"Where are the revised contracts? I asked for them an hour ago!" Ethan's voice was cold, with a sharp edge to it that made his assistant, waiting nervously in the doorway, take a step back.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Thornton. I... I don't know what happened. I'm sure I printed them," came the shaky reply.
Ethan's gaze hardened. He'd been patient enough over the past few months, tolerating mistakes and small errors that usually wouldn't have bothered him. But this? This was unforgivable. A multi-million-dollar deal-ruined. All because of one mistake.
"Get out." The words were delivered with the weight of an avalanche.
Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth, probably to beg for another chance. But Ethan wasn't listening. He already turned his attention to the email on his screen, dismissing her as though she was of no consequence.
"Mr. Thornton, please," she tried again, but her voice trailed off as he stood from his desk.
Without sparing her another glance, Ethan walked past her toward the glass doors leading out to the balcony. He could feel the heat rise in his chest. The only thing he hated more than incompetence was being made to wait. And now, he had to clean up someone else's mess.
The door clicked shut behind her as she left, but Ethan didn't bother turning around. Instead, he reached for the bottle of scotch in his cabinet, pouring himself a generous glass, hoping the burn of alcohol would ease the building frustration.
After a long sip, he picked up his phone and dialed his HR department. The woman on the other end sounded surprised to hear from him.
"Mr. Thornton, to what do we owe this honor?"
"I need a new secretary. Find me someone competent. Someone who doesn't waste my time," Ethan's voice was ice-cold.
"Understood. We'll begin the search immediately."
The line clicked off, and he was left with nothing but the hum of the city below and the faintest taste of regret. He wasn't a man who cared much for apologies. People in his world had no room for mistakes, no room for weakness. And this secretary? She had failed him.
---
The office, on the other hand, buzzed with whispers. Ethan's secretary had been dismissed in front of everyone, his anger evident even from across the room. His reputation as a ruthless businessman was no secret. But this? It wasn't the first time someone had lost their job under his watch, but it sure felt more dramatic than usual.
"She was too slow anyway," one of his employees muttered under her breath, eyes flicking toward Ethan as he returned to his desk. He was already focused on a different set of contracts, as though nothing had happened.
The atmosphere in the office shifted with a collective exhale like they were all relieved that Ethan's fury was finally over for the moment. But no one dared make eye contact with him. Ethan's employees learned long ago that when he was in a mood like this, it was best to keep your distance.
His reputation as a playboy billionaire, known just as much for his business prowess as his reckless personal life, ensured no one ever took him too seriously. But there was always this undercurrent of fear. Ethan was a man who demanded perfection, and if you didn't meet his standards, you were gone.
Minutes later, Ethan found himself alone in his office, pacing back and forth. It wasn't like him to let his temper get the best of him, but today, everything felt off. His mind wandered for a moment, drifting to the whispers in the hallways about his personal life. His ex-girlfriends, his flings, his parties-his name was always tied to some new scandal.
Ethan sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. No one ever seemed to get past his persona. The billionaire playboy. That was all anyone cared about. It was easier for people to label him that way, to dismiss him as a rich man who spent his time with women, booze, and bad decisions.
But no one knew the real Ethan Thornton. And frankly, no one ever would.
He turned back to his desk, irritated, and opened his laptop.
"Find me a new secretary."
It wasn't a request. It was an order.
He clicked through the files his assistant had left behind, scanning over résumés with an almost clinical detachment. Some were impressive-graduates of Ivy League schools and former employees of top firms. They all had the right qualifications, but they lacked something important. None of them intrigued him. None of them seemed like they could handle him or his world.
And then, one résumé caught his eye.
Her name was Eva Brooks. A woman with a list of credentials that made him raise an eyebrow. No Ivy League degree. No prestigious firm. But she had something else.
Ethan clicked on the file, intrigued by her background. There was something about the way she presented herself, the way she'd managed to work in the high-pressure industry despite her unconventional path.
This was the one.
He picked up his phone again, dialing HR.
"Get her in here. Now."
As Ethan leaned back in his chair, staring at the city below, he couldn't shake the feeling that today wasn't just another day. Something about this woman-Eva Brooks-had caught his attention in a way no one else had. Maybe it was her confidence. Maybe it was the challenge she seemed to represent. But either way, Ethan Thornton wasn't one to ignore something that piqued his interest.
He was about to meet his new secretary. And for the first time in a long while, he wasn't sure what to expect.
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