The loud blaring of the alarm clock ripped Christy out of her much needed sleep. Groaning, she reached out blindly, smacking the snooze button before rolling onto her side. Every bone in her body ached from exhaustion.
She lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, trying to summon the will to get up.
How was this her life now?
She had barely gotten any rest, and the moment she opened her eyes, she was already dreading another long day at work.
Then her phone vibrated.
With a sigh, she reached for it, her brows furrowing as she noticed a bank alert.
Credit Alert: $500 – Stipend from Gold Star Enterprises.
Her eyes widened in confusion.
A stipend?
She quickly scrolled through her emails and found a message from the company's finance department.
"As part of the onboarding package for the CEO's secretary, a monthly stipend has been deposited into your account for professional attire expenses. Kindly ensure you dress appropriately as per company standards."
Christy let out a small sigh.
This had Nathan's name written all over it. He was really serious about sending that stipend for her outfit.
She knew he wasn't subtle when it came to making people fit his standards. Still, she wasn't about to argue with free money.
"I guess I'll go shopping later," she muttered, making a mental note to ask Kate to tag along.
Shaking off the sleepiness, she dragged herself out of bed and to get ready for another long day at work.
Forcing herself to sit up, she rubbed her temples before dragging herself to the bathroom.
The cold water jolted her awake as she showered, and while getting dressed, she hesitated for a moment.
Nathan's voice echoed in her head.
"You should do better with your dressing. I don't want my secretary looking like that."
Her brows furrowed as she looked at her wardrobe. It wasn't like she had a closet full of designer clothes, but maybe… she could try something different?
Arriving at the office at exactly 7:55 AM, Christy felt a small sense of victory.
No strike today.
She was dressed slightly better than usual, nothing too fancy, but at least more presentable.
A fitted white blouse, a black pencil skirt, and low heels. It was a small change, but a step up at least.
As she set up for the day, she mentally prepared for another round of meetings.
She went to her office and took Nathan's schedule and glanced through the list of things he needed to do.
At 9 AM meeting with investors, at 12 PM lunch appointment with the marketing team, and a media interview at 3 PM.
At 8:45 AM, she knocked on Nathan's office door and stepped in.
He was seated behind his desk, flipping through some documents, his usual serious expression in place.
"I came to inform you that your first meeting is in fifteen minutes," she said professionally. "The investors are in the conference room, and everything has been arranged."
Nathan glanced up, but instead of immediately responding, his gaze lingered on her outfit.
A strange silence stretched between them.
"You took my advice," he noted.
Christy blinked. "Excuse me?"
He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "You actually look like a proper secretary today."
Was that… a compliment?
"Umm, thanks?" she muttered, slightly caught off guard.
Nathan smirked slightly but didn't say anything else.
Shaking off the awkward moment, Christy quickly handed him his revised schedule. "I also took a look at your schedule," she said cautiously. "I noticed some back-to-back meetings, so I adjusted a few things to make it more manageable."
Nathan looked at her, his sharp eyes meeting hers.
"You changed my schedule?"
Christy swallowed. "Yes. I thought it would help."
He leaned back in his chair, studying her.
"I don't remember asking you to do that."
Christy tensed. "I just thought…"
Nathan sighed, rubbing his temples. "Let me see it."
Nathan raised a brow but took the paper, scanning it.
A long pause.
"This is actually… better," he admitted, surprising her.
She brightened slightly. "Really?"
Nathan exhaled, setting the paper down. "Yes. But next time, ask first."
Christy nodded quickly. "Understood."
Without another word, Nathan stood, grabbing his suit jacket.
"Let's go," he said. "The investors are waiting."
Christy quickly followed, and as they walked toward the conference room, she couldn't help but feel a small sense of accomplishment.
Maybe, just maybe she was starting to get the hang of this job.
The investors were already seated when Nathan and Christy walked into the large conference room.
A group of middle-aged men in expensive suits greeted them, their sharp eyes immediately locking onto Nathan.
"Mr. Carter," one of them said, shaking his hand. "Pleasure to finally meet you in person."
Nathan nodded. "Let's get started."
Christy quietly took her seat beside Nathan, ready to take notes.
The discussion was intense.
Numbers, projections, business expansions, half of what they were saying sounded foreign to Christy but she could catch up since she was once a business student. She focused, jotting down everything.
Nathan, on the other hand, was completely into this meeting.
His cold, calculated approach was different from the Nathan she once knew. The carefree college boy was gone.
