The sudden loud noise coming from my phone, instantly waking me up from my sleep. I reach over to my bedside table and hit the stop button, the sound termed 'Apex' coming to a stop.

Unplugging my phone from the charger, I force my eyes to adjust to the harsh brightness.

Three thirty in the morning, is what my phone clock states. I rub my eyes, trying to wake myself up even more, my thoughts are filling my brain with the thoughts that I want to go back to sleep.

I didn't get that much sleep last night, I don't know why, I just didn't.

I sat in bed for a good two minutes until I decided that I should stop slouching around and get to work.

Pulling out my laptop from my bedside table as well, I open my email, and go searching for a particular email from HR. After scrolling for a bit, I finally came across it, it said it was sent three hours ago.

I opened it, and there it was, all the information I needed for Liam Chopard.

Yesterday, as soon as HR and Ruby divulged that they found a new assistant, I instantly requested that every single piece of information, down to the second he was born, be sent to me, in a single file.

My mouse hovers over the file named 'Chopard, Liam', clicking on the file, a pdf pulls up my laptop.

Only sixty one pages, not that long, but not that short either.

I looked at the time, it's only been six minutes since I woke up. If I can finish reading all of this around four thirty, then I have time to get ready and head into the office by seven am.

I layed back against my headboard and began reading.

Liam Chopard is only twenty seven years old, only two years older than me.

He was raised in the upper high class area, with his two parents, he has no siblings, therefore he is the only child. His parents had a high paying job, his mother–a judge and his father ran a business.

Chopard graduated high school in the top ten percent out of four hundred and ninety seven students, that would make him tectonically the sixtieth out of four hundred and ninety seven of his class, so he is above average.

He then studied business at Yale University, where he earned an undergraduate degree there, his parents also went to Yale, so I guess he was following in his footsteps.

During the time after he earned his degree, he interned under his dad's company until he applied to my company.

Looking at his application he submitted, it makes no sense to me, I mean, coming over a pretty successful family, why would he apply to become an assistant for another business person?

I thought for sure by now, he would have started his own business and made successful money off of it. His father has been in the industry for way long before he and I were even born, and he has a business degree from one of the best schools, along with Harvard and Princeton, the holy trinities.

Something doesn't seem right with this one, and I know I said that about everyone, including Ruby when she first applied, but something seriously doesn't seem right about this guy.

I'm gonna have to request a file about his dad's company–to see if they have a history of rivals with other companies or have a history with traitors within the business.

I'm already not liking the sound of this.

After I requested a file of his dad's company to someone higher than HR. I closed my laptop and started to get ready, it's only been an hour since I started reading the file.

Perfect timing.

As I got ready, my thoughts started to overwhelm me once more. This usually happens when I didn't get enough sleep the night before, but I have too many things to do and sleep is the last thing on my mind.

I mean, who needs sleep when you have a business to run and people to look out for.

To be honest, I'm getting fatigued from not being able to actually relax. Every second of the day, even in my own home, I continually have to look over my shoulders. I want to be able to sit down with someone and have an actual conversation without them having a bad motion.

Even with Akako and Daphne, I don't even know if I should trust them. What if they turn on me one day to benefit them in the cruelest way possible?

The scorching hot water suddenly put me back into reality.

Once again, I don't have myself under control, I shouldn't be thinking like that, if someone tries to betray me, then I have the control to stop it. I can't get spoony over things that haven't happened yet.

I looked at myself in the mirror, and say "You're a fucking CEO, act like it", sure it's harsh, but it puts me in the right headspace if my brain decides that I will become emotional.

I rather die with logic than fucking weak links people call emotions.

After I finish getting ready, I put on my usual business suit and grab my bag, consisting of Chopard's file, other important files for the day and my laptop and head out the door.

Opening the door to the front main entrance, hardly no one is in at this time, I don't hear the distant chatting before people clock in or the greetings I get, it's only seven am and usually come around eight or nine o'clock.

For these reasons, it's peaceful. All I hear is the clicking of my heels and the steps my bodyguard is taking, following close behind me.

I get into the elevator and hit the highest floor, the elevator proceeds to take me to my office floor.

Finally getting into my office after waiting a whole minute for the elevator to come to a stop, I crashed into my comfy chair, practically throwing my bag onto my desk.

I relax my back, releasing my perfect posture I have all the time. I feel myself curving into an almost c angle, but thank god no one is here right now (except for my bodyguard outside the door) to see me in the caveman like form.

