Lily raced down the hallway, her heels clacking against the marble floor.
Her heart was pounding.
Her mind was screaming.
I just spilled coffee on Alexander Knight. The Alexander Knight. The man who probably fires people for breathing too loudly.
She skidded to a stop near the receptionist's desk, hands on her knees, panting.
Melissa, the receptionist, gave her a pitying look.
"You're still alive?" she asked.
"Barely," Lily wheezed. "But I think my career just died."
Melissa winced. "Yeah... spilling coffee on The Devil CEO on your first day? Not great."
Lily straightened, determined. "I have to fix this before he actually kills me."
Melissa tilted her head. "You mean before he fires you?"
Lily swallowed. "Right. That too."
Taking a deep breath, she yanked her phone out and started Googling the nearest designer stores.
If I get him a new shirt before he has a complete meltdown, maybe—just maybe—he won't strangle me with his tie.
----------------------
Back in the Office
Meanwhile, inside his now coffee-stained office, Alexander Knight stood stock-still, staring at the disaster on his shirt.
His entire body radiated fury.
His assistant—his new, infuriatingly incompetent assistant—had been in his office for less than an hour, and she had already managed to:
Turn his schedule into a Marvel fantasy.
Make a fool of herself.
Drown him in coffee.
Alexander closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, attempting to suppress the urge to fire her on the spot.
Breathe, Knight.
But God, it was infuriating.
His usual assistants were efficient, professional, and serious. They did not trip, blabber, or spill coffee like a walking disaster.
Lily Carter was the exact opposite of everything he demanded in an assistant.
And yet...
Something about her clumsy panic amused him.
She was different.
Annoying. But different.
Just as he was about to call his secretary to get him a fresh shirt, the door to his office flew open.
And Lily stood there, breathless, holding a black garment bag like a prize.
"I got you a new shirt!" she announced proudly.
Alexander just stared at her.
Then, his cold voice cut through the room.
"You left work in the middle of the day?"
Lily's smile faltered.
"...Technically, yes. But—"
"You abandoned your post?"
Her stomach dropped. "Well, when you say it like that—"
"You left my entire schedule unattended?"
Lily blinked rapidly. "I—I was just trying to fix my mistake!"
Alexander exhaled sharply, stepping toward her. His icy blue eyes locked onto hers, unreadable.
"And you think running around Los Angeles on a shopping spree fixes anything?"
Lily clutched the bag tighter. "It's not a shopping spree! I got you an exact replacement of your shirt. Same brand. Same fit. Same everything!"
Alexander arched a brow. "Is that so?"
"Yes!" she nodded enthusiastically. "And I even got it tailored—like, express service, super fast! I may have... threatened the tailor a little, but it worked!"
For a long moment, Alexander just stared at her.
Lily stood rigid, bracing for impact.
Then—
To her absolute shock—
The corners of Alexander's lips twitched.
Almost like he was amused.
But before she could process that, his expression hardened again.
"Give it here," he ordered, holding out his hand.
Lily hurriedly handed over the garment bag, and he took it without another word.
Then, he turned away.
"Get out."
Lily flinched. "Oh. Uh. Okay."
She scurried to the door, but before stepping out, she paused.
"Um, Mr. Knight?"
He didn't even glance at her. "What?"
She hesitated, then smiled sheepishly.
"...You're welcome."
With that, she bolted.
----------------------
Back at the receptionist desk, Melissa raised an eyebrow as Lily slumped into a chair.
"Still alive?" she asked.
"Barely," Lily groaned. "But I think... I think I just saw him almost smile."
Melissa choked on her coffee. "You're lying."
"I swear!" Lily sat up. "It was like—like a twitch. A half-smirk. It happened for, like, point-zero-three seconds."
Melissa narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure it wasn't a glitch in the matrix?"
Lily shrugged. "Not sure. But I lived to tell the tale, so I'll take it as a win."
Melissa snorted. "Girl, you might just be the first assistant who survives longer than a week."
Lily hoped she was right.
Because if her first day was this chaotic...
She wasn't sure she'd last a month.