Lilac’s POV

The rumors flying around Bayview City about Ryke Kolynsky, the CEO of Silvercrest Corporations were very… unpleasant.

“He’s a rude, arrogant bastard.”

“I used to work with him and yeah it’s true. He treats people coldly, like trash.”

“What a Grade-A asshole.”

My excitement about the chance to work in such a prestigious company faded with each rumor I read on the internet. They were tearing at him just as viciously in the magazine tabloids as well. But even amidst all the criticisms, there was one thing in common between both—The same people talking shit about Ryke couldn’t seem to stop themselves from praising him for his appearances, spinning articles upon articles about Bayview’s youngest yet richest billionaire and most sought after bachelor.

Now, the thing about these rumors was, it wasn’t enough to stop me from applying for the position.

A month ago, it was announced that Ryke Kolynsky was searching for a personal assistant. It came as a surprise to everyone and the news spread like wildfire because such a thing was never usually this big of a deal. It certainly wasn’t the first time Silvercrest Corp. was hiring, so why was it being heavily publicized all of a sudden?

I recalled my conversation I had with my friend and co-worker in the cafe I worked part-time. Millie was even the one who let me know about the recent frenzy surrounding Ryke and Silvercrest.

“Wait…” She had said, distracting me from my task of wiping the serving counter. “This just reminded me of that rumor Jayce was telling me the other day! He heard from someone that Ryke's personal assistants always quit working with him within a month because they were unable to stand his arrogance.”

“It’s true!’ Jayce piped up from the kitchen and I rolled my eyes fondly.

“Oh, wow.” I replied dryly but that didn’t stop Millie.

“Yeah! It makes sense why they’re willing to pay this much for such a meager position. The salary used to be crazy high but what they’re offering now is up to three times that. That’s insane.” Now, I’m not going to lie, my interest perked up at that.

“They’re desperate.” Jayce said as he popped out of the kitchen holding a tray of freshly washed glass cups. “They need to find a new hire as soon as possible but Ryke’s reputation is so bad, no one will want to work with him unless they pull something like this. So, Silvercrest is simply making sure whoever they hire will stay for the money.”

“You’re right. They’re publicizing it so much, there can’t be any other reason.” Millie scrolled on her phone some more. “Has he considered, I don’t know, changing his behavior toward people?”

“We don’t know if these rumors are actually true. That’s all they are, Millie. Rumors.” I interjected.

“Awwwn,” Millie cooed, setting her phone down where I just freaking wiped and pinched my cheeks. “My baby, Lilac. Always trying to see the good in everyone. Hey, why don’t you try applying?”

I snorted and moved to respond to a new customer. Once they left to wait for their order, I responded to Millie. “No. Are you kidding? Do you know how many people will be applying as well? Here’s a hint: At least the entire city’s female working class population. I won’t have a chance in hell of getting picked.”

All of this was two weeks ago but after my shift was over, as soon as I got home, I booted up my old room computer, navigated to Silvercrest’s website and applied for the job.

I know I said I wasn’t going to and what I told Millie was true. Too many people would also be applying for me to have any good chance, but I wouldn’t have been able to sleep properly knowing that I let that ridiculously tiny chance of being the one hired amongst thousands go without at least trying.

The salary being offered was so much. If I had that kind of money, God, my life would change so much. I’d be able to afford three square meals a day for myself and my brother and our mom would be home with us instead of spending her days on a hospital bed.

I’ve never been lucky in my life. Yes, I applied for the role, but it was a half-hearted endeavor. I didn’t believe anything would come of it. But it seemed the universe had decided to let up on tormenting me because three days ago, I got an email informing me that I’d been shortlisted for the position and was scheduled to come for an interview today.

As I stood in front of the massive corporate building that was Silvercest Headquarters, head pounding and groggy, I was disappointed in myself for going clubbing with Millie on the eve of my interview. To be more specific, I was annoyed that I was so easily bribed with the promise of covering all the expenses.