I look to turn the clock, less than three hours until I meet this Liam Chopard.

Looking around my office, I suddenly felt ashamed. If I were to meet the head of a huge company and their office was a mess then I would judge them, hard.

My bookshelf, filled with business and marketing books, is a mess, the shelves look like they haven't been dusted in a hundred years, even thousands.

The huge windows had fingerprints on them, maybe from all the time I put my gross finger on them for no reason.

The carpet hasn't been swept or even vacuumed, like a bunch of germy, gross children has been rolling around on it.

And worst of all, my desk. My desk has been through a hurricane, from the time I thought I lost my phone even though it was in my hand, and from all the paperwork that has been scattered all around the place, some even making it to the floor.

And my double monitor computer, being as dusty and old looking as the titanic.

I can't believe I let my own office get like this.

But I'm not going to come across as a lazy, dirty CEO.

So, I get up from my chair, no doubt my hair getting messy from it sliding against the leather material. I walked over to the cabinets that had been in the secret corner of my office, dust claimed the surface as well. I reached inside and pulled out some cleaning products from when I first moved in here, which would have been a few years ago.

But I bet it's still usable.

Giving myself only thirty minutes to clean my entire office, I went straight to work, going so fast that I might even become quicksilver for all anyone has known.

After I finished cleaning, I was sweating bullets, but at least the office looks brand new. I realized it's been a while since I cleaned, I just have been hiring people to do it for me, and I just trained myself to get used to it.

Now that I finished, it gave me nostalgia.

I shake my head vigorously, I can't be thinking about the past when I had things to do and things to prepare. Once again, I let lose control of my own damn brain.

Sitting back down into my chair after putting the products away, I catch myself staring into space, imagining Chopard in the chair across from me, looking at me, and answering any questions I had for him.

Unexpectedly, I felt a strange sour feeling on my cheeks and jaw, raising my hands to feel if I got a fever or something. They felt warm to the touch, but I don't feel sick or under the weather.

So, I pulled out my phone and went to the camera, and to my horror, my cheeks were a tint of pink.

What. The. Fuck.

Yeah, I must have something, maybe from all the dusting and cleaning I have been doing, I haven't done cleaning in a long time by myself, so it's understandable that I would work up a sweat and sniffed in dust along the way.

Anyways, I return to the thoughts of my new assistant, coming up with questions in my mind to ask of him, and as I thought more about it, my stomach soon became uneasy, it felt like butterflies were flying around in there.

This is pathetic, I shouldn't be getting nervous about a new assistant. This is my office and my building, therefore I am the queen on the chessboard, I will do what sees fit.

Standing from my chair once more, I pace my office. The last time I actually felt butterflies was when I was to present my business ideas to people in college, but even back then, I was thoroughly prepared.

I tried to come up with a number of ways of why I was feeling nervous, but then it hit me.

It's all because it's a guy. I never had a guy assistant work under me before, so this will be a new experience.

And because, generally and sadly, men dominate the business world.

In previous years, even decades, men strive for power and glory while a lot of business women tend to strive for management and smaller companies to keep them afloat.

Even in this generation, women are starting to expand their horizons and slowly but surely catching up with the men, but still, men are still overpowering us with his massive egos.

That is one of my goals as a businesswoman, to surpass and dominate the men in the workforce, show them that a woman can be empowering without having a big ego that can get easily hurt.

Maybe that is why I'm nervous, deep down inside, my brain doesn't want to hurt Chopard's ego, working under women will downplay his confidence as a man.

A man that went to Yale to study business and grew up in a wealthy household–it's evident that he will feel like less than a man if he's seen working for a woman.

Especially in an industry where he grew up.

Well, luckily for my brain, I don't give a flying shit, and I'm not supposed to.

I mean, why should I care about someone's feelings when I haven't even met them yet, it's pathetic, to say the least.

Sitting back down, I pull out a piece of paper, and get to writing, remembering the conversation I had with Akako and Daphne, I won't forget about what I said.

Construct a plan to put this new hire to the test. To see if he's truly the right fit.

First of all, since the launch date is coming soon, that would be the perfect opportunity to do a ton of work to do, besides, any assistant who works for me must be caught up to what's going on within the company and their boss.

