TANGLED BY THE BILLIONAIRE

I’ve never been this nervous my whole life. I stared at the smooth glass doors of Emerson Global, took a breath, and walked in. The lobby was like something from a business magazine. It has tall ceilings, polished floors, and people move fast. Some of them smile at me but many of them don't. I checked my reflection in one of the glass walls. My brown hair tucked neatly behind my ears, blouse not too tight, and the silver watch Mama gave me before she— I looked away. Atasha, you’re here now. Focus. I approached the front desk, trying to sound calm. “Hi. I’m Atasha Valerio. It’s my first day. Junior Executive Secretary.” The receptionist didn’t even look up. “Thirty-fourth floor. HR will meet you.” “Thank you.” I gave a small smile, but she was already typing something. The elevator ride felt long, even though it wasn’t. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirrored walls again. I looked fine. Calm even. I know my grades are good and I even finished my university in a good school. But, working is a different thing! It's already reality. I have tried different jobs before. I tried working low-level jobs and good corporate positions, but this? It’s my first time working in such a big company. One of the biggest companies in the country even! Okay, calm down, Atasha! You earned this. Don’t shrink now! When the doors opened, a woman with a tight bun and a clipboard stood waiting. “Miss Valerio?” she asked, smiling. “I’m Caren from Human Resources. This way, please.” I nodded and followed her through a maze of clean desks and muted colors. Everything looked expensive. Plus too organized! No one looked up as we passed, except one guy who gave me a polite nod then looked away after a few seconds. “You’ll be assisting Ms. Anna Reyes,” Caren said, voice low but fast. “She works closely with Mr. Emerson. Be professional. You can do small talks with her but never to Mr. Emerson. Don’t ask personal questions. And most importantly—don’t make mistakes.” “Got it,” I said quickly. “One more thing.” She slowed down and looked at me. “Mr. Emerson doesn’t speak to new hires. If he says anything to you… just listen. He doesn’t like repeating himself.” My stomach tightened, but I nodded again. “Understood.” My desk was small, clean, and by a glass wall that showed the skyline. I didn’t mind. I liked the quiet and a good view. I liked having something to focus on. Anna Reyes showed up soon after. “You're Ms. Valerio?” I nodded and shook hands with her. “Welcome,” she said. “Did Caren already tour you around?” I nodded. “Yep.” “And do you have any questions or clarifications about anything?” “No, I'm fine…as of now…” I smiled a little. She slightly giggled. “You’re in good hands so no need to worry. Just do your work. Don’t miss deadlines. We’ll get along fine. I'll give you some tasks later on since we are quite busy nowadays, I hope I can trust you on this.” “I will do my best,” I replied, sitting up straighter. “And I'll start it with…this.” She gave me a folder and inside are things that I need to sort. I started organizing schedules and replying to internal emails. The work wasn’t easy, but it felt good. Structured. I kept my head down, fingers typing, attention glued to the screen. It’s actually not a quiet working environment. However, as time goes by, I felt it became oddly quit and the air around me changed. The floor suddenly went… still. I looked up. Anna was standing, fixing her blazer. “What’s going on?” I asked, quietly. She glanced toward the elevators. “He’s here.” “Who?" I curiously asked and glanced at the front. My heart skipped a beat. “Silly, that's Mr. Maximus Sebastian Emerson. Our boss…” I wasn’t expecting to look up. But my eyes moved on their own. And then—he walked in. He was taller than I imagined. He's easily over six feet. Broad shoulders that filled out his suit like it was made just for him. His jaw was sharp, like it had been carved, and a hint of stubble shadowed his skin. His hair was jet black, thick, and pushed back neatly, not a strand out of place. Black suit tailored to perfection. He didn’t even pause as he walked through, but for a moment, his eyes locked with mine. He didn’t even slow down as he walked past but for a second, his eyes locked with mine. He has deep, stormy gray eyes… Then he looked away. I blinked and looked down, pretending to type. Okay. He’s handsome. But that’s not important. I’ve met guys like that before. They always look perfect. They’re always a mess underneath. At lunch, I sat outside near the small fountain. The bench was warm from the sun. I pulled out the sandwich I made last night and scrolled through my phone. Jared : So you’re really not gonna talk to me today? Wow. I stared at the screen for a few seconds, then locked it. Jared had been in my life forever. Childhood friend. First boyfriend. The kind who used to wait outside school just to walk me home. But lately? He got angry too fast. Accused me of things I didn’t do. It made me feel bad for wanting more. I sighed and took a bite of my sandwich, chewing slowly. He didn’t want me here. He didn’t say it outright, but I could feel it. Back at my desk, I stayed busy. I liked keeping my hands moving. It stopped my thoughts from running wild. At around three, I had to bring a few files down to the records floor. I printed everything, grabbed my coffee, and waited for the elevator. When it opened—he was there. Maximus Emerson. Our boss. And mind you, he's effin alone. I froze for a second, then stepped in. He moved slightly to the side, not saying anything. Shit. Just s**t because it's f*****g awkward! My heart beat a little too fast. I looked straight ahead. What should I say? Hi, sir? Good day, sir? Uhm, how are you today, sir? You look scary, sir? What the hell, Atasha! I was thinking too much when I heard the elevator open. And since I was in a deep thinking, I was shocked when I heard it and that made my coffee slip. Just a splash, but enough to stain his sleeve. “Oh—no, I’m so sorry!” I panicked, reaching into my bag for tissues. Before I could grab one, his hand caught my wrist firmly. “Don’t,” he said, voice low and controlled. “It’s fine.” I looked up. His eyes were dark and unreadable. “I didn’t mean to—” “I know.” That was all he said. The elevator dinged. He walked out first. I stood still for a second. Shit! Can I open the land now and make it eat me whole here? What… just happened? I was too embarrassed yet I don't have a choice but to continue my day. I thought I would be coming home on time since it’s still my first day, however, Anna asked me to help her organize the updated schedule for a company event because her son got sick and she needs to go home early. So I don't have a choice but to stay behind. It was already dark outside when I passed by the executive offices to drop off the last printout. Honestly, I still need to work on my technical skills so I could finish my task fast and not do too much overtime. I was busy preparing my things to go home when I heard something. A laugh and a woman’s voice. I glanced toward the slightly open door. I didn’t mean to look. I really didn’t. But I did. Mr. Emerson stood near his desk. A woman in red leaned in close, hand lightly touching his arm. I couldn’t move. Then he turned his head and our eyes met. Omg, he saw me! He didn’t flinch. He didn’t frown. Just… stared. “Maximus… who's that?” The woman’s voice asked. My eyes widened as I panic when I saw him coming near. I thought I will lose my job right on my first day when…the door closed right in front of me. I stood there, stunned. My fingers still holding the papers. I bite my lip in fear. Am I unemployed once again? No! It cant be! I walked back to my desk. I didn’t know what that moment meant. But I had a feeling… it was something…not related to this job, or maybe it’s the other kind of job.