Beneath the Ice

chapter 12

It had been a solid two weeks since Lisa’s last major blunder, and she was starting to feel like maybe, just maybe, she was finally mastering the art of working for Jennie Kim. Sure, there were still minor hiccups—like that time she almost printed the agenda upside down for a client meeting—but nothing catastrophic had happened, and Lisa was proud of herself for keeping things under control.

Her mornings had developed a rhythm: arrive early, go over her tasks for the day, avoid spilling anything, and keep her interactions with Jennie smooth and professional. The latter was becoming easier—not because Jennie was getting any warmer, but because Lisa was getting better at reading her boss’s micro-expressions, which ranged from mild disapproval to extreme indifference. It was like learning a new language.

Lisa strolled into the office, coffee in hand, ready for another calm, collected day. She had made a habit of arriving fifteen minutes early—Jennie time. It was like dog years but measured in professionalism. Fifteen minutes early in Jennie’s world was considered just on time.

As she took a sip of her coffee, her phone buzzed. It was Jennie, of course.

Ms. Manoban, I need you in my office for a briefing on the new client acquisition strategy at 9 AM. Be prepared.

Lisa checked the time. 8:45. Perfect. She had time to grab the necessary files and mentally prepare herself for whatever new business lecture Jennie had in store.

"Be prepared," Lisa muttered to herself, mimicking Jennie’s calm, no-nonsense tone. "Always so dramatic."

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At 8:58, Lisa knocked lightly on Jennie’s door and stepped inside. Jennie was, as usual, seated at her desk, completely focused on her laptop. Lisa had always wondered if Jennie ever got distracted—like, did she ever lose focus and start thinking about completely unrelated things? Somehow, she doubted it.

“Good morning, Ms. Kim,” Lisa greeted, taking her usual seat across from Jennie’s desk.

Jennie glanced up briefly, acknowledging her with a curt nod. “Morning. Let’s get started.”

For the next half-hour, Jennie went over the new client acquisition strategy in painstaking detail. It was, in typical Jennie fashion, thorough and flawless. Lisa took notes, nodding along as Jennie explained market trends, target demographics, and strategic partnerships.

It wasn’t that Lisa didn’t understand the strategy—she did, mostly—it was just that Jennie’s ability to talk about numbers and business for such long stretches of time was both impressive and exhausting.

“So,” Jennie concluded, “the goal is to onboard the new clients by the end of Q3, with a focus on long-term retention rather than short-term gains. You’ll be assisting with the communication and scheduling.”

Lisa smiled, her brain still processing the last twenty minutes of business talk. “Got it. I’ll make sure everything’s on track for Q3. No problem.”

Jennie raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable. “You seem... distracted.”

Lisa blinked. “What? No, I’m not distracted. I’m just... thinking about everything you just said. I mean, it’s a lot. But in a good way. You know—lots to digest.”

Jennie’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer than usual, as if she were trying to decide whether or not to believe her. Finally, she spoke, her tone as even as ever. “You’re handling more responsibility lately.”

Lisa straightened in her chair, not expecting that. “Oh. Yeah, I guess I have been.”

Jennie closed her laptop, folding her hands neatly on the desk. “That’s not a compliment, Ms. Manoban. It’s an observation.”