Then, make him set up long presentations for meetings, there are at least two every week, so that would keep him busy. He's obviously going to do my personal calendar. He's going to have to maintain lots of important files, and trust me, there are a shit ton of them.

Since he is my assistant, whenever I'm not there, (which would be rare), he's going to have to maintain the office and make sure it runs smoothly.

Now I know this is the basic description of an assistant, but here is the twist, this is all going to happen the first two weeks he's here.

I don't why I thought of this sooner, this is the perfect plan to make sure someone is fulfilling this role perfectly, I should've been this with the other assistant before.

This is just like the Hunger Games, just put someone to the test to see whether they win or die, and everyone gets to watch.

Expect, he doesn't die, he will just get replaced by someone with more skill sets.

An hour goes by and there's a knock on the door. My computer is obviously facing away from the person that's about to come in, so they won't see that I have Liam Chopard's information pulled up on my computer.

I don't know why, I just do.

"Come in" I said, waiting for whoever it is to start bombarding me with questions about whatever they are so worried about.

Instead, Ruby props her head in the door, giving me that classic smile of hers.

"Hey, Ms. Cantrell, just wanted to see how you were doing, since you spend like–" She checks her watch, plastered on her left wrist, "an hour and a half here already"

I lean back into my chair, "How do you know that I got here at seven?" I asked, curious of her answer.

"You always do this Ms. Cantrell, when a new hire is coming, you always make sure you're prepared to meet them, especially if they are in an important position"

I sat there stunned, I mean, I shouldn't really be surprised that my secretary paid attention to little details, that is her job. I just never realized that she knew me more than I thought.

Ruby takes my silence to go further into my office, closing the door, she walks over to my desk, and moves behind it, and I let her.

She takes a look at my screen and she doesn't seem surprised in the slightest, "Well, looks like you did your homework. I actually think this guy is a good fit–he's got a good resume, good work experience and super smart" She says as she practically gushes about him.

"Then maybe you should marry the guy, you haven't even met him yet" I point out.

She rounds the desk, facing away from me, sneaking an eye roll along the way. She heads for the door, "Chopard is going to be here, in this office, in an hour and a half, you'll see what I'm talking about. Anyways, I have to get ready for the orientation presentation"

She opens the door and looks back at me and says, "Just give this one a try, I think he's the perfect fit for you"

"I mean, I won't have to worry about that if he's the right fit if maybe–" I said, my sentence dragging on.

Ruby knows what I'm about to offer, so she gives me a cognizing look before saying, "Not a chance Ms. Cantrell" She then shuts the door, her heels clicking against the floor, each click getting quieter and quieter.

I then stare at my computer, his information still up, taking up every tab, and every space of this desktop. I look at the clock, only an hour and a half before he will be sitting right across from me and the game I have come up with in my ruthless head will begin.

Speaking of ruthless games, I must prepare the files for him.

One minute before it reaches ten o'clock, I cleaned off my desk for the second time, and I have successfully calmed my nerves down, sticking to what I have planned for him, I will watch with jubilation if he crumbles or not–

A knock on the door caught my attention. I stood up, straightening my suit as the head of HR opened my office door, greeting me with a huge smile and a firm handshake. I could tell from the worry look in his eyes, that he is getting tired of me firing people left from right and I might fire him one day.

"Ms. Cantrell, it's lovely to be in your presence, as always, you kept your office organized and clean" He said, trying to gas me up in fear.

"As always, Mr. Kemp" I sat down in my chair, holding my hands under my chin, to give off the imitating looks.

Kemp gulps nervously, pulling on his tie that is tightly around his neck.

"So–where is my new assistant?" I asked.

"Why yes, of course Ms. Cantrell" He speeds walks right outside the door and ushers someone from outside, from there someone comes into view.

I've seen pictures of him, but looking at him up closely, I really had to put him to the test. He looks so innocent, yet he looks like he knows what he's doing with whatever he's up to.

I don't move from my position, not even an inch. All I did was squint my eyes at him, trying to come up with what he's thinking about at this moment.

"Well, I hope you really get to know him Ms. Cantrell, I have a feeling this one is going to be your best one yet" Mr. Kemp says before patting Chopard on the back as he basically runs out of my office, shutting the door behind us, leaving us two staring at each other.

He can't even make eye contact with me for more than five seconds before looking away. He then opens his mouth to try to say something but I cut him off.

"Sit down" I said firmly.

We finally get to meet Liam...

-Summer Roe