Chapter 2: The First Assignment
The office was silent as a tomb. Everyone was staring at their screens, afraid to even breathe loudly. Sarah sat at her desk, her hands still trembling from the elevator encounter. She couldn't get those cold, obsidian eyes out of her head.
Intercom buzzed.
"Ms. Sarah, in my office. Now." Aryan's voice crackled through the speaker, as sharp as a razor.
Sarah stood up, smoothed her skirt, and took a deep breath. She knocked twice on the heavy mahogany door.
"Enter," came the short reply.
Inside, Aryan was silhouetted against the massive floor-to-ceiling window. He didn't turn around. "You've been the senior assistant for two years, according to your file. Tell me, Sarah, why should I keep you?"
Sarah was taken aback. "I... I know this company's operations inside out, Mr. Aryan. I've handled the major accounts and—"
"Accounts that are currently underperforming," Aryan interrupted, finally turning to face her. He threw a thick folder onto the desk. "This is the 'Blue-Star' project. I want a complete market analysis, a revised budget, and a growth strategy. On my desk by tomorrow morning, 8:00 AM."
Sarah's eyes widened. "But... sir, that's a three-day job! It's already 4:00 PM."
Aryan leaned forward, his face inches from hers. Sarah could smell his expensive cologne—a mix of sandalwood and cold rain. "If you want a nine-to-five job with no pressure, find a different office. In my world, excellence doesn't sleep."
"I understand," Sarah said, her voice barely a whisper, but her eyes held a spark of defiance.
"Good. Don't be late. I hate tardiness even more than incompetence," he said, turning back to his laptop, dismissing her completely.
Sarah walked out, her heart heavy but determined. As she sat back at her desk, she realized the sun was setting. The office began to empty, but Sarah stayed. She wouldn't let him break her.
Around 10:00 PM, the office was dark, except for the glow of Sarah's monitor and the light from the CEO's cabin. Little did she know, Aryan was watching her through the glass wall, a faint, unreadable expression on his usually frozen face.
hers. Sarah could smell his expensive cologne—a mix of sandalwood and cold rain. "If you want a nine-to-five job with no pressure, find a different office. In my world, excellence doesn't sleep."
"I understand," Sarah said, her voice barely a whisper, but her eyes held a spark of defiance.
"Good. Don't be late. I hate tardiness even more than incompetence," he said, turning back to his laptop, dismissing her completely.
Sarah walked out, her heart heavy but determined. As she sat back at her desk, she realized the sun was setting. The office began to empty, but Sarah stayed. She wouldn't let him break her.
Around 10:00 PM, the office was dark, except for the glow of Sarah's monitor and the light from the CEO's cabin. Little did she know, Aryan was watching her through the glass wall, a faint, unreadable expression on his usually frozen face.৷