Chapter 1

Lalisa Manoban stared at the towering glass structure in front of her, feeling both a rush of excitement and a distinct twist of dread in her stomach. Kim Industries. It looked more like a high-tech fortress than a place of business. Sleek, modern, and intimidating, just like the woman who owned it.

Taking a deep breath, Lisa squared her shoulders.

“Alright, Lisa. You got this,” she muttered to herself. Her reflection in the glass doors flashed a quick grin, and she tried to pump herself up with a little humor.

“What’s the worst that could happen? You get fired on your first day? No biggie. I’ve been thrown off worse things than this. Remember that time you tried surfing?”

She pushed through the revolving doors and entered the lobby. Immediately, everything felt cold, from the air-conditioned draft to the way every person in sight seemed to move with precision and purpose. No one lingered, no one slacked. She could almost hear the seconds ticking in the air like currency.

"Man, I hope I don’t have to walk like a robot too,” she whispered under her breath, heading toward the elevator. The receptionist didn’t even glance up.

Lisa reached the elevator and stabbed the button for the top floor....Jennie Kim’s floor. The executive suite. As the doors slid shut, she straightened her blouse one last time, rehearsing her lines in her head.

"Hi, Ms. Kim! It’s such an honor to...no, no. Sounds too fake. Okay, maybe just: Morning! Let’s take over the world today!" She snorted, imagining the look on Jennie’s face. That was sure to get her thrown out before lunchtime.

The elevator dinged softly, and she stepped out onto a floor so quiet it might as well have been a library. A very sterile, intimidating library. Jennie Kim’s office loomed at the end of the hallway, behind massive mahogany doors that screamed Do Not Disturb.

Lisa took another deep breath.

“Here goes nothing.”

She knocked, then entered before waiting for a response.

Jennie was seated behind her enormous glass desk, tapping at her laptop, not even looking up as Lisa stepped in. The room was just like the woman: minimalist, sleek, and utterly devoid of warmth. Lisa swore it was a few degrees colder in here than the rest of the building.

“Ms. Kim? Good morning!” Lisa said with the most upbeat tone she could muster.

“I’m Lalisa Manoban, your new executive assistant. But everyone calls me Lisa, so feel free to....”

“You’re late.” Jennie’s voice cut through the air, precise and clipped.

Lisa blinked. She glanced at the clock on the wall, confirming it was exactly 9:00 AM. “Oh, well, actually I’m right on time...”

“I prefer my team to arrive fifteen minutes early,” Jennie said, still not looking up. “If you want to work here, you’ll be early.”

"Wow" , Lisa thought. "And I thought my dad was a tough boss."

“Noted,” Lisa replied, trying to keep her smile intact. “Fifteen minutes early from now on.”

Jennie finally glanced up, her sharp brown eyes raking over Lisa with a gaze so cold it could’ve frozen the Arctic. “Good. I have a meeting in ten minutes. Prepare the boardroom.”

Lisa paused. “Um, prepare it how?”

Jennie’s brow lifted slightly, as though the question itself was offensive.

“Do I have to spell it out? Set the agenda, make sure the presentations are ready, check that the refreshments are in place, and ensure the AV is working properly. Is that clear enough for you?”

Lisa’s heart dropped into her stomach. “Crystal clear, ma’am.”

Jennie returned her gaze to her screen. “You’re dismissed.”

Lisa scurried out of the office, the heavy doors shutting behind her with a thud. She stood there for a second, letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

"Okay, that was intense. But you got this, Lisa. It’s just one meeting. How hard can it be?"

She found the boardroom easily enough and got to work. Fifteen minutes later, the agenda was on every seat, the presentations were pulled up on the main screen, and the coffee station was stocked with exactly what Jennie had listed on a very detailed email. Lisa stood back, admiring her work.

"Not bad for my first day. No disasters yet."

A second later, the doors swung open and in strode Jennie, flanked by a group of executives in expensive suits. Her gaze swept over the room, and for a brief second, Lisa thought maybe..maybe...there was the tiniest glint of approval in her eyes.

But of course, it didn’t last.

“Why is the projector displaying in the wrong format?” Jennie asked sharply, folding her arms.

