Chapter 4
Sierra’s POV
I kept fixing my skirt even though it didn’t need fixing. The badge on my blouse felt strange, like it didn’t really belong to me.
I must have repeated my new name in my head a hundred times last night just to make sure I wouldn’t slip. I got a new job and it was a fresh start for me, that was all this was supposed to be.
When I walked into the lobby that morning, the receptionist looked up at me.
“First day?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said, trying to smile.
She tilted her head, giving me a look I couldn’t quite read. “You’ll be on the executive floor. Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
The elevator ride felt endless. My chest got tighter the higher it went. By the time the doors opened, I was sure I’d forgotten how to breathe.
A woman with heels so sharp I was scared they’d leave dents in the floor spotted me immediately.
“You’re the new assistant?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“Follow me. Don’t just stand there.” She said.
“Yes, ma’am.”
I walked behind her, trying not to make it obvious I was staring at everything. The office was huge, sleek, and way too quiet. Everyone was busy, typing or answering phones, barely glancing up at me.
The woman pointed at a desk. “That’s yours. Files are waiting. Start with those.”
“Okay,” I said, sliding into the chair before she could scold me again.
I kept my head down and started flipping through the files. It was paperwork, schedules, and boring stuff, nothing I couldn’t handle. For the first thirty minutes, no one bothered me. It was almost easy to pretend I fit in.
Then the air in the room changed.
I didn’t even see him at first, but I knew someone important had walked in with the way people froze and the way whispers stopped mid-sentence. I looked up before I could stop myself.
And there he was. The CEO of Hale Enterprises, Adrian Hale. The man from the lobby and the same man whose eyes had locked on mine like he knew me. A man with glasses was by his side, but I couldn't guess who it was.
He walked in with that same quiet authority, with people stepping aside without being asked. He didn’t look at me right away, but I felt it the second his gaze shifted in my direction.
I dropped my eyes to the file in front of me so fast I almost gave myself whiplash. My palms were sweaty again.
“Morning, Mr. Hale,” someone said.
“Morning,” his voice was deep and controlled.
I told myself not to look or draw attention, but curiosity won. I glanced up, and sure enough, he was staring at me.
I pretended to be busy flipping through pages I wasn’t actually reading.
A hand tapped my desk, making me jump. I looked up and to my greatest surprise, I saw the man with glasses smirking down at me.
“New girl?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said quickly.
“Marcus,” he introduced himself. “Executive coordinator. If you need help, you ask me.”
“Okay. Thank you.” I replied.
He leaned a little closer, lowering his voice. “Word of advice. Keep your head down around the boss. He doesn’t like distractions.”
“Got it,” I said.
But when I risked another glance toward Adrian, he was still watching me and his expression was unreadable.
By the time I looked up from my desk, the office was almost empty. The hum of printers, ringing phones, and clicking keyboards was gone. For some reason, I felt at peace. It was just my first day at work and I had already started feeling overwhelmed.
I blinked at the clock on my screen. The time was 8:52 p.m. I hissed when I saw the time. It was my first day and I’d already overdone it.
I stretched and rubbed my eyes. My stomach growled so loud it made me laugh nervously to myself. I hadn’t eaten since lunch.
“Still here?”
I jumped at the sound of a voice and spun in my chair. Marcus was leaning against the doorway, his tie loose and jacket slung over his arm.
“Yeah,” I said quickly. “I just wanted to finish these.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Eager to impress the boss, huh?”
“No,” I shook my head. “I just… didn’t want to leave things half done.”
He smirked like he didn’t believe me. “That’s the same thing.” He glanced at the stack of files on my desk. “Careful, though. Working too late makes people notice you and not always in a good way.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
Marcus tilted his head toward the end of the hall. “You’ll figure it out.”
I followed his gaze and instantly knew what he meant. The corner office was my boss’s office and the light under the door was still on.
Marcus gave me a lazy half-smile. “Anyway, see you tomorrow, Sierra.”
“Goodnight,” I muttered.
He left, and the silence grew thicker.
I gathered my papers into a neat stack, powered down my computer, and slid my bag over my shoulder. But my eyes kept straying back to that door.
It was ridiculous. I should’ve gone straight to the elevator. But the more I told myself to leave, the more I wanted to know what was behind that door.
I lingered by my desk, chewing my lip. Finally, I muttered to myself, “Just one peek. That’s it.”
Before I could change my mind, my feet were already carrying me down the hall. The closer I got, the harder my heart pounded.
What if he was still inside? What if he caught me?
But what if he wasn’t, and I missed the chance to see the office of the man everyone whispered about?
I hesitated at the door, glancing around the empty hall. No one was there. I placed my hand on the handle and slowly turned it.
To my surprise, it clicked open.
The office was huge and bigger than my apartment by a mile. It had a wall of glass that showed the city skyline. Shelves lined one wall filled with books and files. His desk sat in the middle, perfectly organized, with stacks of papers that looked too neat to be real.
I stepped inside cautiously. The air smelled faintly like coffee and something clean.
“Wow…” I whispered under my breath.
I wasn’t going to touch anything. I planned to look. One glance and I’d leave.
But then I saw something. On the wall near the desk was a sleek black panel with a small blinking green light. It looked… important.
My fingers twitched. I should’ve ignored it but curiosity got the better of me.
I reached out and tapped the edge of the screen and it beeped.
I froze immediately. The light turned red.
“What…..no, no, no.” I tapped again, trying to undo it.
The screen flashed a warning in bold letters. I didn’t even have time to read before an alarm blared.
My chest seized and panic rushed through me.
“Oh my God. No, stop!” I pressed random spots on the screen. Nothing happened. The alarm only got louder.
I spun around, scanning the room like an idiot for an “off” switch. My hands shook.
“I didn’t mean to……come on, shut up!” I muttered at the screen.
The alarm echoed down the hall. My blood ran cold. What if security came? What if I got fired on my first day?
Then I heard footsteps in the hallway and they were getting closer.
“Oh no, oh no…” I backed away from the panel.
The door burst open.
Adrian stormed in, with his shoulders looking tense, and his presence filling the room in an instant. His eyes locked on me, and I froze like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
He slammed the door shut. It was so hard that the frame rattled.
“What the hell are you doing in here?” His voice was sharp.
“I…..I’m sorry,” I stammered, my throat dry. “I didn’t mean….”
He took a step closer, staring into my eyes. My back hit the edge of his desk, and I couldn’t move.
His voice cut through the alarm.
“Do you have any idea what you’ve just done, Sierra?”
