Welcome To Wolfe Enterprises
1349 Words
The elevator ride to the top floor of Wolfe Enterprises felt like an eternity.
Zara stood stiffly in the corner, arms folded across her chest, pretending to study her reflection in the mirrored panel beside the buttons. Her tailored blazer clung to her arms a little too tightly—nerves, maybe. Or maybe it was the residual tension from the whirlwind that was her job interview just days ago.
She still couldn’t believe he’d hired her.
Aiden Wolfe.
The man she’d yelled at in a coffee shop. The same one who ruined her shirt and her day. And now, he was her boss.
No—her billionaire boss.
A soft ding pulled her out of her thoughts. The doors slid open with a whoosh, revealing the glossy, modern expanse of the executive floor. It was a stark contrast from the bustle of the lobby downstairs. Here, everything gleamed—glass walls, black marble floors, quiet efficiency.
Zara stepped out.
“Zara Morgan?” a voice called, polite and clipped.
She turned to see a woman in her late thirties with a sleek bun and an even sleeker black pencil skirt approaching her with a tablet in hand.
“That’s me,” Zara replied.
The woman offered a brief smile. “I’m Linda, Mr. Wolfe’s executive assistant. I’ll be showing you around and getting you set up. Come with me.”
Zara followed, eyes darting around. Every surface looked like it had been wiped clean five minutes ago. Every employee that passed by was immaculately dressed and moved with purpose, like they were late for something important. And yet, there was a strange quietness to it all. No idle chatter, no clacking keyboards—just low, focused energy.
Linda led her into a glass-walled corner office.
“This will be your space,” she said, gesturing around. “You’re assisting Mr. Wolfe directly. If he needs anything, you’re the first point of contact.”
Zara blinked. “I thought I was in Marketing.”
“You are. But Mr. Wolfe prefers to be hands-on when onboarding new team members. You’ll shadow him for the first few weeks.”
Oh, of course. Of course he did.
Zara nodded stiffly. “Got it.”
“Your login details are on the desk. You’ll find your assignments for the week in your email. Mr. Wolfe is in a meeting right now, but he’s expecting you at ten sharp in his office. Don’t be late.”
Linda turned and strode off before Zara could ask another question.
Zara sank into the leather chair at her desk. She let out a breath and stared at the expansive skyline through the window. Her heart was pounding, not from fear exactly, but from the pressure sitting just beneath her skin.
Why had he hired her?
What game was he playing?
The knock on his office door at exactly 10:00 AM was soft—but he heard it.
Aiden didn’t look up from his laptop. “Come in.”
Zara entered, trying to keep her chin high and her face neutral. She stepped into his office and was immediately hit with the scent of clean leather and something darker—his cologne, probably. It was exactly the kind of space she’d imagined a CEO would have: dark wood, chrome accents, walls lined with sleek shelves full of books and awards that looked expensive and unnecessary.
He finally glanced up, and their eyes locked.
Zara’s stomach fluttered, and she hated that it did.
“Miss Morgan,” he said, leaning back in his chair, voice maddeningly calm. “Right on time.”
“You asked me to be,” she replied, tight-lipped.
“I appreciate punctuality,” he said, standing. He adjusted the cuffs of his white dress shirt and walked around the desk. “We’ll start with a tour of your responsibilities. I assume Linda briefed you?”
“She did,” Zara said.
He nodded, then gestured toward the door. “Let’s walk.”
They strolled through the floor again, but this time, Aiden pointed things out himself—the different departments, how the flow of information worked, who to talk to when things went wrong. His voice was steady, professional. Almost too professional.
Zara watched him from the corner of her eye. He was confident, calm, and composed—exactly the opposite of their first meeting. But beneath the corporate charm, she could sense something else. Something he was holding back.
Maybe it was irritation.
Maybe it was interest.
“Questions?” he asked suddenly.
Zara blinked. “None so far.”
“Good. You’ll be working closely with me, so I expect efficiency. I don’t like repeating myself, and I don’t tolerate excuses.”
Zara bit back a retort. She could handle demanding. She had a mother who used to wake her up at 4 AM just to scold her for not washing plates the night before.
“I can handle it,” she said instead.
Aiden glanced at her, and something flickered in his eyes. A challenge, maybe. Or amusement.
He said nothing.
By noon, Zara was mentally exhausted.
Aiden had thrown her into the fire—reviewing reports, attending strategy meetings, and drafting emails that needed approval before being sent to executives in Tokyo. Every time she thought she had a moment to breathe, Linda or Aiden called her for something else.
At 1:05 PM, she sank into her chair and pulled off her heels under the desk.
Her inbox pinged.
From: Aiden Wolfe
Subject: Lunch
Boardroom. Ten minutes.
Zara stared at the screen.
Was this… a meeting?
Or was he actually inviting her to lunch?
When she arrived at the boardroom, it was empty—except for him. The long table had been replaced by two seats at one end, and in front of them were two takeout containers and two bottles of water.
She hesitated in the doorway. “You eat lunch here?”
“I don’t like restaurants,” he said. “Too loud. Too many people.”
She gave him a look. “You’re a billionaire. You could eat in a soundproof bubble if you wanted.”
Aiden actually smiled. “I probably could.”
She sat, eyeing the food. Sushi.
They ate in silence for a few minutes before he finally spoke again.
“I hired you because you’re bold.”
Zara looked up, chopsticks paused mid-air.
“Excuse me?”
“That day in the coffee shop,” he said, setting his water bottle down. “You didn’t back down. You didn’t try to sugarcoat anything. You told me exactly what you thought.”
She felt heat rise to her cheeks.
“I also insulted you,” she reminded him.
“True,” he said, with a small shrug. “But you had guts. Most people are too scared to speak honestly. I value honesty—when it’s not stupid.”
Zara raised an eyebrow. “So I was stupid?”
“That’s not what I said.”
“Implied it.”
He looked at her, something teasing sparking in his eyes. “Maybe.”
Zara shook her head and laughed—just a little. She didn’t want to give him too much satisfaction.
“So this is what it’s like to work for Aiden Wolfe,” she murmured.
He leaned back in his chair, expression unreadable. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”
The day finally ended at six. Zara gathered her things, brain fried, feet aching. She didn’t even notice him leaning in the doorway of her office until she looked up.
“You survived,” he said.
“Barely.”
He looked her over, arms crossed. “You did well today.”
She blinked. “Thanks.”
“But don’t get comfortable,” he added. “This isn’t a one-day test.”
“I wasn’t planning to get comfortable around you.”
His lips twitched. “Good.”
He turned and left without another word, leaving Zara staring after him, her heart doing a strange little flip.
She was in trouble.
Big, complicated trouble.
- Writer
