The atmosphere in Kim Enterprises was tense. Everyone in the office knew that working as CEO Jennie Kim's secretary was a near-impossible task. Rosé, Jennie's ever-exasperated Chief of Staff, had watched secretaries come and go—some lasted weeks, most lasted days. Finding a competent, unshakable secretary for Jennie was turning into a nightmare.
"Jennie, you can't just keep firing people," Rosé sighed, rubbing her temples.
"They were incompetent." Jennie didn't even look up from her laptop. "I don't have time for mediocrity."
"You don't have time at all if you keep firing them!"
Jennie simply shrugged.
Across the city, Kim Jisoo had just moved to Seoul from Busan, job-hunting in a city where competition was fierce. Her best friend, Lisa, who was dating Rosé, hesitated when suggesting the open secretary position at Kim Enterprises.
"Jisoo, I don't think this is a good idea."
"Why not? I need a job."
"Because Jennie Kim is..." Lisa winced. "Cruel. She's fired every single secretary within a week. It's hell working for her."
Jisoo shrugged. "I just moved here, Lisa. I need work. How bad can it be?"
Lisa and Rosé exchanged a knowing look. "Fine," Lisa sighed. "But don't say I didn't warn you."
Jisoo applied, half-expecting to never hear back. The interview process was bizarre—she didn't even meet Jennie. Two days later, she got a call: she had the job.
Excited, she arrived at the office at 7:00 AM sharp, eager to prove herself. But as she sat at her new desk outside Jennie's grand office, time passed—8:00 AM, 9:00 AM... 9:30 AM, and still no sign of her boss. At exactly 10:00 AM, the elevator doors opened, and Jennie Kim finally strolled in.
Dressed immaculately in a tailored suit, Jennie exuded power and confidence. She barely spared Jisoo a glance before saying, "Where's my coffee?"
Jisoo blinked. "Excuse me?"
Jennie turned to her properly for the first time, an eyebrow arching. "My coffee? You're my secretary, aren't you?"
Jisoo squared her shoulders. "It's my first day. I didn't know I was supposed to get your coffee. If you give me a list of your preferences, I'll make sure to get it right next time."
Silence.
For the first time, Jennie looked... impressed. No one had ever spoken to her that way—not a secretary, at least. Most of them scrambled to please her without question. But here was Kim Jisoo, standing firm and meeting her gaze without a hint of fear.
Jennie smirked. "Bold."
Jisoo tilted her head. "Honest."
Jennie chuckled under her breath. "Let's see how long you last."
Jisoo just smiled. "I plan to stay for a while, Miss Kim."
Jennie's interest was piqued. Maybe, just maybe, this one would be different.
Jennie had always been meticulous when it came to the people working for her, and Jisoo was no exception. The moment Jisoo was hired, Jennie ordered a thorough background check on her. She wanted to know everything—where she was from, her previous jobs, her reputation, even the tiniest details that might seem insignificant to others.
A few days later, Rosé walked into Jennie's office with a thick file and placed it on her desk.
"She's clean," Rosé said. "No criminal record, excellent academic background, and her previous employers had nothing but good things to say about her."
