HERMIONE
Monday mornings are always the busiest, and today is no exception. I arrive at Voss Enterprise a little earlier than usual, eager to settle in before the back-to-back meetings begin. As I step into my office, Merissa, my assistant, is already at her desk, skimming through my schedule for the day.
"Good morning, Ms. Vale," Merissa greets me with a small smile, handing me a tablet. "Your first meeting is in twenty minutes with the legal team to discuss the acquisition case. After that, a briefing with the finance department regarding the compliance reports."
I nod, scanning through the notes. "Thanks, Merissa. Anything urgent I need to handle before we start?"
"Just a few emails that require your review, but nothing pressing. I also confirmed your lunch reservation with Mr. DeLuca and Ms. Martinez from the M&A team."
"Perfect," I say, taking a seat at my desk. I quickly respond to a few priority emails before heading to the conference room where my team is already assembled.
Inside the room, the legal team—David Hall, Samantha Cho, and Marcus Reed—are deep in discussion over the acquisition case involving a tech firm merging with Voss Enterprise.
"Morning, everyone," I greet, setting my files down. "Let's get started. Where are we on the due diligence review?"
David adjusts his glasses. "We've identified a few discrepancies in their financials. The valuation they provided doesn't align with our audit findings."
Samantha chimes in, flipping through her notes. "There's also an issue with one of their pending patents. We need to assess the risk before moving forward."
I listen intently before responding. "We'll need a full risk analysis before making any recommendations to the board. Marcus, can you coordinate with the compliance team and get a report by end of day?"
"On it," Marcus replies with a nod.
We spend the next hour ironing out details, discussing contingencies, and planning the next steps before wrapping up the meeting. As I return to my office, Merissa is already waiting by my desk.
"Ms. Vale, Mr. Voss is here to see you," Merissa informs me, glancing up from her computer.
I barely have a moment to react before Dylan walks in, his presence as commanding as ever. He doesn't ask for permission—he never does. Instead, he strides past Merissa's desk and straight into my office, closing the door behind him. He's dressed in his signature tailored suit, exuding effortless power. He closes the door behind him before leaning casually against my desk.
"Just checking in," he says, his dark eyes scanning my face. "How's your first big case going?"
I sigh, stretching my shoulders. "Challenging but nothing I can't handle. We're refining our strategy and preparing for the next round of negotiations."
He nods in approval. "I knew you'd be on top of things." Then, lowering his voice, he adds, "Don't overwork yourself, Hermione. I need you sharp, not burnt out."
I arch an eyebrow. "Is this a professional concern or something else?"
His lips curve into a smirk as he leans down, brushing a slow, lingering kiss against mine. "Both," he murmurs.
My breath catches, but I quickly regain composure. "You should get back to work before people start suspecting favoritism."
He chuckles, straightening. "Let them suspect."
With one last glance, he leaves my office, and I exhale, shaking off the warmth lingering from his visit. There's still work to be done, and I need to focus.
The rest of the afternoon is spent deep in discussions and legal analysis. By the time the day winds down, I feel accomplished but exhausted. It's been a productive Monday, and despite the distractions, I know I'm exactly where I need to be.