Elara Monroe hated mornings. Not the ordinary kind, but mornings that demanded a mask of perfection, a straightened posture, and the pretense that the world of wealth she had grown up in did not feel like a gilded cage. Today, however, was more than ordinary. Today was mission impossible.
For ten years, Elara had lived surrounded by luxury: designer clothes, sprawling estates, and social obligations that would make anyone dizzy. But all of it came with strings. She was to marry Julian Royce, the handsome, powerful heir her parents had chosen for her. And she barely knew him.
Determined to discover who he really was, Elara devised a plan. She would disguise herself as an ordinary girl. No jewelry, no designer labels, no hint of her last name. She would observe Julian without anyone noticing, free from prying eyes.
Step one: survive her first day at his workplace. Step two: avoid dying of embarrassment.
She stepped off the cab in downtown City Heights, streets buzzing with honking cars and rushing pedestrians. Her oversized sweater and plain jeans were supposed to help her blend in, but as soon as she entered the office building, disaster struck.
A collision with a solid chest sent papers flying and coffee sloshing dangerously close to disaster. "I'm so sorry!" she squeaked, bending to gather the mess.
The man she had crashed into bent down to help, stormy blue eyes locking onto hers. "Really? Falling on someone your first day?"
"I… I did not mean to!" she stammered.
He handed back the crumpled papers with a smirk. "One way to make an impression, I suppose."
Her cheeks burned, but before she could recover, her shoelace betrayed her. She stumbled again, and the man, Lucas Hale, caught her just in time. Their fingers brushed. Sparks.
"Careful," he said, a corner of his mouth twitching. "You are going to injure yourself."
Elara wanted to disappear. "I—uh—I am new here," she admitted, forcing a smile.
"Well, welcome. I am Lucas Hale," he said, straightening. His tone was amused but unexpectedly gentle.
And just like that, Elara realized surviving this day might be impossible but also strangely exciting.
The office was a whirlwind. Phones rang incessantly, keyboards clattered, and everyone moved at lightning speed. Elara tried to blend in at her cubicle, but within minutes, she had spilled water on her notes, tripped over a carpet, and startled a coworker with her nervous energy. Through it all, Lucas hovered nearby, teasing and occasionally helping. His presence was infuriating and comforting all at once.
By late morning, a minor printer jam became a full-blown disaster when she yanked the tray out, sending papers flying like snow. Lucas crouched beside her, helping gather the mess, and their hands brushed again. Sparks. Again.
"You really have a talent for chaos," Lucas said, smirking. "Most people would have one disaster. You multiply them."
Elara groaned, trying not to laugh despite herself. "I—uh—I will try to keep it under control."
Later, in the hallway, Julian Royce appeared. Elara froze behind a pillar, heart hammering. Do not get noticed. Lucas noticed her panic and whispered, "Hide and seek?"
Elara shot him a sharp look. "Shh! That is him, my fiancé!"
Lucas smirked. "Relax. You look ordinary. Nobody will guess."
But fate had other plans. Her shoelace betrayed her again, and she stumbled straight into Julian, who raised an eyebrow. "Do I know you?"
Before she could respond, Lucas intercepted, placing a protective hand on her elbow. "First day nerves," he said smoothly, shielding her. Julian nodded politely and moved on, leaving Elara shaking and Lucas smirking.
By afternoon, another mishap with spilled coffee and a toppled cart confirmed one thing. Elara was cursed, and Lucas was the only person keeping her from complete disaster. Yet with every brush of their hands, every teasing remark, she could not deny the pull between them.
Finally, the day ended. Elara left the office, exhausted but exhilarated, replaying every chaotic moment. She had survived. Somehow. And she could not stop thinking about Lucas, the infuriating, playful, protective man who had turned her disastrous day into something unforgettable.
As she walked home through the city lights, she whispered to herself, "Tomorrow I will survive. And maybe I will even enjoy it."
Little did she know, tomorrow would bring more accidents, closer encounters, and sparks that neither she nor Lucas could ignore.