Lisa’s stomach flipped. “Oh. Uh, that’s the 16:9 setting, which is the standard for presentations.”

Jennie’s expression didn’t change. “We use 4:3 here. Fix it. Now.”

Lisa fumbled with the remote, her hands shaking as she toggled through settings.

“Of course, Ms. Kim. No problem.”

"How do people even use 4:3 anymore? Is this company stuck in the stone age?"

she grumbled internally but kept her face neutral.

Jennie didn’t move, standing there like a stern queen observing a jester struggling to perform. Finally, Lisa managed to switch the settings, and the screen adjusted.

“There. All good!” Lisa said with a nervous laugh, trying to ease the tension.

But Jennie had already turned away, her attention back on the meeting. “Make sure it’s right next time,” was all she said before taking her seat at the head of the table.

As the meeting went on, Lisa stood by the door, a silent observer to Jennie’s command of the room. The CEO was cold, efficient, and terrifyingly brilliant. There was no doubt that Jennie Kim was a force to be reckoned with. Lisa had known she was getting into something tough, but she hadn’t realized just how intense Jennie would be.

At least, she consoled herself, the day couldn’t get any worse.

Just as that thought crossed her mind, one of the executives raised a hand. “Ms. Kim, I believe the agenda is missing the financial projections for Q4.”

Jennie’s eyes sliced toward Lisa, and Lisa’s stomach sank.

"Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no."

“That wasn’t on the version I received,” Lisa blurted before she could stop herself.

Jennie’s expression could’ve frozen lava. “You should have asked.”

Lisa gave a shaky grin. “Noted.”

Jennie’s eyes narrowed, and for a split second, Lisa could’ve sworn the woman’s lip twitched. Not quite a smile, but something close.

The rest of the meeting passed in a blur of tension, silent glares, and, for Lisa, fervent prayers that she wouldn’t make any more mistakes. By the time it was over, her nerves were shot.

As the executives filed out, Jennie paused in front of Lisa, her icy gaze lingering for just a second longer than necessary.

“Fifteen minutes early tomorrow. Don’t forget.”

Lisa managed a tight nod. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

The second Jennie disappeared down the hallway, Lisa let out a groan and sank against the wall. “Yup. Definitely scarier than surfing.”

The next morning, Lisa arrived at Jennie’s office fifteen minutes early determined to start fresh. She had spent the entire night preparing, going over the company protocols, memorizing Jennie’s preferences, and even practicing different ways to introduce herself. All of that, she was sure, would make her second day less disastrous than the first.

As she stepped off the elevator and into the nearly deserted top floor, she felt a pang of satisfaction. Not a minute late. She had even beat Jennie to the office, or so she thought.

The moment Lisa walked past Jennie’s office, she spotted her through the glass walls, already seated behind her desk, meticulously typing away. Her hair was pulled into a sleek ponytail, her black blazer crisp and perfectly fitted. She looked like she had been there for hours, though it was barely 8:45 AM.

Of course, she’s early. She probably sleeps here, Lisa thought.

“Good morning, Ms. Kim!” Lisa chirped as she poked her head into the office.

Jennie didn’t look up, still focused on her screen.

“I expect the conference room to be ready in twenty minutes. We’re hosting a video call with the board in Hong Kong, and I don’t want any errors today. Make sure the AV works correctly this time.” Her tone was as cold and precise as ever, as if Lisa hadn’t just offered her a friendly greeting.

Lisa bit back a sarcastic reply and instead gave a cheery nod.

“Got it! Crystal clear. No projector blunders today, I promise.”

Jennie’s fingers paused briefly on the keyboard, as if acknowledging the comment was a waste of time, before resuming her work without a word.

Great talk, Lisa thought with a sigh. She scurried off to the boardroom.

---

The boardroom was in better shape than the day before, Lisa noted, mostly because she had preemptively checked every possible issue earlier. Still, she ran a quick test of the video call system just to be sure. Everything seemed to be working fine....until it wasn’t.

The screen flickered, then froze on an unflattering image of Jennie from yesterday’s meeting, caught mid-sentence with her mouth slightly open.

