Chapter 1: The Destined Secretary
If someone were to ask what she would most like to go back and change in her life, Kelly Smith would not hesitate to answer.
Becoming the secretary of Brandon Collins was the biggest mistake of her life!
Even though everyone said she was fortunate to work closely with a handsome, wealthy, and exceptionally talented young boss, who was also the president of a major company ranked among the top five in the country. He was so desirable that women of all ages were eager to catch his eye. Everyone wanted to be his true partner or a temporary companion by his side just once. Seriously!
Perhaps she was the only one who wanted to escape from this perfect man, as far away as a hundred or even a thousand miles. If finding a good job with a decent salary for a new graduate in the US was easy right now, and if you asked why...
Kelly would roll her eyes and shout to those girls who dreamed of being the heroine in a romance novel, ending up with a handsome, wealthy hero as their sweetheart, that...
They should take a closer look at her boss and realize that the dream prince was just a mirage. Beneath the handsome, luxurious, and expensive image, she too was once captivated by his sharply handsome looks and effortlessly cool demeanor. Working with him, seeing that handsome face every day, had seemed like heaven with only gains and no losses. What else could a dreamy young girl have wanted back then?
It had taken her a while to realize the truth and understand that the so-called prince was just a complete loser who couldn't love anyone but his work. He was also cold and heartless.
No, he wasn't just heartless; he was completely heartless, beyond measure.
The phone on the desk rang, causing the secretary, who was typing furiously, to jump and quickly answer the infernal call.
"Yes, boss..."
"Ms. Kelly! I want to read the meeting report in this lifetime, not the next."
Oh great, here we go again!
The icy, low voice that called her full name sent chills down her spine, almost driving the young secretary to madness. The daily meeting had ended less than a minute ago, and he was already demanding the meeting report from her.
This is crazy!
"I sent the file to you five seconds ago, boss. The hard copy is printed, and I was about to—" She didn't even finish her sentence before the line was abruptly cut, leaving her biting her lip and counting to ten in her mind once more.
This guy! He didn't wait for her to finish speaking before hanging up. Did he even know how to spell the word 'manners'?
Not even five seconds after hanging up, that nerve-wracking ring sounded again.
"Yes, boss."
"Where's my coffee?"
"Just a moment, boss. I'm about to—"
Again, he didn't wait for her to finish speaking before cutting in line. Was he a pair of scissors in a past life, always cutting people off?
She could only gossip in her mind and mutter under her breath like a mantra for the working class. Since she wasn't born into wealth, what else could she do but keep her head down and continue working?
The young woman grabbed the last sheet of paper that had just come out of the printer and quickly and skillfully bound it. Don't worry about the coffee; after being his secretary for less than a month, she had become a pro at quick brewing. She used only organic roasted coffee, two and a half teaspoons of strong flavor, no sugar, no cream, mixed with water heated to exactly eighty degrees Celsius. It couldn't be too hot or too cold, or she'd have to make it again, because the boss wouldn't drink it and would pour it straight into the trash right before her eyes. But as far as she recalled, such incidents had only happened twice when she first started.
Everyone praised her as the most efficient secretary the company had ever had, quick-witted and a fast learner, working both swiftly and meticulously, and the only one who never cried in front of the office despite the boss's relentless intimidation morning, noon, and sometimes even in the evening.
When she became fed up, she requested a transfer to another department with less stress. Still, he never approved it, insisting she could only transfer after he found a new secretary to replace her. She had to train them for at least three to four months until he was confident the newcomer understood the job and the demanding boss.
But she waited and waited, until she couldn't stand it anymore and went to ask him directly, only to get a frustrating reply...
He had looked, but no one met his standards.
It was karma... so the burden fell on her to continue serving the crazy boss.
But she shouldn't even think that he was so enamored with her that he wouldn't find a new secretary. The only reason she still held her position outside his office was her resilience, toughness, and endurance, like surviving being hit by a ten-wheeler.
Of course, who could put up with the demanding and erratic behavior of a boss as nerve-wracking as him? Just ask her predecessor, who was a prime witness. If they didn't fall ill first, they were either forced to find new jobs or transferred to other departments because they didn't satisfy his impossible standards. Not to mention nearly ten other secretaries before her who couldn't survive the ordeal for various reasons.
