Chapter 2

At exactly three-thirty, Chloe Lee from HR walked into the executive suite carrying a massive tray of coffee, beaming from ear to ear as she began distributing the caffeine fix to everyone.

She exclaimed, "Great job today, everyone. Mr. Grant is treating us to afternoon tea."

The office erupted in cheers, with everyone praising Alex for being so generous and thoughtful.

I held the drink I had "casually" received, experiencing a complicated mix of emotions. It was a Pumpkin Spice Latte from the most popular spot downstairs. With extra pumps of syrup, heavy cream, and a double dusting of spice, it was exactly what I needed.

I took a sip. It was sickeningly sweet, and I felt thoroughly exhausted. How was I supposed to survive working here now?

As I sat there spacing out over my latte, a shadow loomed over my desk.

"Zoe, what's on your mind? Mr. Grant bought us drinks. Aren't you happy?"

It was Mia Smith, the receptionist. She was conventionally pretty with a sweet voice, and office gossip dictated that she was hell-bent on seducing Alex to secure a spot in the executive suite.

Usually, she was polite enough to me, but today, there was a loaded, calculating glint in her eyes.

I offered a polite smile, "It's nothing. I just feel a bit tired."

"Oh, it must be so exhausting being Mr. Grant's right hand," Mia said with feigned sympathy, her eyes darting to the files on my desk. "But you are so capable. I'm sure it's a breeze for you.

"Unlike me. I can't even get simple meeting minutes right. Mark just yelled at me."

As she spoke, her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

Before I could even offer a standard corporate condolence, the heavy oak doors opened, and Alex stepped out.

The entire floor fell dead silent. Everyone buried their heads in their work.

Mia jumped like a startled deer and squeaked, "M-Mr. Grant."

Alex shot her an icy stare.

And then, the broadcast in my head resumed.

'Who is this woman? Why is she crying next to Zoe? Is she trying to get my attention? How pathetic. My eyes are only for my Zoe.

'Wait, is she trying to throw Zoe under the bus? Saying she messed up the meeting minutes? I distinctly remember Zoe was the one who drafted the minutes for this afternoon's board meeting.'

My heart skipped a beat.

I had drafted and distributed the minutes for the afternoon executive sync.

Mia was subtly implying to Alex that the notes were botched, and she was framing it so it looked like I had pawned my work off on her and let her take the fall.

This girl was playing a highly advanced game of corporate sabotage.

Sure enough, Alex's brow twitched just a fraction of an inch.

'This Mia girl is something else, trying to step on my Zoe to climb the ladder. Keep dreaming.

'How should I handle this? Expose her right now? No, that would make it obvious that I am paying special attention to Zoe. I need to handle this flawlessly. I must protect Zoe while showcasing my brilliant, impartial leadership.'

I watched in real-time as Alex's expression morphed from icy indifference to deep thought and finally to a subtle dawn of realization in three seconds.

Then he spoke, his calm voice cutting through the silence of the room, "Mark."

Mark Miller, the marketing director, practically jumped out of his skin and stood up. "Yes, Mr. Grant?"

"I reviewed the minutes from this afternoon's meeting," Alex said smoothly. "There are several inaccuracies in the data. Have your team run the numbers again. I want a revised copy in an hour."

Mark broke into a cold sweat. "Yes, I'll get right on it."

With a stony face, Alex then shifted his gaze to Mia. "The receptionist is the face of this company. Keep your personal emotions in check during business hours. If you lack that basic level of professionalism, HR will gladly help you explore other career options."

All the color drained from Mia's face. Her pathetic, teary-eyed expression froze, leaving her looking both ridiculous and pitiful.

You could hear a pin drop in the office.

Having delivered his verdict, Alex turned on his heel and walked back into his office without sparing anyone a second glance.

But I heard his internal victory lap loud and clear.

'Flawless. Two birds with one stone. I put that scheming receptionist in her place, reminded Mark to be diligent, and did not expose my blatant favoritism for Zoe. I am an absolute master of corporate politics.

'Zoe must be staring at my retreating back with utter admiration right now. She is definitely thinking about how powerful and commanding her man is.'

I stared at his retreating back.

Honestly, Alex was wasting his true calling in the corporate sector. With an imagination this wild, he should be writing screenplays in Hollywood.