The Next Day
"Good morning, Assistant Kassandra."
Kassandra looked up from her desk.
A young man stood in front of her.
"You must be the new employee."
"Yes, ma'am."
Kassandra nodded.
"I hope you understand your duties."
"Yes."
"Good."
She stood up.
"You'll be assisting me from now on."
Ethan straightened immediately.
"Let me make this clear."
Kassandra folded her arms.
"You are my assistant."
"Whatever work I assign to you, you will do."
"In other words..."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"I'm your boss."
"Understood, Boss," Ethan replied.
"Good."
Kassandra glanced at the files on her desk.
"So your name is Ethan Iverson?"
"Yes, Boss."
"Perfect."
She picked up a folder.
"Follow me."
"Where are we going?"
Kassandra looked at him strangely.
"To meet our boss."
"What?!"
Ethan almost jumped.
Kassandra blinked.
"Why are you shouting?"
"N-Nothing."
Ethan forced a smile.
He had heard countless stories about Ryan Lee.
The ruthless CEO.
The cold devil of Lee Empire.
The man who could fire someone with a single sentence.
And now he was expected to meet him on his first day?
"What?"
Kassandra frowned.
"You don't want to meet him?"
"No!"
Ethan quickly shook his head.
"I mean... yes."
Kassandra looked confused.
"You make no sense."
Then she turned around.
"Just follow me."
As they walked away, Ethan swallowed nervously.
Meanwhile, Kassandra couldn't understand why everyone was so afraid of Ryan.
He wasn't that scary.
Most of the time.
Inside the CEO's office...
"Boss."
Kassandra entered first.
Ryan immediately looked up.
His gaze landed on Ethan.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
"This is the assistant I hired."
Kassandra gestured toward Ethan.
"He'll be helping me from now on."
"Good morning, Boss," Ethan greeted respectfully.
Ryan remained silent.
Ethan suddenly felt nervous.
Very nervous.
The office became quiet.
Painfully quiet.
Finally—
"Ethan."
Kassandra turned toward him.
"Wait outside for a moment."
"Yes, Boss."
Ethan practically fled the office.
The moment the door closed, Kassandra looked at Ryan.
"What's wrong?"
Ryan leaned back in his chair.
"Nothing."
"You don't like him?"
Ryan's expression remained unchanged.
"Not particularly."
Kassandra frowned.
"Why?"
Ryan looked at her.
"Why didn't you choose a female assistant?"
Kassandra blinked.
What kind of question was that?
"Because Ethan was the most qualified person we interviewed."
Ryan's eyes narrowed slightly.
For some reason, that answer annoyed him.
The thought of Kassandra spending all day working beside another man didn't sit well with him.
Not at all.
"Boss?"
Kassandra waved a hand.
Ryan returned to reality.
"If you think he's suitable..."
His voice was calm.
"...then let him stay."
Kassandra smiled.
"Thank you, Boss."
Ryan immediately regretted saying that.
Because the smile on her face clearly showed how pleased she was with her choice.
And for some reason...
That annoyed him even more.
"Boss, is our CEO always like that?"
Ethan glanced toward the CEO's office.
"Cold and emotionless?"
Kassandra looked up from her desk.
"Ethan."
"Yes, Boss?"
"We're here to work, not gossip."
"Sorry, Boss."
Kassandra handed him a stack of files.
"Take these to the Manufacturing Department downstairs."
"Right away."
Ethan accepted the files.
"I'm sorry, Boss. It won't happen again."
"I hope so."
Kassandra nodded.
"I'm taking coffee to the CEO."
"If you need anything, let me know when I get back."
"Okay, Boss."
As Ethan walked away, Kassandra leaned back in her chair.
A small smile appeared on her face.
"I guess having an assistant isn't such a bad idea after all."
Then she picked up Ryan's coffee and headed toward his office.
"Here's your coffee, Boss."
Ryan didn't look up from his documents.
"Put it on the table."
"Okay."
Kassandra placed the coffee down.
For some reason, Ryan seemed to be in a strange mood today.
Not that he was usually cheerful.
But today felt different.
Much different.
"What the heck is wrong with him?"
Kassandra asked Little Flame in her mind as she left the office.
Maybe he's hungry.
Or maybe he's just grumpy.
Humans are complicated.
Kassandra ignored the comment.
A while later...
Lunch break arrived.
Most employees were heading toward the cafeteria.
"Boss."
Ethan approached Kassandra's desk.
"Aren't you going for lunch?"
Kassandra shook her head.
"Nope."
"Why?"
"I'm busy."
Ethan thought for a moment.
"Then tell me what you'd like to eat."
Kassandra blinked.
"What?"
"I'll bring it back for you."
A bright smile appeared on Ethan's face.
"It's part of my job."
Before Kassandra could answer—
Inside the CEO's office...
Ryan's pen snapped in half.
Silence.
The temperature in the room dropped noticeably.
Sky, who was standing nearby, slowly looked away.
He didn't want to know.
He definitely didn't want to know.
Ryan stared through the glass wall toward Kassandra's desk.
His expression darkened.
Why is he asking her that?
And why is she answering him?
Since when are they so familiar?
Meanwhile...
"Thanks, Ethan."
Kassandra smiled.
"I appreciate it."
"No problem, Boss."
Ethan grinned.
"That's what assistants are for."
Kassandra laughed.
"Then sit down when you get back."
"We can eat together."
"Really?"
"Of course."
Ethan looked surprisingly happy.
Inside the CEO's office...
Another pen broke.
Sky sighed.
Poor pen.
At that exact moment, Ryan picked up the office phone.
"Kassandra."
His voice echoed through the receiver.
"Come to my office."
The call ended immediately.
Kassandra stared at the phone.
Then at Ethan.
Then back at the phone.
"..."
"What did I do this time?"
"Boss, you called for me?"
Kassandra walked into the office with an annoyed expression.
She hated being interrupted when food was involved.
Ryan immediately noticed her tone.
"What?"
Kassandra forced a smile.
"Nothing, Boss."
Ryan narrowed his eyes.
She was clearly unhappy.
"Sit down."
Kassandra looked at the chair opposite him.
Then at the food on the table.
Then at Ryan.
"Why?"
"I ordered something."
Ryan pushed a plate toward her.
"Try it."
Kassandra's eyes immediately lit up.
The annoyance disappeared.
Ryan almost laughed.
Food really was her weakness.
"But Boss..."
Kassandra hesitated.
"I was about to eat with Ethan."
The atmosphere suddenly changed.
Sky, standing near the door, silently lowered his head.
Ryan's expression remained unchanged.
"This is an order."
Kassandra blinked.
"What?"
"Don't tell me you're planning to disobey me because of him."
"That's not what I meant, Boss."
Kassandra sat down.
"What the heck is wrong with you today?"
"What was that?"
Ryan asked.
Kassandra immediately shook her head.
"Nothing."
Ryan looked satisfied.
"Eat."
Kassandra picked up her fork.
The moment she tasted the food, her eyes widened.
"This is delicious!"
Ryan pretended to continue reading documents.
But the corner of his lips moved slightly.
"Really?"
"Really."
Kassandra nodded repeatedly.
"This is amazing."
Ryan glanced at her.
A strange feeling of satisfaction appeared in his chest.
Meanwhile, outside the office...
Ethan stood there holding two lunch boxes.
He stared at the closed door.
Then at the lunch boxes.
Then back at the door.
"I think..."
He sighed.
"...I just got robbed."
Inside the office, Kassandra happily continued eating.
Completely unaware that her boss had just used his authority to steal her lunch partner.