According to her, I’d been looking a lot more dead recently. Although I wouldn’t use those exact words to describe myself, she was right. I’d been getting more and more depressed recently. It was so bad that I could feel myself nearing rock bottom, so as much as I hated to admit it, I needed the outing.

I actually had fun last night. I let loose. Never in my innocent twenty-one years of life had I taken more than a few sips of alcohol but yesterday, I chugged on it. It felt so good, so exhilarating to not have to think of everything wrong in my life, every burden I had to carry.

It felt even better when I found myself in that man’s lap. Tall and ruthless in beauty, he captured and held my attention from the moment I sat down at the bar and ordered my first drink. I felt on top of the world when he called me over to meet him in the private VIP section.

It was… admittedly the best part of last night. Booze got me drunk enough to not think twice about making out with a complete stranger, but that complete stranger had my heart pounding like it wanted to give out, had me releasing sounds that even just thinking about now made my face heat up. It was so perfect. He was perfect.

Unfortunately, like everything life placed in my hands, I ruined it by throwing up all over him because I’d drank too much. The shame I felt yesterday came rushing through me again and I took a deep breath to expel the crippling embarrassment.

My consolation was simple—I was never going to be reminded of the embarrassment because I was never going to see him again. That sort of luck didn’t fall into the hands of people like me twice.

Jolting out of my deep thoughts, I remembered where I was. The walkway, blocking several people from passing easily. Steeling myself, I clutched the styrofoam cup of coffee I bought to ease my hangover tighter and readjusted the tote bag straps on my shoulder. Then I walked into the building.

The interior was expensively and tastefully decorated, but I was too anxious this morning to properly observe everything. I walked up to the front desk.

“Good morning!” I greeted with a kind smile.

The receptionist was an older lady chewing gum with a bored expression on her face. “Mornin’.” She greeted me back.

“I’m here for the job interview. To be specific, for the role of personal assistant to Mr. Ryke Kolynsky.”

“You’re late.” The woman remarked and I grimaced. How could I explain that I woke up late due to sleeping late because I went clubbing and while I still managed to arrive in time, the few minutes I had were wasted thinking about my terrible life choices?

No way. That sounded like a shitty excuse.

“Sorry,” I opted for simply apologizing, not really knowing what else to say.

“Interview’s that way. Take the elevator to the fifth floor, there’s a large conference room. It’s very easy to find.”

“Thanks.”

I followed the lady’s direction and found myself facing two elevators. Immediately, I turned around, intending to return to ask which to pick but I didn’t want to waste more time than I already had. And so I picked the elevator that looked fancier. They both probably led to the same floor anyway.

I didn't have to wait long for it to arrive and the inside was empty, so I simply stepped in. As I went up, I took a sip from coffee and ran my fingers through my brown hair in an attempt to calm my nerves. I was only a little late. It was fine, really. What wasn't fine was how my hair was already a damn mess because I couldn't stop fidgeting.

Ding!

The doors slid open and I stepped out into a sparsely decorated corridor. According to the receptionist, the conference room where the interview was being held was easy to find, but I didn’t immediately see any room like that. Looking ahead, I did see a corner so maybe it was on the other side. I walked down the corridor and once I came to the corner, I made a sharp turn but as soon as I did, my entire body slammed clumsily into a hard wall and I gasped.

What the hell? I thought. My cup of coffee didn’t make it. It was compressed, spilling all over my clothes and the clothes of the man in front of me.

Wait. Man???

Holy shit. My jaw dropped as I took in the person I thought was a wall, gaze landing on a pristine gray suit terribly ruined by brown stains. Just behind that suit I caught a glimpse of tight abs hidden behind a clingy white shirt. Glancing lower, matching gray pants were added to my field of view followed by shoes that looked like they could pay my rent.

Only when a deep voice started growling did I realize I’d been staring too long and with a gasp, my eyes snapped up to the person’s face. As soon as I took in who it was, my heart dropped to my stomach.

The CEO.

I had run into and spilled coffee on Ryke fucking Kolynksy.

