The elevator ride to the thirty-second floor felt longer than it should have.
Liora stood in the corner, clutching the strap of her bag as the numbers slowly ticked upward. Every second that passed made her stomach tighten a little more. The building itself was intimidating enough, polished marble floors, towering glass walls, and employees moving around with the quiet confidence of people who knew exactly where they belonged.
She, however, did not feel like she belonged.
Not here.
Not yet.
When the elevator doors finally slid open, she stepped out and paused for a moment, taking in the view. The entire floor was sleek and modern, rows of spotless desks, glass offices, and a massive window overlooking the city skyline. The morning sun streamed through the glass, making everything look almost unreal.
Liora exhaled slowly.
First day. Don't mess this up. She adjusted her blazer and walked toward the reception desk.
"Hi," she said, offering a polite smile. "I'm Liora Hale. I'm here to start today." The receptionist nodded immediately. "Of course. Mr. Everhart is expecting you."
The name alone made Liora's chest tighten.
Adrian Everhart.
CEO of Everhart Global. Young billionaire. Business prodigy. And according to the internet, arrogant, ruthless, and completely intolerable.
She had never met him before, but she already knew one thing about him for certain.
She didn't like him.
"His office is down the hall," the receptionist added.
"Thank you."
Liora forced her feet to move. Each step felt heavier than the last.
The hallway leading to his office was quieter than the rest of the floor, lined with glass walls and minimalist décor. At the very end stood a tall wooden door slightly ajar.
She knocked lightly.
"Come in."
The voice was deep and calm, the kind that didn't need to be loud to command attention.
Liora pushed the door open.
The office was massive. Floor-to-ceiling windows covered one entire wall, flooding the room with sunlight. A long mahogany desk sat near the center, perfectly organized except for a few documents spread neatly across its surface. And behind it sat Adrian Everhart.
He didn't look up immediately.
Instead, he continued signing a document with slow, deliberate movements, as if he had all the time in the world.
Liora stood there awkwardly for a moment. Then finally, he lifted his head.
For a brief second, their eyes met.
And Liora immediately understood why everyone talked about him the way they did.
Adrian Everhart had the kind of presence that filled a room without effort. Dark hair. Sharp jawline. Calm gray eyes that seemed to study everything at once. His expression was neutral, almost bored, but there was something intimidating about the way he looked at people, as if he could read them in seconds. It irritated her instantly.
"You're Liora Hale," he said.
Not a question.
"Yes," she replied.
He gestured toward the chair across from his desk. "Sit."
No greeting. No handshake. No welcoming smile. Just an order.
Liora sat anyway, keeping her posture straight. Adrian leaned back in his chair slightly, studying her. The silence stretched for several seconds.
Finally he spoke.
"You were recommended by the recruitment team."
"Yes."
"They said you were impressive."
Liora waited.
Then he added, "We'll see." Her jaw tightened just slightly.
There it is. That quiet arrogance she had heard so much about. He picked up a file from his desk and slid it toward her.
"Your first assignment." Liora opened it carefully. Charts. Financial projections. Market analysis reports.
A lot of them.
Her eyebrows lifted slightly. "This… looks like a week's worth of work."
"It is."
She glanced up at him. "You want it finished in a week?"
Adrian's expression didn't change. "I want it finished in three days."
Liora blinked.
"Three?"
"Yes."
"That's unrealistic." The words slipped out before she could stop them.
The room went completely silent.
For a moment, Adrian simply stared at her. Most employees probably would have taken the assignment quietly and left. But Liora had never been good at pretending something was reasonable when it clearly wasn't.
A slow smile appeared on Adrian's face. Not warm. Not friendly. More like amused.
"Interesting," he said.
"Excuse me?"
"Most people don't argue with me on their first day."
"I'm not arguing," Liora said quickly. "I'm just pointing out that the timeline might be… inefficient."
"Inefficient," he repeated.
"Yes."
Adrian leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the desk. "And yet," he said calmly, "everyone else who has worked under me has managed to complete similar tasks within that timeframe."
Liora crossed her arms. "Then maybe everyone else had less sense than I do." The moment the words left her mouth, she realized what she had said.
Too late.
The room fell silent again.
Adrian stared at her. Then, unexpectedly, he laughed.
A quiet laugh. But real. "Well," he said, leaning back again, "this should be interesting."
Liora frowned. "What should?"
"You."
She blinked.
"I beg your pardon?"
"You're either going to be my most impressive employee," Adrian continued calmly, "or the first person I fire this year."
Liora stood up immediately. "Good to know." She picked up the file from his desk. "I'll get started."
As she turned toward the door, Adrian spoke again.
"Miss Hale."
She paused. "Yes?"
"If you're going to survive here," he said, "you might want to stop challenging your boss every five minutes."
Liora turned slowly. A small, stubborn smile appeared on her face. "Then maybe," she replied, "you should stop giving unreasonable orders."
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then Adrian smirked.
And Liora walked out.
The moment the door closed behind her, she released a long breath. Her heart was pounding. Great. Just great. First day at the company, and she had already argued with the CEO. Not just any CEO. Adrian Everhart. The billionaire she already loathed. And somehow… She had the feeling he wasn't going to let her forget it anytime soon.
And somehow, that thought made her stomach twist with equal parts irritation and determination. If Adrian Everhart thought he could intimidate her into silence, he was about to be very disappointed.