Lisa blinked at the screen in disbelief. “Oh no. Oh, no, no, no.”

She frantically tried to reboot the system, muttering under her breath, “Come on, don’t do this to me. Not today. Anything but this.”

Jennie’s face stared back at her, pixelated and stuck in an expression that could only be described as ‘judgmental.’

Lisa tried hitting a few buttons, pulling up the control panel to reset the software, but the screen stubbornly refused to cooperate. She swore it was mocking her.

Footsteps echoed from the hallway, and before Lisa could fix the problem, Jennie appeared in the doorway. Lisa froze, trying to block the screen with her body, as if that would somehow prevent Jennie from seeing it.

“Is everything ready?” Jennie asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as they flicked to the side of the room where the screen flickered with her frozen, pixelated image.

Lisa plastered a smile on her face, trying to act casual.

“Totally! Just... uh... running a final check to make sure everything’s... smooth.”

Jennie stepped past her, glancing at the screen. Her eyebrow lifted as she took in the glitchy image of herself, and for a moment, Lisa was sure this was it....the end of her very short career at Kim Industries.

“This is what you call smooth?” Jennie’s voice was ice, cutting through the air.

Lisa chuckled nervously. “Well, technically it’s frozen, but we’re working on that! Don’t worry, I’m all over it.” She frantically pressed more buttons, hoping something anything would work. The screen stubbornly remained frozen.

Jennie sighed, crossing her arms. “I thought I made it clear that there’s no room for errors here, Ms. Manoban. If you’re not up for the job...”

“Oh, I’m totally up for it!” Lisa interrupted, turning around with the kind of optimism only the doomed could muster.

“I thrive under pressure! This? This is nothing. Just a small fire.”

“Small fire,” Jennie repeated, her voice dry.

“We’re about to video call with our board of directors, and you’re comparing this situation to a ‘small fire.’”

Lisa forced another smile. “A manageable small fire. You know, like... lighting birthday candles. Not the ‘evacuate-the-building’ type of fire.”

Jennie’s unimpressed gaze lingered on her for a beat too long before she shifted her attention back to the screen. “Fix it,” she ordered, her tone making it sound less like a suggestion and more like a life-or-death command.

Lisa nodded rapidly and grabbed the remote, hoping to reset the entire system this time. After a few agonizing seconds, the screen finally blinked back to life, displaying the welcome screen for the video call software. Lisa couldn’t help but pump her fist in silent victory.

“There we go! Smooth as butter,” she announced, grinning as though she’d just defused a bomb.

Jennie remained impassive. “Good. Now, double-check that the connection with the Hong Kong board is stable, and ensure there are no more ‘birthday candle fires’ before the meeting starts.”

Lisa resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the jab. “Got it. No more fires. Consider me your very own in-house firefighter.”

Jennie ignored the comment and turned on her heel, heading back to her office without another word.

Once she was out of earshot, Lisa let out a deep breath and leaned against the wall. “Great job, Lisa,” she muttered sarcastically.

“Day two and you’re already flirting with disaster.”

---

By noon, the video call had gone off without any further hitches. Lisa managed to avoid catastrophe, though the entire time, she could feel Jennie’s icy presence looming over her like a dark cloud. Even when Jennie wasn’t looking at her, she felt like she was being watched, evaluated, and silently judged.

When the meeting finally ended, Lisa cleared the boardroom, tidying up the space and trying to de-stress after another tense morning. As she was stacking papers, Jennie appeared again, standing at the door.

“Ms. Manoban,” Jennie said, her voice even and cool as ever.

“I’ll need you to handle something else for me this afternoon. There’s a dinner event tonight with potential investors. You’ll be accompanying me.”

Lisa blinked, nearly dropping the stack of papers.

“Wait. Me? Accompanying you? To a fancy dinner?”

Jennie’s eyes narrowed slightly, as though she couldn’t believe Lisa would question her instructions.

“Yes. Is that going to be a problem?”

“Oh, no problem at all!” Lisa quickly stammered.

“I just didn’t expect... you know... to be the plus-one to your very important business dinner.”

“You’re not a plus-one,” Jennie clarified icily.