“I- I’m sor—” I started to apologize but he cut me off.

“Are you blind or insane enough to not watch where you’re going?” Ryke snapped and I stumbled backwards.

“I am so, so sorry.” I said, already beginning to tremble and blush in humiliation. As I watched him inspect the wet stains on his suit, I remembered I had a napkin in my tote bag and pulled it out.

“Here, let me…” I said and hurried forward again to help him wipe it. But he stepped back away from my reach, leveling me with a cool look of disgust. Oh, right. He probably didn’t want some random, weird lady touching him. I dropped my hand and felt myself start to shake uncontrollably. I had only just arrived, yet I’d managed to fuck up my chances of getting hired by monumentally pissing off the CEO himself.

In my moment of self-pity, I noticed Ryke had been quiet for too many seconds. I looked up at him and the expression on his face had me pausing in my movement. Ryke was staring at me. His face held shock, like he couldn’t believe who was standing in front of him and I squirmed uncomfortably under his scrutiny. Why was he looking at me like that?

Not daring to say anything, I tried to meet his gaze. Within green irises swirled so many emotions—surprise, confusion, something else I couldn’t name, soft and strange. It was so weird. But while taking in the sexiest eyes I’d ever had the pleasure of looking at, I felt something shift around in my mind. These eyes were so familiar, like I’d seen them before.

“I’m sorry…” I offered again pitifully. That seemed to jolt Ryke out of his silence and he blinked down at me.

“You.” He said gruffly and I tilted my head in confusion. Me? “Do you know this is a restricted area? No one is allowed in here without official permission.” Ryke’s deep voice was exponentially calmer. Strangely, it no longer held the coldness and anger it was laced with just minutes ago.

“I had no idea, I swear!” I scrambled to explain myself. “I’m only here for the job interview and I wasn’t sure which elevator to pick downstairs so I chose at random.”

“Diana didn’t tell you which to pick?” I assumed who he was referring to was the receptionist. “That woman…” Ryke continued and shook his head.

“Go down again and take the other elevator. Fifth floor, don’t forget.”

I nodded. “I really am sorry.” I murmured again referring to his suit and not waiting for a reply, I turned around and left.

Upon getting back in the elevator, I noticed that there wasn’t even a control panel to input which floor I wanted to get to, meaning this really was a reserved elevator that only led to one floor. If I’d been observant enough the first time I was on it, I would have noticed and saved myself the embarrassment of the last few minutes.

“Ugh,” I groaned in annoyance. If I wasn’t going to be reprimanded for being late before, I definitely was going to be now. But there was no need to worry about that. After what I did to Ryke, I was definitely kissing my chances of working for him goodbye.

Once I reached downstairs again, I took the right elevator this time and found the conference room Rita was referring to. To my utter relief, right outside the room, there was a sitting queue of people waiting. Interview candidates, I discovered upon asking. So, I wasn’t late after all.

Sinking down into the empty chair beside the last person on the queue, I finally had an opportunity to catch my breath. My coffee was mostly gone so I had nothing to manage the lingering hangover I was still experiencing. But that would fade away in time. The real issue was the coffee stains on my clothes. I was going to appear before the hiring manager looking like a mess. Tears nearly sprang to my eyes at the thought.

Pulling out my phone, I quickly texted Millie.

Me: Hey

Millie: Hey, babe. What’s up?

She had no idea I ended up applying for the job. Deciding I would tell her about it later, I decided to just complain vaguely.

Me: Shitty morning.

Millie: Well, yeah you drank so much last night. Have you taken painkillers?

She was assuming it was because of my hangover. I sighed and replied.

Me: Yep

Millie: Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you and your Mr. Charming yesterday

Me: Who?

I knew who she was talking about but I didn’t want to think about him. Green eyes flashed in my mind, intense and heated. Millie had no idea the disgusting way our make out ended. I was too embarrassed to tell her when I ran away to meet her and made us leave.

Millie: Don’t play dumb

Millie: I’m wiggling my eyebrows rn btw

At this, I laughed. She always knew how to make me laugh when my mood was down, something I was grateful for.

