Maya arrived at Cole Towers the next morning with the same mix of dread and determination she had felt yesterday. But today, something in the air felt different. There was a quiet electricity, like the calm before a storm, and she couldn't shake the feeling that Adrian Cole already had her measured — every flaw, every hesitation, every heartbeat.
She stepped into his office, and as always, he was waiting. Standing by the window, hands clasped behind his back, gazing out at the city, he looked untouchable. Perfect. Intimidating. Dangerous.
"Sit," he said, not even turning. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that made Maya's chest tighten.
Maya sat, clutching her bag like an anchor. "Good morning," she said softly.
Adrian turned his head slightly, enough for her to see the faintest smirk on his lips. "You look… tired."
"I worked late," she admitted. Not the whole truth — she had been re-reading the reports, trying to anticipate mistakes before he even noticed them. But he didn't need to know that.
"Good," he said simply. "I like an assistant who doesn't complain." His eyes flicked to the stack of documents on her desk. "Now, let's see how you handle a crisis."
Maya's stomach lurched. A crisis? On the second day?
Adrian handed her a folder without preamble. "These are notes from our latest client meeting. Half of the reports contradict the numbers on your system. Fix it before lunch. And don't come to me if you can't solve it — figure it out first."
Maya stared at the folder. The errors were subtle, but if she didn't catch them all, it could cost the company thousands. She swallowed and nodded. "Understood."
As she worked, she noticed Adrian watching her, leaning casually against his desk, arms crossed. He didn't speak. He didn't move. He just observed, like a hawk studying its prey. The intensity of his gaze made her pulse quicken, but she pushed it aside. Focus. Survive. Prove you belong.
Minutes stretched into an hour. Sweat formed on her brow as she double-checked numbers, cross-referenced reports, and highlighted discrepancies. She could feel Adrian's eyes on her the whole time. He didn't say a word, but Maya sensed a silent evaluation — every decision, every keystroke, every breath under scrutiny.
Finally, she stood and walked to his desk, folder in hand. "I found the discrepancies and corrected them. Everything now matches the client files."
Adrian took the folder and flipped through it, his expression unreadable. Maya held her breath. He didn't speak. He didn't smile. He didn't even blink for a moment.
Then he looked up at her. "Impressive," he said quietly.
Maya blinked. That one word — "Impressive" — made her chest swell with relief. But before she could savor it, he continued.
"However…"
Her stomach dropped.
"You missed one minor detail." His finger tapped a tiny number on the final page. "It's small, but it could have caused a miscalculation in the client's report."
Maya bit her lip. "I… I'll fix it immediately."
He shook his head. "No. That's the point. I wanted to see if you'd catch it on your own next time. You didn't. Not bad, but… there's room to improve."
She nodded, trying not to let the slight sting of disappointment sink in. "I understand."
Adrian leaned back, his smirk returning, faint but undeniably there. "Good. You're learning fast. That's… rare."
Maya didn't reply. She didn't know if his comment was praise or a warning.
Then, just as she was about to leave, he added, almost casually:
"By the way… your honesty is noticeable. Most assistants try to hide mistakes. Not you. That's… useful."
Maya's cheeks burned. No one had ever described her that way before. Useful. It wasn't exactly a compliment, but it wasn't a condemnation either.
As she walked to the elevator later, she realized something she hadn't expected: she didn't just want to survive Adrian Cole anymore. She wanted to understand him, to see behind that cold, untouchable exterior. And maybe… just maybe… she didn't mind the storm he brought into her life.
Because storms, she had learned, could change everything.