“You’re my assistant. I expect you to be professional, efficient, and, preferably, invisible.”

Lisa gave a mock salute, though she toned it down quickly when she realized Jennie wasn’t one for playful gestures.

“Got it. Professional and invisible. I’m basically a ninja.”

Jennie didn’t react to that. Instead, she handed Lisa a small envelope.

“Here’s the invitation with the details. I expect you there by 7:30 sharp. Do not be late.”

Lisa took the envelope, nodding earnestly.

“I’ll be there early. Fifteen minutes early,” she promised with a slight smirk.

Jennie’s lips twitched, almost as if she were about to smile but then she turned and walked away before Lisa could be sure.

Lisa watched her go, letting out a low whistle.

“Man, that woman is a glacier.” She glanced down at the invitation, then back toward the door. “A very gorgeous, terrifying glacier.”

The restaurant was far fancier than anything Lisa had ever set foot in. The kind of place where they served you five courses but the portions were so small you needed a magnifying glass to spot them. Lisa stood outside, tugging at the hem of her blazer and adjusting her blouse, trying to make herself look as professional as possible while avoiding the suffocating feeling of her high heels.

She arrived, as promised, fifteen minutes early. There were no chances to be taken with Jennie Kim. Not anymore. Not after the whole projector disaster and the infamous small fire incident.

Lisa fiddled with the invitation in her hand, glancing at the elegant calligraphy. The Sutton Room at 7:30 PM, it read.

She double-checked her watch 7:15. Perfect timing. Okay, ninja mode activated, she thought, taking a deep breath before pushing open the restaurant doors.

Inside, the maître d’ glanced at her, clearly unimpressed with Lisa’s nervous smile. “May I help you?”

“Oh, yeah. I mean, yes. I’m here for the Kim Industries dinner party,” Lisa said, waving the envelope like it was a VIP pass.

The maître d’ raised an eyebrow at the slightly crumpled invitation, but nonetheless nodded and led her through the dimly lit restaurant toward a private dining area.

Lisa couldn’t help but gawk at the place massive chandeliers hung from the ceiling, the tables were set with glistening silverware, and the entire room smelled faintly of fresh truffle oil and expensive cologne.

This is what rich people smell like, she thought, stifling a grin.

As she entered the Sutton Room, Lisa spotted Jennie right away, already seated at the head of the long table, deep in conversation with two sharply dressed men. She looked flawless, as always, her posture immaculate, her face unreadable as she spoke with the investors. Lisa felt a pang of panic had she come too late? Had the dinner already started?

Jennie’s eyes flicked to her as she walked in, and for the briefest moment, there was something in her gaze. Something like disappointment or maybe it was just her usual icy disdain.

“You’re almost late,” Jennie said quietly as Lisa approached, her voice barely more than a whisper but laced with disapproval.

Lisa blinked, glancing at her watch again. “It’s 7:17.”

“I said 7:15,” Jennie replied, still in that same, icy tone. “Early means early.”

Lisa let out a short, nervous laugh, trying to play it off. “Noted. Two minutes late is basically the same as an hour, right?”

Jennie didn’t respond. Instead, she turned back to the conversation with the investors, leaving Lisa standing awkwardly at the side of the table. She wasn’t sure whether to sit or stay standing until she was instructed. Professional and invisible, she reminded herself.

Deciding to err on the side of caution, Lisa took a seat a few spots down from Jennie, doing her best to blend into the background like a wallflower. She fiddled with the napkin on her lap, glancing around the room at the wealthy men and women chatting in hushed tones. Every so often, Jennie would say something, her voice cool and authoritative, and Lisa would nod along like she understood the intricate details of corporate mergers and stock options. She didn’t.

As the first course was served—some kind of delicate amuse-bouche that Lisa couldn’t even pronounce—one of the investors, a silver-haired man with an obnoxiously wide smile, leaned toward Jennie. “So, Ms. Kim, what do you think of our new expansion plans in Singapore? I hear it’s an untapped market for tech development.”

Jennie took a sip of her wine before responding, her voice as poised as ever. “Singapore is promising, but it depends on how you approach the market. If you go in aggressively, you risk alienating local firms, which is a mistake too many companies make.”