Me: I’ll tell you the details later

Satisfied with this, Millie let up on her poking and I shut off my phone.

The line had been moving along rather slowly but it was to be expected. After over an hour of waiting, it was finally my turn. My heart beat heavily in my chest. The moment had come. The figures of the proposed salary flashed in my mind and I took a deep breath in and out. Sure, I most definitely wasn’t going to be hired at this point.

All the women I’d seen on the queue looked so good, like tall confident queens. They looked experienced, like people Silvercrest would be proud to have as their CEO’s personal assistant. Not someone like me with zero experience, zero confidence, and a coffee stain on my shirt.

But even then, I walked into that conference room with my head held high, ready to give it my best shot.

I pushed open the doors to the conference room and stepped in, immediately hit by a blast of cool air. Once the doors were shut behind me and I faced forward, I was met with the interviewers sitting on one side of a long meeting table and smiling warmly at me. Their calm, positive demeanor did a lot to calm my nerves and I felt myself starting to smile in return.

Except when I shifted my gaze to the head of the table, my body seized first in terror, then shock.

Sitting there, separate from the rest of the interviewers was Ryke Kolynsky, wearing a new, different suit than the one I stained earlier before and staring at me with a distant, closed off look in his eyes.

“Good morning.”

Lilac’s POV

“Good morning.” Ryke’s deep voice sounded through the room and I stared with wide eyes. What the hell was he doing here? And how had he entered the room without seeing him pass by while I sat outside? Unless…

I moved my gaze to the far end of the room opposite me, and as I suspected, there was a door. He’d come in through another entrance. I shifted my gaze back to the man whose presence dominated the room oppressively.

“Good morning.” I greeted in return with a tight smile, making sure to maintain composure.

“Please, have a seat.” One of the female interviewers gestured kindly to the seats opposite their side of the conference table and I moved to sit, gently arranging my tattered bag in my lap.

“Miss. Evans, is it?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Thank you so much for honoring our invitation to interview.” The woman continued. “I am Helen Woods.” The other two interviewers introduced themselves and then Miss. Helen continued with a nervous laugh, “Joining us for the first time is our CEO, Ryke Kolynsky, who I’m sure you’ve heard of.”

‘Heard of’??? What a joke. I poured my drink on him almost an hour ago. My gaze flitted to Ryke where he sat at the head of the table, watching us quietly and I jumped when I found his eyes already on me. Trembling a little, I immediately averted mine.

According to Helen, Ryke was joining the interview for the first time. This meant he’d decided to show up for just my time here, huh? My chances were well and truly ruined then because he could only be here to make sure no matter my performance, I wasn’t going to get picked.

The interview kicked off. Even with reason to be discouraged, I still put in my best. Even with the cold feeling of Ryke’s gaze never leaving the side of my face, I didn’t fumble. Soon, the end came and at that point, I just wanted to leave.

“Thank you for coming, Miss. Evans. We’ll get back to you on our decision in a week.” One of the other men said.

“Thank you. I look forward to it.”

I picked my bag and stood up to leave but before I took a step, Ryke of course had other plans. “Wait.” He called.

I swallowed nervously. What could he possibly want? “Yes, Mr. Kolynsky?”

“Why do you want to work for this company? What is your motive?”

“My motive?” I asked in confusion. Using such a word, it sounded almost accusatory, like I wanted to be his personal assistant for an ulterior reason which was absurd.

“Yes, Lilac. Your motive.”

We stared at each other, his face expressionless and mine probably looking bewildered. An answer swirled around in my mind and for a moment, I hesitated to say it out, but then I decided—what the hell did I have to lose?

“To be honest, I’m here for the money like literally everyone else.”

A look of surprise came over Ryke’s face at my shocking honesty, and in the next second, he burst into laughter. Ryke’s laugh was a deep and rich sound, akin to something beautifully dangerous like the man himself. I found myself craving more the deeper I listened to it.

