Replacing my ex

Chapter 11

The top floor of Legacy Tower was breathtaking.

It was the kind of place that made you instinctively lower your voice, as though even speaking too loudly might somehow disturb the wealth surrounding you. Everything gleamed. The floors were polished to perfection, the walls were decorated with tasteful pieces of modern art, and enormous windows offered uninterrupted views of the city below.

This was where the real power in Legacy Incorporated lived.

The executive boardroom occupied one end of the floor, while the offices of the CEO, CFO, and COO took up the rest. Each executive office came with its own adjoining assistant’s station and a private kitchenette, which felt excessive until I remembered exactly who worked up here.

Cole’s office, however, was the crown jewel.

It was a sleek, expansive corner office featuring floor-to-ceiling glass walls that offered a majestic, panoramic view of the city skyline. A massive polished mahogany desk dominated the room, complemented by dark leather furniture, understated lighting, and shelves filled with what I assumed were expensive books nobody actually read. Even Sam’s high-rise law office couldn’t compare to this level of regal, powerful luxury.

And yet, standing directly in front of all that grandeur, my mind was totally blank.

I stood there frozen.

There was no way.

This couldn't possibly be the same man who had wrapped his jacket around my shoulders outside the club not too long ago. The same man who had gently wiped away my tears.

That man had been warm.

Kind.

Almost tender.

The man in front of me now looked like he had never experienced a tender emotion in his entire life. His dark eyes were cold, his expression unreadable, and his posture radiated authority.

“Are you just going to stand around all day?” he asked, his voice sharp and dismissive.

I blinked.

Right.

This was my boss.

“My apologies, Mr. Sterling,” I said, finally snapping back to reality.

He gave a cold grunt.

“I’m your new assistant. Lila Storm. It’s a pleasure to me-” I continued, extending a hand.

“I have an important meeting in the boardroom at 10:00 AM with the lead for Oasis. You’ll be there.”

He cut me off so effortlessly that I almost forgot what I had been saying.

“Yes, sir.”

I glanced at my watch.

I had not even been in his office for 5 minutes and already, I was beginning to understand why seven assistants had quit.

“If I may ask, sir, is Oasis one of the projects Legacy is working on?”

All I got in response was what I could only refer to as a withering glance.

I mentally filed that under: Questions Mr. Sterling does not appreciate.

“Noted. I’ll figure it out,” I said smoothly.

“Would you like anything else, sir?”

“Coffee,” he answered.

“How would you like the coffee, sir?” I asked.

Another withering glance.

I resisted the urge to sigh.

“I’ll be back with your coffee, sir,” I said, wisely retreating.

I slipped into the adjoining kitchenette. I leaned against the counter for a second and exhaled.

What on earth had happened to the man from Friday night? More importantly, what had happened to me?

I had been standing there like an i***t, staring at my new boss because I couldn't reconcile the two versions of him in my head.

Well, that was over now. I had a job to do.

I turned toward the kitchenette and immediately discovered another problem.

The espresso machine looked like it belonged in a spaceship.

I stared at it. It stared back.

“Please don't make me cry before nine in the morning,” I muttered.

After a few minutes of pressing buttons and hoping for the best, I finally managed to produce what looked like a perfectly respectable cup of coffee.

I carried it into his office and placed the ceramic mug neatly on his desk.

“Here’s your coffee, sir.”

He didn't answer. Taking that as my cue to leave, I turned toward the door.

My hand had barely reached the handle when I heard him mutter,

“This is terrible. Make it again.”

I closed my eyes.

Of course it was.

“Yes, sir.”

I returned to his desk and picked up the cup.

“How would you like your coffee, sir?” I asked, forcing a professional smile.

Another withering glance.

“I’m afraid you’re going to have to be a bit more elaborate, sir. Maybe a couple of words.”

One of his eyebrows lifted.

“Black. No sugar.”

For the briefest second, I thought I saw the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Had he almost smiled?

No.

Impossible.

“One black coffee with no sugar coming up, sir,” I said, walking out.

A few minutes later, I returned with a fresh cup and placed it on his desk.

