EXECUTIVE AFFAIRS

A CHANCE ENCOUNTER

she stepped into the building,her chest thumped with her heartbeat...

She arrived at the interview just fifteen minutes late.

Are you one of the applicants? The Receptionist asked.

She nodded.....

"Ruby Wilson, I'm here for the secretary position," she said, barely raising her voice above a whisper.

Sorry ma'am, I was held up by traffic.

The receptionist raised her eyebrows unimpressed, this is one of the major transgressions in the corporate world. If you must work, it means you have to be

Punctual, she pointed her to the 45th floor.

Ruby Wilson tightened the straps of her leather bag.

When the elevator door opened, she found a large office bustling with various activities. She rushed to the designated door...

She knocked on the door...

Yes! Come in!

Ruby opened the door...

Good morning Sir, she greeted....

How can I help you? Alex replied....

Her anxious steps reflected on the marble as she moved towards the CEO....

I..I'm here for the interview.

her palms tighten.

"You're late," he said, turning to face her. His voice was clipped, but was full of curiosity.

"I'm so sorry Ruby stammered, "there was...

Alex cut in, "I don't care about excuses." He focused his eyes on her as he folded his arms across his chest. "You have five minutes to convince me not to dismiss you immediately."

Ruby swallowed hard. Her mind was racing. She was not ready for this. But then wasn't that her whole life? Improvising! Survival!

"I'm late," she began, lifting her chin slightly. "But I am not incapable. I worked hard to get here. And if you give me a chance I will work harder to prove myself."

Alex's lip twitched, almost smiled, but he was quick to conceal it with his trademark stubbornness.

"Fine," he replied, "You've been hired. But don't think for a second that I can tolerate mediocrity. Be at your workstation tomorrow at 8:00 a.m."

Ruby gasped, but Alex left the room before she could respond, leaving her speechless. Hired? Just like that? Before she could even comprehend what was happening, the HR manager entered, congratulated her, and gave her the paperwork to fill out.

Ruby realized the truth of her predicament when she exited the building that afternoon. She was hired by one of the most prominent corporations in the city.

"Is that how simple it is?" "You're hired"

I had better be careful around here then, cause it doesn't seem real.....

The thought that She would work directly for Alexander Thompson keeps running through her mind, as she walked the busy streets of Manhattan, she couldn't also shake off the feeling that she had just stepped her foot in a world where every of her moves is going to be scrutinized. Every mistake... magnified.

****

That evening, she stood in her small studio apartment, staring at her reflection in the broken mirror. Scars from her past stared back-not physically. But the memory of the nights under the neon lights, dancing for strangers just to pay the bills. She had buried that life. Or so she thought. Would she be able to bury it here, in this new world of ambition and brutal competition?

The next morning, Ruby arrived at Thompson Industries fifteen minutes early. She memorized the history of the company. Brushed up on workplace etiquette and practiced how to answer calls professionally. But nothing could prepare her for the hurricane named Alexander Thompson.

He is precise and demanding. Every job must be carried out properly. Every email should be drafted with precise language. Ruby struggled at first, feeling the heat of his gaze every time she did something wrong. But beneath his cold exterior she began to feel something else-a quiet patience when he reprimanded her, and the subtle acknowledgment on his face when she got it right.

Ruby quickly learned that working for Alexander Thompson is like standing on a razor's edge. One mistake can bring you down. But she would not let herself fail, not after she had fought so hard to get here.

By the second week she was so busy with schedules, emails, and learning the timings of her boss. Alex didn't waste words, but his sharp eyes didn't miss anything. If he asks for coffee, it must be strong, black, and just the right temperature. If he wants a report, he expects the report to be in the correct format, wiith every possible question anticipated.

Ruby stayed up late most nights, studying the company's policy, memorizing the names of important clients, and practicing how her voice should sound when answering calls. For the first time she went a day without Alex correcting her, she let out a small smile of victory as she walked into the elevator.

"Do we feel like we have succeeded?"

Ruby was startled and turned to see Alex leaning casually against the elevator wall. She didn't notice him approaching. His blue eyes shone with something unreadable.

"I-uh, yeah," she admitted, "I think I did everything right today."

"Good," he said in a low but firm voice. "But don't get comfortable. Success is not a finish line. It is a moving target."

The door downstairs opened. And Alex walked away without another word. Leaving Ruby to replay his words in her mind.

****

Over the past several weeks, Ruby's confidence had grown. She learned to anticipate Alex's needs to stay one step ahead. He was still a mystery, though, but she saw a small crack on his armor-on the rare occasion that his smile lasted too long. Or when he looked at her as if she were more than his secretary.

But when Ruby started to find her footing, a shadow appeared on the horizon: Alex's ex-girlfriend, Vicky Lee, reappeared in his life. Her presence was like a storm cloud, creating doubt and tension. But even as Ruby tried to stay focused on her work, she couldn't ignore the unease creeping into her heart.

Ruby had no idea that this was just the beginning of a fight for his place in Alex's world-and her own salvation.