The others too started laughing and it all sounded awkward, but I understood they dared not act as though nothing was funny, even though nothing really was.

Smiling just to conform to the mood, I tucked my hair behind my ear. “Can I leave now?”

Ryke sobered up at my request, green eyes still crinkled with mirth. “Sure. We’ll meet yet again, if my interviewers decide you’re good enough.” And with those same eyes trailing me, I left the conference room.

As I walked down the lobby where the other candidates waited for their turn, something very odd struck me—Back there, Ryke referred to me as Lilac, not Miss. Evans.

Throughout the entire interview, those people had only ever referred to me as Miss. Evans, never Lilac. So how the hell did he know my first name?

***

A wolf whistle greeted me as I walked into the kitchen entrance of GoldenSpoon Cafe.

“Damn, girl!” Millie called as she lifted sizzling hot fries from the deep fryer. “You’re all dressed up. What’s the occasion?”

Laughing, I dropped my bag, took off my jacket and responded, “Nothing. Can’t I come in for a shift looking nice for once?”

“Don’t get me wrong, babe. You always look hot, but today is special, you can’t deny that. Did you go on a date?” Millie gasped and her eyes went wide as saucers. “Was it the rich dude from last night?”

“How the hell do you know if he was rich?” I laughed. An apron similar to the one Millie had on hung off the back of the kitchen door so I picked it and tied it on.

“Are you kidding me? He was sitting in the VIP section of the club. Hell, he dropped off one thousand dollars, in cash, just to get you a drink. Do you think just anyone has that sort of money just laying around in their back pocket?”

“Fine.” I sighed in mock seriousness and sat on a stool, waiting out the few minutes till my shift actually started. “I guess Mr. Rich Dude was actually rich. But no, it wasn’t him.”

“Aha!” Millie exclaimed as she submerged another batch of raw fries into the fryer and closed it. “So it was a date! Just not with him.”

“No, it wasn’t a date.” I avoided Millie’s eyes. Now was the time to come clean. “Actually, Millie… I took your advice and applied for the job opening as Ryke Kolynsky’s personal assistant.”

“Oh, really?” Millie wiped her hands on her apron and came to sit next to me. “I didn’t think you’d actually do it.”

“Yeah, because I don’t usually follow your bad suggestions.”

She laughed and smacked my arm gently, “I’m not the bad influence you make me out to be. But, I’m so happy to hear this! You took a leap for once and if you get picked, so much in your life will change for the better.”

“Please, don’t get my hopes up. It’ll make the disappointment hurt far more than it should. Besides, I really don’t think I’ll be getting picked because I might have fucked my chances up… monumentally…”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Blushing in embarrassment as I recalled the memory, I shared my encounter with Ryke before my actual interview and Millie is watching me with her jaw hanging.

“Oh. Shit.”

I grimaced. “Yup.”

“It was an honest accident, though… Surely, he wouldn’t try to punish you for that?” Millie soothed. But almost immediately, she frowned at her own words. It was Ryke Kolynsky we were talking about—alleged asshole. To cement this in her mind, I told her about how he came in to sit through no one else’s interview, at least no one before me.

“Yikes. That couldn’t have been for any good reason.”

I sighed. “It was all worth a try right?”

My shift ended right at that moment and I hopped off my stool to go in front and take over from my co-worker.

The time dragged on and on, but Millie was good company. Soon, she left and Jayce came in to take over her kitchen duties. Rarely did we three ever have a shift that aligned but I loved the times we did. It made working here much less boring.

Soon, my shift was over and I rushed to my next destination for the day. The hospital.

I would’ve visited my mother every day of the week if it was possible, but the patient ward only allowed visits four times a week including weekends.

Once I got to the floor of my mother’s ward room, I made a stop first at one of the rooms of a patient I’d gotten to know in the past year.

“Hi, Berk!” I greeted the old man cheerfully, eagerly awaiting the joyful expression that usually came across his face whenever he got to see me.

“Lilac! Come in, come in. I have something for you today.”

