I was already tired before the day even started.
That's how most mornings feel when your alarm goes off at 5:30 and you know the day won't be kind to you. I dragged myself out of bed, brushed my teeth, and stared at my face in the mirror longer than I should have.
"You'll be fine," I told myself, even though I didn't fully believe it.
Work was work. Bills were bills. Life didn't care how you felt.
The bus was packed, like always. I stood the whole ride, holding the metal bar and trying not to step on anyone's shoes. When I finally got off, my legs already hurt, and it wasn't even 8 a.m.
Sterling Heights Group looked the same as it did every day—big, shiny, and way too expensive for someone like me. I worked there, but I didn't belong to their world. I was just another assistant on the lower floors, easy to replace.
By lunchtime, my head was pounding.
I was walking back from the copy room when I crashed into someone. Hard.
"I'm so sorry," I said immediately, bending to pick up the papers I dropped.
"It's fine."
His voice was calm, deep. I looked up.
I wish I hadn't.
He was tall. Clean suit. Sharp eyes that looked like they noticed everything. He didn't smile, but he didn't look angry either.
I handed him his papers. "I really wasn't looking."
He took them. "You should."
That was it. He walked away like the hallway belonged to him.
Later, I found out why.
Around 4 p.m., the office got quiet in a strange way. People sat up straighter. Phones were put away. Someone whispered, "The CEO is here."
My stomach dropped.
That man from the hallway stepped out of the elevator.
Adrian Cole.
My boss.
I didn't think about him for the rest of the day. I told myself that was a lie, but I still told it.
Because liking your boss never ends well.