“Still standing around?” he asked.

“Just until you approve the coffee, sir.”

He stared at me for a moment before taking a slow sip.

He paused.

I waited.

Finally, he nodded toward the door.

“You may leave now.”

“Certainly, sir.”

I walked out, shutting the heavy mahogany door firmly behind me. I sat down at my desk, exhaled a massive breath of relief, and silently congratulated myself on surviving my first encounter with the tyrant CEO, Cole Sterling.

I turned on the desktop computer.

If I was going to survive this job, I needed to know exactly what I was dealing with.

Unfortunately, the first thing I discovered was that my new boss's calendar was a complete disaster.

There were meetings without details, appointments without locations, deadlines with no accompanying notes, and several unexplained blocks of time. The assistant before must not have been very organized.

I frowned at the screen. I was going to have to build a completely new tracking system.

Fine.

At least I knew how to organize chaos. That was practically my specialty.

I continued snooping. Professionally, of course. I discovered a folder labeled OASIS.

I opened it.

Within seconds, my curiosity turned into genuine interest. Oasis was Legacy’s massive new development project: a luxury eco-villa community in Costa Rica.

The plans were impressive. Private villas. Sustainable construction. Exclusive amenities.

The kind of project designed for people who wanted to experience nature without sacrificing luxury.

I began reading through the documents, making mental notes for the upcoming meeting.

At around 8:00 AM, a cheerful knock sounded at my door. A smartly dressed young gentleman I hadn’t yet met walked in with a welcoming grin.

“Good morning,” he said brightly.

“Good morning,” I replied, returning his smile.

“William Anderson,” he introduced himself, shaking my hand. “But everyone around here calls me Will. Except for your boss, of course, who insists on calling me ‘Mr. Anderson’.”

“Lila Storm,” I said. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You too, Lila. You have no idea how happy I am to see you. I’m Bash’s assistant but I’ve also been helping out here. I’ve been so overwhelmed I don’t think it can even be called overwhelming anymore.”

“Sorry, who is Bash?” I asked.

“Oh, right. Sebastian Sterling,” he said.

Sebastian Sterling was the COO, as I had gathered from my earlier snooping.

“The nicer brother,” he added with a conspiratorial whisper.

I smiled.

“Thank God you’re here. I desperately need some guidance, and I don’t think I’ll be getting it from Mr. Sterling,” I told Will, gesturing toward Cole's closed door.

Will laughed.

“That’s exactly why I’m here. Let me just drop my bag in my office, and I'll be right back,” he said.

He filled me in on everything I needed to know about surviving under Cole. His schedule was vague. His deadlines were often high-stakes. His preferences were apparently unpredictable. And there were certain hidden quirks I needed to watch out for.

Will was a lifesaver. He patiently answered my endless questions and eventually handed over the calendar he had managed to salvage.

I stared at it.

“This is what you've been working with?”

“Unfortunately.”

I shook my head.

“I have a lot of work to do.”

“You know,” he said, leaning against my desk, “I have a good feeling about you, Lila. Maybe you’ll stick around a little longer than the others. Hopefully. If he doesn’t drive you completely insane first.”

“Thank you,” I laughed softly. “And I think I’ll manage.”

I decided to tell him about the coffee skirmish earlier that morning. By the time I finished, Will’s jaw had practically dropped to the floor.

“You asked him to elaborate,” he said slowly, “and he actually elaborated?”

“Yes.”

“Cole Sterling?”

“I believe that's his name.”

Will stared at me as though I had just told him I’d seen a unicorn walking through the lobby.

“You don't understand,” he said. “He actually answered you.”

“I noticed.”

“He never does that.”

“Well, apparently today is full of surprises,” I said.

Will shook his head in disbelief before returning to his desk.

For the first time that morning, I felt somewhat grounded. Maybe I could do this. Maybe I could survive Cole Sterling.

At precisely five minutes to ten, Cole’s office door swung open.

“Let’s go,” he said gruffly, striding down the hall toward the boardroom.

I stood up instantly, grabbing my tablet, and rushed to keep pace with him.