“Oh?” I responded and entered his room as he requested with a knowing smile on my face. “Is it the thing you’ve been working on and hiding from me for the past two weeks?”

Berk laughed heartily as always. “You got me.”

He pulled something out from beside his pillow he sat against and I moved closer to see what it was. A small gasp left my lips at the sight of the beautiful, warm-looking, knitted scarf.

“Oh, Berk. This is lovely.” The older man moved a little so I could perch on the edge of his bed to look at the scarf closely. It was a lovely shade of purple that just spoke to me and I couldn’t help but fall in love with it.

“You did say you were learning how to knit.” I continued. “I’m so happy, thank you.”

“Meh, it’s nothing. I don’t want to take up anymore of your precious visiting time so run along now. Say hi to mom for me, would you?”

After a small hug, I left Berk’s room and moved down the hallway a couple of doors till I got to my mother’s. I knocked softly and at the sound of a muffled ‘Come in’, I grinned and pushed open the door.

“Hi, mom.” I rushed into her wide open and waiting arms and she hugged me immediately.

“My baby, how have you been?”

“I’m okay. Benjamin’s alright as well.” Benjamin was my younger brother who couldn’t visit as much because he was busy with his first year in college.

“I know, love. He called yesterday.”

I climbed very carefully into bed beside her and held up my newly acquired blanket. “Look at this beautiful scarf Berk knitted me.” Soon, just like always, we were chattering away.

All two hours of my visiting time were well spent. I carefully avoided bringing up the most recent events in my life regarding Silvercrest Corporation and unlike Millie, she didn’t ask about my unusually elaborate dressing. For this, I was grateful.

Leaving my mom behind once again was hard. I wished more than anything we lived together like we used to but she needed constant medical attention as long as she hadn’t had surgery to fix her broken ribs and fractured hip.

I worked myself to the bone all day everyday only to afford just the bills of keeping her in this hospital’s care. The cost of the surgery she desperately needed was a whole other topic that gave me anxiety just thinking about it.

Everything my mother had to suffer was courtesy of the most unfortunate being I had the curse of knowing, of being a spawn of. My father. In just one day, he ruined our lives, separating us in the process and leaving us to deal with the aftermath. I would never forgive him for it.

My thoughts about him were vicious and borderline violent as I walked home but at least they kept me company.

I got to the apartment I lived in with my brother, made dinner and kept his share aside for when he got home, then tucked myself into bed.

Not even the joy from seeing my mother earlier could have kept the tears from falling from my eyes like it did every night. I felt so shitty. Everything was too much; could it possibly get any worse?

These were the dark thoughts I had that night before I succumbed to the day’s fatigue and fell asleep.

One week later, an email came in.

***

Dear Lilac Evans,

We regret to inform you that you have not been chosen for the role of Personal Assistant to Ryke Kolynsky.

Ryke’s POV

So one thing was clear to me. Lilac Evans, the woman who just left the conference room, was the same Lilac from the club last night.

Because of the dim lighting in that club, I was never able to get a proper look at her face for the entire time we were together. Consequently, back then on my private office floor, when Lilac crashed into me and messed my clothes up, that scene could have ended so much worse because I didn’t recognise her immediately.

Eventually, I did. Not even in my dreams could I mistake those baby blue eyes, and that voice that sounded like a siren’s. But it wasn’t before I’d already lashed out at her.

Of course, I wasn’t completely sure it was Lilac. I made the decision to attend her interview, something I’d never done in my history of heading this company, just for another chance to get close to her to confirm my suspicions. Hell, even my employees were shocked when I showed up. That’s exactly the sort of irrational thing this woman I’d only known for barely a day had me doing.

But Lilac did not recognise me. Not for one moment did her eyes light up with familiarity every time they lay on me and I struggled to come to terms with the feeling of disappointment in my gut.

“Mr. Kolynsky?” The lead interviewer questioned in confusion as I stood up.

