The taxi stopped in front of a tall glass building. Jackie slowly stepped out and looked up at it.
The building was huge. The glass walls shined under the morning sun, and people in expensive suits were walking in and out of the doors like they owned the place.
This was Laurent Group, the biggest company in the country.
And today was Jackie's first day there.
She stood still for a moment, holding the strap of her small bag. Her heart was beating a little faster than normal.
Not because she was scared.
But because this was the first time in her life she was doing something like this.
Jackie Laurent was the daughter of the richest billionaire in the country. She had grown up in a huge mansion, surrounded by maids, drivers, and bodyguards. Anything she wanted was always given to her.
But there was one thing she had never been sure about.
Did people like her because she was Jackie…
Or because she was Jackie Laurent?
Because of her father.
Because of the money.
Because of the power.
That question had stayed in her mind for years. Every time someone smiled at her or tried to be nice, she always wondered if it was real.
So a few weeks ago, she made a decision.
She would hide who she really was.
She would enter her father's company like a normal person and see how people treated her when they thought she was just a poor girl looking for a job.
Jackie looked down at her clothes.
Instead of the designer dresses she usually wore, she had on a simple white shirt and black pants. Her shoes were old sneakers she had bought from a small shop.
Her long dark hair was tied back into a simple ponytail.
No makeup.
No jewelry.
No sign that she was the daughter of a billionaire.
To everyone here, she was just Jackie.
Nothing more.
Jackie took a deep breath and walked inside the building.
The lobby was big and beautiful. The floor was made of shiny marble, and a large chandelier hung from the ceiling.
Employees were walking quickly, holding coffee and talking about work.
No one paid attention to Jackie.
She quietly walked to the security desk.
A tall guard looked at her.
"Yes?" he asked.
"I'm a new employee," Jackie said softly.
The guard looked at the temporary ID card hanging around her neck.
"Junior assistant," he read.
Then he gave the card back to her.
"Take the elevator to the eighteenth floor."
"Thank you," Jackie said.
She walked toward the elevators. A few other employees were waiting there.
Some of them looked at her for a second.
One woman looked at Jackie's shoes and then quickly looked away with a small smile.
Jackie pretended not to notice.
The elevator doors opened and everyone stepped inside.
It was crowded. People were checking their phones, talking about meetings, and complaining about work.
Jackie stood quietly in the corner.
She felt strange.
For the first time in her life, she was standing in a place where nobody knew who she was.
Nobody was trying to impress her.
Nobody was greeting her with respect.
She was just another person.
And honestly… it felt a little exciting.
The elevator stopped at the eighteenth floor.
Everyone stepped out.
Jackie followed them.
The office floor was large and busy. Rows of desks filled the room. Computers were running everywhere, and the sound of typing filled the air.
Near the entrance stood a woman wearing a tight black dress and bright red lipstick.
She was holding a clipboard and looked very serious.
"You must be the new assistant," the woman said.
"Yes," Jackie replied.
"I'm Clara, the office supervisor."
Clara looked Jackie up and down for a moment.
Her eyes paused on Jackie's cheap shoes.
Then she looked back at the clipboard.
"Follow me," she said.
Jackie walked behind her through the office.
People were working at their desks, but some of them looked up when they saw Jackie.
Two women near the window whispered to each other.
One of them quietly laughed.
Jackie heard it, but she kept walking.
Clara stopped at a small desk in the corner of the room.
"You'll sit here," she said.
The desk was smaller than the others and looked a little old.
Jackie didn't complain.
"Your job is simple," Clara continued. "You'll help people with paperwork, printing, making coffee, and anything else they need."
Jackie nodded.
"Okay."
Clara crossed her arms.
"This office moves very fast," she said. "If you can't keep up, you won't last long here."
"I understand."
Clara studied Jackie for another second, like she was trying to decide something.
Then she turned and walked away.
Jackie sat down at the desk and looked around.
No one came to greet her.
No one said welcome.
A few workers nearby were looking at their phones and laughing about something.
One man glanced at Jackie and leaned closer to his coworker.
"She looks like she got lost," he whispered.
They both laughed quietly.
Jackie heard them.
For a moment, she felt a small pain in her chest.
But she quickly reminded herself why she was here.
This was the truth she wanted to see.
How people treated someone they believed was nothing.
A few minutes later, the office suddenly became quiet.
Jackie noticed the change immediately.
People sat up straighter in their chairs.
Some quickly closed social media on their computers.
A tall man had just walked into the office.
Jackie looked up.
He looked like someone important.
He was tall, with dark hair and a serious face. He wore a black suit that looked expensive.
But the thing people noticed most about him was his cold expression.
"Good morning, Mr. Cross," someone said quickly.
Mr. Cross?
Jackie remembered the name.
Daniel Cross.
Her father had mentioned him once during dinner.
"He's one of the best directors in the company," her father had said.
Smart. Strict. Hard on employees.
Now Jackie was finally seeing him in person.
Daniel walked through the office slowly.
He stopped beside one desk.
"Where are the reports I asked for yesterday?" he asked.
The man sitting there looked nervous.
"I'm almost finished with them," he said.
Daniel's expression didn't change.
"Almost isn't good enough," he replied.
The man quickly turned back to his computer.
Daniel continued walking.
Then his eyes moved across the room.
For a moment, his gaze stopped on Jackie.
He frowned slightly.
Then he walked toward her desk.
Jackie sat up straight.
He stopped in front of her.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Jackie," she replied. "The new assistant."
Daniel looked at the empty desk.
"You just started?" he asked.
"Yes."
Before he could say anything else, Clara rushed over.
"She arrived a few minutes ago," Clara said quickly.
Daniel looked at Jackie again.
His eyes moved from her face to her simple clothes and old sneakers.
His expression became colder.
"This company is not a place for people who want an easy job," he said.
Jackie looked at him calmly.
"I'm here to work," she said.
For a second, Daniel seemed a little surprised by her answer.
Maybe he expected her to look nervous.
But Jackie stayed calm.
He studied her face like he was trying to understand something.
Then he turned away.
"Make sure she learns quickly," he said to Clara.
"Yes, sir."
Daniel walked toward a large glass office at the end of the room.
Everyone slowly relaxed after he left.
Clara let out a small sigh.
"You're lucky," she told Jackie quietly.
"Why?" Jackie asked.
"He usually doesn't talk that much to new employees."
Jackie looked toward the glass office where Daniel had gone.
Through the glass, she could see him already working on his computer.
He looked serious.
Focused.
Cold.
Jackie leaned back slightly in her chair.
This was only her first morning.
And already she could see how people treated her when they believed she was just a poor girl.
Some ignored her.
Some laughed at her.
And Daniel Cross had already decided she wasn't good enough.
Jackie slowly smiled to herself.
None of them knew the truth.
None of them knew that the quiet girl sitting at the small desk…
Was the daughter of the man who owned the entire company.
And this was only the beginning.