The investor nodded, clearly impressed. “Wise advice. You’ve always been sharp, Jennie.”

Lisa, on the other hand, had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. She stifled a yawn and tried to focus on eating her tiny appetizer, though it hardly satisfied her growing hunger. She glanced at Jennie, who was completely in her element...cool, composed, and every bit the intimidating CEO that her reputation claimed.

How does she stay so calm all the time? Lisa wondered. She was pretty sure if she tried to talk about Singapore tech markets, she’d accidentally end up mentioning k-pop or something.

Just as she was lost in thought, Jennie’s voice snapped her back to reality. “Lisa.”

Lisa’s head jerked up so fast she nearly knocked over her glass of water. “Yes, Ms. Kim?”

“I assume you’ve made a note of the points raised about Singapore,” Jennie said, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

Lisa blinked. “Oh. Uh. Yes! Absolutely. Singapore. Tech. Aggressive.... uh, but not too aggressive?” She tried to piece together what little she remembered from the conversation, her mind scrambling for business terms that sounded halfway intelligent.

Jennie’s expression remained unreadable, but Lisa could feel the judgment radiating off her.

“Ensure that I have a full report on it by Monday,” Jennie said coldly, turning back to the investors without missing a beat.

“Of course!” Lisa said, quickly pulling out her phone to type some random notes.

'What even is happening in Singapore? I’m going to have to Google this later.'

The rest of the dinner continued in much the same fashion Jennie making brilliant business observations while Lisa tried her best not to look like a lost puppy. At some point, the waiter came by to refill everyone’s glasses, and Lisa desperately needing something to take the edge off accepted the offer of wine. She was mid-sip when the next course arrived: an overly elaborate dish with a name she couldn’t pronounce.

As the waiter set the plate down in front of her, Lisa smiled politely and whispered a thank-you. She was about to dig in when she noticed Jennie glance at her, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

“What?” Lisa whispered, glancing between her plate and Jennie. “Did I do something wrong?”

Jennie’s voice was a whisper too, but it held an unmistakable edge. “That’s the entrée fork.”

Lisa froze, her fork halfway to her mouth. She glanced down at the cutlery, suddenly realizing there were multiple forks she hadn’t even noticed. “Oh, right. Of course,” she muttered, setting the fork down like she totally knew the difference between entrée forks and salad forks.

'Why are there so many forks?' Lisa thought in despair.

She opted for what she hoped was the correct utensil and cautiously took a bite of her food. Jennie returned to her conversation, thankfully not calling her out any further, but Lisa could feel the woman’s disapproval hovering over her like a dark cloud.

The night dragged on, and by the time the dessert course arrived, Lisa had long since given up trying to contribute anything meaningful. She’d managed to survive the dinner without any major disasters (aside from the fork incident), but Jennie’s cold demeanor made it clear she was still on thin ice.

As the investors finally stood to leave, Lisa let out a sigh of relief, grateful that the evening was coming to an end. Jennie walked the men out with a firm handshake and a polite, “I’ll be in touch.”

When she returned, Jennie’s eyes landed on Lisa, who was still seated, clutching her half-empty wine glass like a lifeline.

“Thank you for attending tonight,” Jennie said, her voice devoid of warmth. “I trust you’ll be more prepared next time.”

Lisa forced a smile, though her stomach was doing anxious flips. “Oh, for sure. Next time, I’ll be... uh, even more prepared. With proper forks and everything.”

Jennie’s expression didn’t change, though Lisa could have sworn she saw the tiniest flicker of amusement in Jennie’s eyes. But if it was there, it disappeared as quickly as it came.

“Goodnight, Ms. Manoban,” Jennie said before turning and walking out of the restaurant, leaving Lisa alone with her thoughts and the remnants of her embarrassing evening.

Lisa watched Jennie’s retreating figure, slumping back in her chair with a groan. “Professional and invisible,” she muttered to herself. “More like professional disaster.”

As she stood to leave, she took one last look at the fancy, now-empty table and whispered, “I’m gonna need a snack after this.”

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