“Handle the rest. I have a meeting right now.” I did not have a meeting, of course, but I had no intentions of sitting through boring as fuck interviews. I was only here for Lilac and she’d basically confirmed it was her when I called her by her first name I should have had no way of knowing and she responded.

The rest of my long week was filled with thoughts of Lilac. The woman had consumed every of my waking moment to the point that it was torture not seeing her. Even distracting me as I spoke to my mother on the phone.

“Ryke. Ryke, are you listening?”

Blinking rapidly, I snapped out of my thoughts. “Uh… Yes, ma’am.”

My mom sighed. “Okay. Spill.”

“What?” I replied, confused.

“Spill. There’s clearly something on your mind, enough to zone out like your own mother is too unimportant to listen to.”

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it. I’ve been so stressed these days, it causes me to zone out sometimes.”

The older woman was silent on the other side of the phone for a moment. If not for the sound of her breathing, I’d have thought she hung up. Soon she spoke, “Do you need a break? I could have Reece visit again to take over while you do so.”

I growled at her suggestion and prayed my father wasn’t anywhere around her. I didn’t need to hear him point out how apparently incompetent I was. I worked so hard to convince him to let Silvercrest’s Bayview branch become the headquarters and I wasn’t going to let anyone take that from me, not even the founder himself.

“I’m fine, I can handle it. You take care of yourself, mom.”

“Whatever you wish, son. You’ve always been so stubborn, I don’t expect you to start listening to me now. The annual company gala is coming up in a few months so we can see then and maybe I’ll be able to convince you to rest then.”

I chuckled at her words. “I’m looking forward to it.”

***

As the CEO, I usually kept from interfering in the affairs of other departments. I wasn’t controlling in any sense of the word and preferred to let them have their autonomy. This precisely was why I didn’t explicitly demand that my hiring team choose Lilac to become my assistant.

I assumed they’d pick her, the obvious candidate who probably outshone every other. At the very least, I’d shown my satisfaction and approval for her when I left the conference room that day.

So imagine the look I had on my face when I arrived at work the Monday of the next week to a strange face.

“We’d like to introduce you to your new assistant, sir.” Helen, my hiring manager had said. “This is Dallas, the successful candidate after we concluded our hiring process.”

I was so speechless I could only level the two women with an icy glare. “Get out of my office.” I growled. Ever since then, Daria, or Deana, or whatever her name was had been walking on eggshells around me. But I didn’t give a fuck.

That same morning, I asked her to make me a coffee. Simple task, right? But once I took a sip, I knew immediately that she’d fucked it up.

“I told you,” I ground out with barely contained irritation, “One cream and two sugars only. This is at least three creams. Throw it out.” I shoved the coffee mug back into her hands and sank ungracefully into my office chair while the woman scurried out of the office with tears in her eyes.

Fuck. What was she crying for? She was being paid an obscene amount of money for doing the least work. She should be carrying out every task with a smile! Besides, it’s not as though she had no idea the type of person she’d be working with. I had no sympathy to give.

I picked up my phone and made a call.

The contact name ‘Helen’ lit up my screen for a few seconds before the woman picked. “Hello, sir? Is anything the-”

“Did you sit through the same interview session with Ms. Evans that I did?”

“I- Huh? Who?”

Lord, give me strength, I muttered to myself and drew on a deep well of patience I stored in my heart for moments like this.

“Ms. Evans, the woman’s whose interview I attended last week. If I remember well, she performed exceptionally. Her responses to your questions showed her amazing capabilities and a willingness to dedicate a lot of effort to Silvercrest. Don’t you think so?”

“Yes, I do! She was an outstanding candidate, I remember her interview well!”

“Great! So why did you make the decision to send some bumbling fool to be my assistant?”

“Sir?”

“Fire her so I don’t have to do it myself. She’d probably burst into tears if I said so much as one more word to her.” I murmured the last part more to myself. “I want Ms. Evans here by tomorrow, latest the day after.”

“Yes, Mr Kolynsky.” Helen sighed and I cut the call.

Now, all I had to do was wait for my angel to come to me.