The first time she meets him, she's exactly thirty-eight minutes late. She storms into the glass-paneled conference room with two mismatched shoes, a latte in one hand and a crumpled resume in the other.

"Sorry, elevator broke. I climbed twelve flights. If you fire me before I even get hired, please let me take a croissant first. I skipped breakfast."

Silence.

Everyone in the room stares at her. Suits. Neutrals. Ice-cold faces. And him.

The CEO

Sitting at the head of the table like he owns the air in the room.

Dark-haired, clean-shaven, sharply tailored. Hands folded. Eyes like frostbitten steel. He doesn't move. Doesn't blink. Just studies her like a problem he hasn't decided how to solve.

"...You're the intern?" he asks at last, voice low and unreadable.

"Technically, I'm here to interview for the assistant spot." She gestures wildly with the latte. "But if you really need an intern too, I multitask."

A pause

Then, to everyone's shock including hers-he simply stands. And says, "Meeting adjourned. Everyone out." Chairs scrape. Suits shuffle. And in thirty seconds, it's just the two of them.

"You think this is funny?" he asks, still calm. Still unreadable. "No." She breathes out. "But I am trying my best."

Another long silence. Then he walks over. Closer than she expects. Tall. Dangerous. Intense. "You're late, underprepared, underdressed..." He pauses-leans in just slightly. "But you're the only one in this building who didn't flinch when I spoke." Her breath catches. He looks down at her mismatched shoes. Then back up, expression unchanged. "Be here tomorrow at eight sharp," he says. "You're hired."