Routines, you love 'em.
Nothing sounds better than your whole day already mapped out in your head to avoid any inconveniences. Wake up, get ready for the day, work your 9-5 office job, go home, get ready for bed, sleep, then repeat.
People tend to push this negative narrative on office jobs, but you pay no mind to it. You prefer it this way anyways– you're earning enough money and you're cruising through life smoothly.
You're in your shared office right now with your partner secretary, timidly asking, "Arlert, can you go with me to pick up proposal documents for the meeting on Friday?"
Your job isn't bad at all. Being employed right under the CEO as his secretary has its perks, but it's hard to ignore his other secretary's distant behavior towards you. He frequently avoids you unless it's for work, yet he confuses you whenever he sees you struggling and would be the first to help you.
Instead of saying anything, he just glanced up from his computer to acknowledge your existence, nodded, then went out the room ahead of you without a word.
See?
But just a month ago, when there was a dispute between you and one of the marketing managers, right when the other person stepped closer and had their hand balled into a fist ready to swing at you, he pulled you away to the office and offered you water and support, stammering and fumbling with his words as if he did something wrong. Oftentimes, he seems to want to say something to you and it leaves you skeptical. What, is there a piece of lettuce stuck in between your teeth? You don't believe that you're that ditzy, but you certainly feel that way when you're around him.
And not only is he the CEO's right hand man, he's the Jaeger family's adopted son, meaning he's just as significant of a figure as your boss. The only reason he's below him in terms of occupation is because he chose to– even though in technicality, he's much more qualified than Jaeger. And though your position equates to his, he's much more experienced than you are since he knows what pleases Jaeger — they've lived together for fuck's sake.
You weren't going to lie, you can admit that you've checked him out a few times. What can you say, he has an ass and a yummy bod, his uniform that included slacks and a button up doing him justice. Though he's never piqued your interest — considering how you work with him. You and him are supposed to be a team, yet you feel so apart.
You had an inkling that maybe he had feelings for you but that's just thinking of yourself too highly. He's the same way with everyone else, introverted and antsy. That's why he let his brother take the position as CEO.
Nevertheless, he's never wronged you in any way, so you let go of speculations and separated your opinions from work.
Jaeger had some of his father's business friends over in his office today. As per, he ordered you to brew his morning coffee as well as extra for his guests while Arlert treats them with hospitality. As you went into the dry room to place the drinks down on the glass coffee table, you already felt stiff as if you were being analyzed — specifically by the oldest man in the room — as you bent down to place his drink in front of him. It's uncomfortable being observed like this; you were wearing a pencil skirt today, nothing scandalous, but nonetheless you felt uneasy.
The two other guests said their thank you and you were about to leave to give privacy, until the man that was checking you out, blurted, "Jaeger, you let things like that run around here?" He was obviously referring to you, pointing his chin at your direction.
Even though you wanted to get the hell out of there as soon as possible, you couldn't. You've never been catcalled like this, and it's twice as embarrassing that the first time had to happen in front of your boss and your co-worker. Your back is turned towards the rest of them, hand wrapped around the cold knob, frozen in place.
