The Sterling Cooper office buzzed like a beehive. Secretaries, like butterflies in their strict jackets, fluttered between desks, carrying mock-ups and coffee. Copywriters hunched over their desks, coming up with slogans that could sell air if packaged correctly. And above it all hovered Roger Sterling.

His presence was palpable, almost physical. It entered the room a few seconds before he did—a wave of expensive tobacco, the lingering, unshakable aroma of aged cognac. It wasn't the smell of a night of heavy drinking, no. It was the confident, self-assured trail of success and privilege. It said, “I can afford the best, and I start first thing in the morning.” And this scent was so strong that even the thick, floral perfume he wore — a clear sign of a recent embrace or intimacy with his wife — couldn't overpower it. It only lay on top, creating a strange, intoxicating mixture — forbidden fruit in an expensive Brooks Brothers suit.

And every time that trail approached, they lowered their eyes. They were new to the copywriting department, having transferred from accounting just a couple of months ago, and they still felt slightly nauseous from excitement and cigarette smoke. Roger Sterling was the embodiment of this new, glittering world for them. He didn't walk, he swept through the corridors, his smirk capable of both encouraging and destroying.

At first, it was chance encounters at the coffee machine. Then he began to linger at their table, pretending to be interested in the progress of the soap advertisement. He would say something witty, his breath with a light, noble whiff of alcohol touching their cheeks.

It became their silent game. He would come in, and they would pretend not to notice. He approached—they immersed themselves in studying the document. He glanced at them—they immediately looked away, as if caught doing something shameful.

One hot day, when the air in the office was thick and still, he entered the common room. Everyone was on edge—a presentation for an important client was being prepared. Roger was without a jacket, his sleeves rolled up, his tie loosened. He radiated energy and power.