His assistant
974 Words
Arias pov***
He glanced at the watch on his wrist before standing.
“Come with me.”
I quickly gathered the folder and followed him out of the office.
The executive floor was just as quiet as before, but somehow it felt different walking beside him. Employees looked up from their desks as we passed.
“Good morning, Mr. Sinclair.”
“Morning.”
“Good morning, sir.”
He greeted every person who spoke to him, never breaking his stride.
What surprised me most…
He knew all of their names.
“Good morning, Emma.”
“Morning, David.”
“How’s your son feeling, Rachel?”
The woman smiled.
“Much better, thank you for asking.”
He gave a single nod before continuing down the corridor.
I couldn’t help looking at him.
For someone who ran an international company, he somehow remembered the smallest details about the people who worked for him.
“You’ll be sitting here.”
He stopped outside a spacious office connected to his by a set of double glass doors.
My office.
I hadn’t expected one.
A sleek oak desk sat in the center, equipped with dual monitors, a laptop, and neatly organized stationery. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city, nearly matching the breathtaking view from Lucien’s office.
“This is…”
I slowly turned in a circle.
“…beautiful.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
He stepped inside.
“The person in this office spends more time with me than almost anyone else in the company.”
His tone remained matter-of-fact.
“I want them to enjoy coming to work.”
I smiled.
“I definitely will.”
He walked over to my desk, setting a leather planner in front of me.
“Your first assignment.”
I looked down.
It wasn’t a stack of paperwork.
It was a handwritten schedule.
His schedule.
Every meeting.
Every flight.
Every conference call.
Every deadline.
Color-coded down to the minute.
I looked back at him.
“You planned all of this yourself?”
“I’ve found that if I respect my own time, everyone else’s becomes easier to respect.”
I nodded, already understanding why people admired him.
“This planner is yours now,” he said.
“It’ll help you learn how I work.”
I ran my fingers over the embossed leather cover.
“I won’t let you down.”
“I know.”
There it was again.
That unwavering confidence in me.
Not blind confidence.
Earned confidence.
“I don’t hire people I have to doubt, Miss Monroe.”
His eyes met mine.
“I hired you because I believe you’ll succeed.”
For a second, neither of us spoke.
Then he glanced toward his office.
“Our first meeting starts in a few minutes.”
A small smile touched his lips.
“Let’s see if I made the right decision.”
I let out a slow breath the moment he disappeared back into his office.
“Okay,” I whispered to myself.
“You’ve got this.”
I set my portfolio beside the desk and took a seat, taking a moment to appreciate the office that was now mine.
The space was modern but warm. A walnut desk sat in the center, two large monitors positioned neatly beside a laptop, while built-in bookshelves framed one wall. Fresh white orchids rested beneath the windows overlooking the city.
Not bad for my first day.
I smiled to myself before opening the leather planner Mr. Sinclair had handed me.
Every page was meticulously organized.
Meetings.
Deadlines.
Travel itineraries.
Phone calls.
Even reminders were color-coded.
It was the kind of organization I appreciated.
A soft knock sounded against my open door.
I looked up.
A woman with shoulder-length brown hair stepped inside carrying a slim folder.
“You must be Aria.”
I stood, smiling.
“I am.”
She extended her hand.
“Evelyn Brooks. Chief of Staff.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too.”
Her handshake was firm before she placed the folder on my desk.
“I figured you’d need these.”
I glanced down.
Department heads.
Executive contacts.
Board members.
Everything was organized alphabetically with direct extensions and email addresses.
“This is incredibly helpful.”
“I thought so.”
I laughed.
“You just saved me from spending the afternoon making my own list.”
“Then my work here is done.”
We both smiled.
Her eyes drifted to the leather planner lying open on my desk.
“He already gave you his planner.”
I nodded.
“Apparently it’s how I’ll learn his schedule.”
“It is.”
She pulled out the chair across from my desk and sat down.
“If there’s one thing you’ll learn about Lucien, it’s that he values preparation.”
“I noticed.”
“I’ve worked here long enough to know he hates surprises.”
“I don’t mind that.”
I closed the planner.
“I actually like knowing what’s expected.”
“Then you’ll fit in just fine.”
Before I could respond, the phone on my desk lit up.
MR. SINCLAIR
I reached for the receiver.
“Mr. Sinclair.”
“Conference Room A in five minutes.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Thank you.”
The line disconnected.
I returned the receiver to its cradle.
Evelyn stood.
“Looks like your first meeting.”
I grabbed my planner.
“Looks like it.”
She smiled as she walked toward the door.
“If you need anything, my office is three doors down.”
“I appreciate it.”
“Welcome to the executive floor, Aria.”
With that, she disappeared into the hallway.
I glanced once more at the planner in my hands before heading toward Conference Room A.
Time to get to work.
- Writer