This Nathan was sharp, direct, and utterly intimidating.
An hour later, the meeting wrapped up.
The investors seemed impressed, nodding in approval as they shook hands.
"Looking forward to working with you, Mr. Carter," one of them said.
As they exited the room, Christy followed Nathan, still scribbling down notes.
He suddenly stopped, turning to her. "Send me a summary of that meeting before lunch."
Christy quickly nodded. "I'll get it done."
Nathan gave a brief nod and walked off, leaving Christy to hurry back to her desk.
At 12 PM, Nathan had a lunch meeting with the marketing team.
Christy didn't expect to go with him, so she was surprised when Mr. Adams approached her desk.
"The CEO wants you to attend the lunch meeting with him," he informed her.
Christy frowned. "Me?"
Mr. Adams gave her a look. "Yes. Now hurry up."
Confused but not wanting to argue, she grabbed her notepad and followed Nathan to the company's restaurant.
A group of high-level executives was already seated, waiting for him.
As Nathan and Christy took their seats, she felt a few eyes on her.
"So this is your new secretary?" one of the executives asked, eyeing Christy curiously.
Nathan gave a short nod. "Yes."
The conversation quickly shifted to business matters, and Christy focused on taking notes.
Halfway through the lunch, she felt someone staring at her.
She glanced up and locked eyes with Nathan.
His gaze wasn't harsh or cold this time just unreadable.
Quickly, she looked away, pretending to focus on her notepad.
What was that about?
The morning passed in a blur of meetings and endless paperwork. Nathan had a packed schedule, and Christy was barely keeping up. But compared to yesterday, today felt slightly easier, probably because she edited his schedule.
At 3 PM, Nathan's last engagement for the day was a media interview. Christy sat in the background as reporters asked him about Gold Start Enterprises latest projects, expansion plans, and leadership under him.
Nathan answered every question smoothly, his confidence unwavering.
It was strange watching him like this.
The Nathan she knew years ago would have laughed off these serious questions, probably cracking a joke or two. But this Nathan? He was composed, direct, and every bit the CEO his father had wanted him to be.
When the interview ended, Christy checked her watch, 4:30 PM.
For once, she was getting off work early.
She pulled out her phone and dialed Kate.
"Hey, I've been trying to reach you since yesterday" Kate said before Christy could even say anything.
Christy smiled. "I was so tired last night and I need your help with some new clothes."
"Finally! I've been waiting for this moment. Meet me at the usual spot."
An hour later, Christy and Kate walked side by side towards a clothing store.
"So," Kate began, crossing her arm with Christy's. "How's your new job?"
Christy sighed. "I had the first worst day."
Kate raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"
Christy shook her head, still processing everything herself. "Nathan's my boss."
Kate stopped in her tracks, staring at her in disbelief. "Wait, Nathan?"
Christy nodded. "Yeah. I'm literally his secretary."
Kate burst into laughter. "Oh my God! I guess fate just threw you two back together!"
Christy groaned. "More like shoved us back together."
Kate nudged her playfully. "So, what's the issue? You used to like him back then."
Christy rolled her eyes. "Like?? I never liked Nathan but he was okay, his just like a total stranger now."
Kate tilted her head. "How different is he?"
Christy hesitated before answering. "He's… cold. Like, really cold. The Nathan we knew was always fun and full of life. Now? He's all serious and I don't know, just…different."
Kate hummed in thought. "I guess his father really did bend him."
Christy sighed. "Probably. And you won't believe this, he sent money to my account so I could buy better clothes for work."
Kate gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. "What a slap to the face!"
Christy chuckled. "I know, right? He basically told me I dress like a mess."
Kate grabbed her shoulders. "Then we need to make sure you go back to work looking like a boss."
They entered the store, scanning through racks of blouses, skirts, and suits.
"I don't know how much of him I can handle," Christy admitted, running her fingers over a navy-blue blazer.
Kate smirked. "Well, you're stuck with him now."
Before Christy could respond, her phone buzzed in her pocket.
She pulled it out, expecting a text from her mom or Grace.
But when she saw the screen, a cold chill ran down her spine.
Unknown Number: Ignoring me won't change anything, Christy. We need to talk.
Her heartbeat quickened.
She swallowed hard, staring at the message.
Who was this?
Another message popped up.
Unknown Number: I'll be seeing you soon.
Christy's grip on the phone tightened.
Kate noticed her sudden change in expression. "Hey, you okay?"
Christy hesitated before looking at her.
"I… I think someone's watching me."