically a standing ovation."
Elena smiled faintly, warmed by the support.
But as she slipped out of the conference room, Sophie's voice followed her.
"Careful, Elena," she murmured, low enough that only Elena could hear. "This company doesn't reward mistakes. And Mr. Cross doesn't tolerate weakness. Remember that."
Elena froze, her chest tightening.
Sophie smiled sweetly, then turned away, her heels clicking like a gavel against the floor.