Love Beyond Every Word

Chapter 4:The jealous Secretary

Calista’s first week at Crisoms Tech felt like bootcamp with better coffee.

Day 1: She spilled cold brew on her new black blazer.

Day 2: She got lost and ended up in the executive gym.

Day 3: Marissa gave her a rebrand for a client with a 48-hour deadline and said “Rowan wants to see first drafts tomorrow.”

No one helped her. No one talked to her. Except to ask her to refill the printer.

By Friday, Calista was running on 4 hours of sleep and spite.

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9:15 AM. Executive Floor.

She was dropping off the drafts to Rowan’s office. Her laptop under one arm, a folder in the other, and a venti black coffee because she was done being nice.

His door was open.

And his assistant was in there.

Tessa Monroe. 28. Blonde. Tailored dress. The kind of woman who had her nails done every Tuesday and knew everyone’s salary.

Tessa was leaning against Rowan’s desk, laughing at something on his phone.

Rowan wasn’t smiling, but he wasn’t telling her to leave either.

“Your 9:30 is in 10,” Tessa said, flipping her hair. “And I moved the Crisoms Foundation meeting to Thursday. You’re welcome.”

“Thanks, Tessa,” Rowan said, taking the tablet back.

Calista knocked anyway.

Both of them looked up.

Tessa’s eyes did a full scan. Cheap blazer. Dark circles. Folder with bent corners.

“Oh,” Tessa said. Sweet. Fake. “You must be the new... contractor.”

“Junior Design Associate,” Calista corrected. “Calista.”

Rowan gestured to the desk. “Set them down.”

Calista laid out the mockups. Three options for the new Crisoms app. Clean. Bold. Nothing like the boring stuff they had now.

Rowan went through them in silence. Tessa watched Calista, not the work.

“This one,” Rowan said finally, tapping option 2. “But the font is wrong. And the blue is too soft. Fix it. I need it by 3.”

“That’s 6 hours,” Calista said.

“Then I suggest you start,” Rowan said. No apology.

Calista nodded and turned to go.

“Wait,” Tessa said. “Honey, the printers on 42 jam if you use cardstock. Use 38. And don’t email Rowan directly. Send everything to me first. I filter it.”

Calista looked at Rowan.

He didn’t correct her.

“Got it,” Calista said. And walked out.

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2:47 PM.

Calista was on her third version of the design. Her eyes hurt. Her back hurt.

Tessa appeared at her desk with two coffees. One for her, one she set down in front of Calista.

“Peace offering,” Tessa said. “Long week, huh?”

Calista eyed the coffee. “What do you want?”

Tessa sat on the edge of her desk. “Look, I’m just trying to help. Rowan’s... particular. He doesn’t like surprises. He especially doesn’t like people who come in and think they can change things in a week.”

“I’m just doing my job,” Calista said.

“I know. But people talk. They’re saying he only hired you because you cornered him in the lobby.”

Calista’s jaw tightened. “That didn’t happen.”

“Didn’t it?” Tessa smiled. “Anyway. My advice? Keep your head down. Don’t email him after 7. And don’t get comfortable. Contractors don’t last here.”

She walked away, heels clicking.

Calista stared at the coffee. Didn’t drink it.

At 2:59 she sent the final files to Tessa’s email. With a CC to Rowan.

Because she wasn’t stupid.

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3:05 PM. Rowan’s Office.

Rowan opened the email. The design was good. Better than good.

Tessa was still standing there. “She sent it to you directly. I told her the protocol.”

Rowan didn’t look up. “She met the deadline.”

“She’s going to be a problem,” Tessa said softly. “People are already noticing you’re giving her special projects.”

Rowan finally glanced at her. “Are you done?”

Tessa blinked. “I’m just looking out for you.”

“Then look out by doing your job,” Rowan said. “Dismissed.”

Tessa left. Mad.

Rowan stared at Calista’s design for a long time.

She was good. Annoying. Loud. And good.

He forwarded the file to the client with one line:

Approved. Send to dev.

Then he typed another email. To HR.

Subject: Contract Extension Pre-Approval – C. Cole

He didn’t know why he sent it.

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