Rachel's pov
I woke up with my heart pounding like a drum.
Today wasn't just any dayit was the day. My first day at Lee Construction Company Ltd., and I was about to meet the CEO, Liam, for the first time.
My stomach fluttered nervously as I swung my legs out of bed, glancing at the clock.
"Okay, Rachel," I whispered to myself, smoothing the wrinkles out of my blouse in the mirror. "First impressions matter. Don't embarrass yourself."
I took a deep breath and muttered a quick prayer, something I rarely did, but today felt different. "Please, let him be nice. Let me survive today without tripping over my own feet."
After a quick shower and the fastest breakfast of my life, I grabbed my bag and left my apartment, mentally rehearsing polite smiles and professional greetings.
The taxi ride was a blur. My mind raced,'What if he's intimidating? What if he hates me instantly? What if I can't even remember his name in front of him?'
By the time I stepped out of the car in front of the sleek glass building of Lee Construction, my palms were sweaty.
The lobby was modern, minimalist, and intimidatingly spotless, like it was daring me to mess it up. I clutched my bag a little tighter and took a deep breath, hoping my nerves didn't show.
"Rachel? Rachel Thompson?" a cheerful voice called.
I turned and smiled at a woman at the reception desk. "Yes, that's me."
"Welcome to Lee Construction! I'm Linda, front desk. Mr. Liam is expecting you. I'll show you to his office."
I followed her down the hall, my heels clicking against the polished floor. My stomach twisted into knots, each step making my anxiety grow.
Okay, Rachel, he's just a person. A person with a really, really good jawline and… I shook my head, trying to get rid of that thought
Linda stopped in front of a large glass door. "Here we are. Liam is inside. Good luck."
I nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped in.
The first thing that hit me wasn't the office's sleek furniture or the view of the city skyline, it was him. Liam. Standing by his desk, tall, broad-shouldered, with sharp features that seemed carved just to make women like me lose their minds. His dark hair was perfectly styled, his piercing blue eyes fixed on me like he could see straight into my thoughts.
I froze for a second, words failing me.
He looked at me for a second,his expression blank then slowly a smile appeared on his face.
Not the polite, professional smile I was expecting but a slow, confident smile that made my pulse skip.
"Rachel?" His voice was smooth, deep and commanding, yet somehow warm.
"Yes," I managed, my voice squeaky, though I tried to steady it. "Rachel Thompson. I… I'm here for the secretary position."
He walked toward me, eyes scanning me like he was reading a book he didn't want to put down. "Ah, our new secretary. I've heard a lot about you… well, from HR. Not from me personally, of course. I like to form my own impressions."
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "Oh… I do hope she spoke well of me."
He chuckled softly, a sound that made my knees weak. "I would rather not talk about that,though I have to admit, you're… better than I imagined."
I blinked. "Better?"
He leaned casually against the edge of his desk, arms crossed. "Yes, you're stunning."
What?! My brain short-circuited. I opened my mouth, then closed it again. Was he flirting with me or was I just feeding my delusions.
I cleared my throat, trying to regain composure. "Thank you… I mean, I hope I can do the job well too."
"Of course," he said, stepping closer with that same dangerously confident smile. "But first impressions matter, right? And you've already made one on me."
I felt my cheeks heat up. "Well, I_ I hope it's a professional one?" I tried to sound stern, but my voice betrayed me.
He laughed, a low, rich laugh that made my heart thump so loudly I was sure he could hear it. "Don't worry, Rachel. I do care about professionalism. But I also don't mind honesty. And honesty tells me I like seeing you smile like that."
I took a cautious step back, fumbling with my bag strap. "I_I guess we'll see how I do at the job then."
"Good attitude," he said, his tone softening just slightly, though that smirk never left his face. "Let's start with a tour. I want you to feel comfortable, but also know exactly what I expect from my secretary. I run a tight ship."
I nodded, feeling my confidence return just a little. Maybe he wasn't a terrifying, untouchable CEO after all.
As he led me through the office, I stole glances at him.
He moved with ease, commanding the space without demanding it. Employees greeted him with a mix of respect and genuine warmth.
I couldn't help but notice the way people seemed drawn to him, yet careful not to cross any lines.
"So," he said as we returned to his office, "tell me about yourself, Rachel. Not the resume version. The real one."
I blinked. "The real one?"
"Yes. I want to know what interests besides panic about meeting me, I assume."
I laughed nervously, then shrugged. "Well, I love organization. I get a strange satisfaction from schedules and lists,and I guess I care about people. I like helping them succeed."
"Good. I like people who like helping others,makes life smoother." He leaned back in his chair, studying me. "And you seem bright, confident even . But I can see that flutter behind your eyes. Nervous energy."
I swallowed, unsure if I should feel exposed or flattered. "Yeah… first day nerves, I guess."
He smiled knowingly. "Don't worry, Rachel. I can be charming when I want to be. And I do want to charm you. But I also want you to be comfortable here. You'll fit in just fine, I can tell."
My pulse quickened again, and I had to fight the urge to glance away from his eyes. Something about the way he looked at me made it hard to think straight.
He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice. "I hope you know, I don't usually do this on the first day, compliments, flirting, it's not typical. But something about you_" He trailed off, smirking. "Well, you'll see. You have a way of making the office interesting already."
Did he just admit that he was flirting,this chit chat was going way out of line,he might be giving me the butterflies but I know how this works,I'd end up stuck in the middle of an office drama.
All I knew was that I had a job to do, and somehow, staying professional around him just got infinitely harder.
"Anyway," he said, straightening in his chair, "enough about me talking. Let's get you settled. Your desk, supplies, password the whole package. You'll need them if you're going to survive me."
I laughed, shaking my head, trying to steady my racing heart. "Survive you? That sounds intimidating."
"Maybe a little," he admitted, standing.
"But don't worry, Rachel. I have a feeling you'll handle it."
As I sat at my new desk later, unpacking my things and glancing occasionally at the office's view, I couldn't stop replaying the encounter. Liam, with his infuriating charm, piercing eyes, and that smile that made my stomach do flips. I'd survived the first ten minutes without embarrassing myself. That was a win.
But I knew one thing for certain, surviving the rest of the day, let alone working with him every day, was going to be an adventure.
I do hope I can control myself around him,I can't afford to lose this job.