The shrill sound of Maddison's alarm clock jolted her awake. Her hand shot out, fumbling to silence it. As the noise stopped, she exhaled shakily, staring at the ceiling. This was it—her first day as Derek Novak's personal secretary. She'd hardly slept, tossing and turning over everything that could go wrong.
Dragging herself out of bed, she shuffled into the tiny kitchen of her one-bedroom apartment. The floorboards creaked beneath her feet as she started brewing coffee. Her gaze fell on the stack of overdue bills sitting on the counter, a constant reminder of why she couldn't afford to fail.
Her apartment was modest—small, with second-hand furniture and mismatched decor. She loved it anyway. It was her space, her escape. But today, it felt suffocating.
Maddison quickly showered, put on her carefully chosen outfit—a navy pencil skirt and a crisp white blouse—and tied her hair into a sleek ponytail. Professional, but not too severe. She stared at herself in the mirror, tugging at her sleeves. You've got this, Maddison. Just breathe.
Grabbing her bag, she headed out the door, mentally rehearsing everything she needed to do to impress her new boss.
*****
By the time Maddison arrived at Novak & Smith Industries, her nerves were a tangled mess. The sleek glass skyscraper loomed above her, its mirrored surface reflecting the bustling city around it. She swallowed hard, clutching her bag as she stepped into the marble-floored lobby.
"Good morning, Ms. Hudson," the receptionist greeted her, handing over a temporary badge. "Mr. Novak is expecting you in his office. Elevator's straight ahead."
Her heels clicked against the polished floor as she made her way to the elevator. As the doors slid shut, she took a deep breath, willing her heart to stop racing.
When she reached Derek Novak's office, she knocked softly, her hand trembling slightly.
"Come in," came the deep, commanding voice from within.
Pushing the door open, Maddison stepped inside, clutching her bag tightly. Derek sat behind his massive desk; his sharp blue eyes were already focused on her. He was even more striking in the morning light, his dark suit perfectly tailored, his jaw clean-shaven.
"You're late," he said, glancing at his watch.
Her stomach dropped. "I-I'm sorry, sir. The badge—"
He held up a hand, silencing her. "I don't need excuses. I need you to be on time. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," she said quickly, her cheeks burning.
"Good. Coffee. Black. Two sugars. Now," he ordered, his attention already shifting to the documents in front of him.
Maddison blinked, momentarily frozen. She hadn't even set her bag down. Without a word, she turned on her heel and hurried out of the office.
*****
The day only grew more challenging from there.
Derek bombarded her with tasks—scheduling meetings, organizing files, managing his travel plans—all at a breakneck pace. Every time she thought she'd caught up, another demand would come flying her way.
"Miss Hudson, I asked for these reports to be organized by department," he snapped, holding up a folder.
"They are, sir," she replied cautiously.
He opened the folder, flipping through the pages. "Then why is the marketing report on top of the finance section?"
Maddison leaned forward, glancing at the folder. "I... I'm sorry, sir. I'll fix it right away."
"Do better," he said coldly, dropping the folder onto her desk.
By lunchtime, Maddison felt like she was drowning. She stared at her computer screen, her stomach growling. There wasn't even time to eat—not when Derek was breathing down her neck, watching her every move.
She took a deep breath, trying to focus. It's just one day. You can survive this.
*****
That afternoon, Maddison was tidying up Derek's office when she heard his voice, low and intense, from the other side of the door.
"I don't care what it takes. Make it happen," he growled.
Curiosity tugged at her. She didn't mean to eavesdrop, but the door was slightly ajar, and his tone was hard to ignore.
"You think I give a damn about their objections?" Derek continued. "If they want to pull their funding, let them. I'll buy them out myself."
Maddison's brows furrowed. Was he talking about the company? She leaned slightly closer, trying to make sense of his words.
"What I care about," Derek snapped, "is that you don't waste my time with this nonsense again. Fix it. Now."
There was a sharp click as the call ended. Maddison barely had time to straighten up before the door swung open, and Derek's piercing gaze landed on her.
"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded, his tone icy.
"I-I was just—"
"Spying on me?" he cut her off, stepping closer.
"No, sir, I wasn't—"
"Don't lie to me, Miss Hudson," he growled, his voice dangerously low. "If you have time to stand around listening to private conversations, then you aren't busy enough."
"I wasn't listening!" she insisted, her voice trembling. "I was just straightening up your office—"
"I don't want excuses," he snapped, his eyes narrowing. "If I ever catch you eavesdropping again, you won't have to worry about coming into work the next day. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir," Maddison whispered, her throat tight.
"Good," he said curtly, turning back to his desk. "Now get out."
*****
By the time Maddison left work, her nerves were completely shot. She stepped out onto the busy sidewalk, the cool evening air hitting her face. For a moment, she just stood there, letting the noise of the city wash over her.
The subway ride home was a blur, her mind replaying the day's events over and over. She'd made it through, but barely. Derek Novak was impossible to please, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she'd already made a terrible impression.
When she finally reached her apartment, she kicked off her heels and collapsed onto the couch, her head falling into her hands.
The sound of her phone buzzing pulled her from her thoughts. She glanced at the screen—her best friend, Lily.
"Hey," Maddison said, her voice weary.
"How was your first day?" Lily asked brightly.
Maddison let out a hollow laugh. "It was... intense."
"Uh-oh. What happened?"
"My boss is a nightmare," Maddison admitted. "He's rude, demanding, and impossible to please."
"Yikes. But you survived, right?"
"Barely." Maddison sighed, leaning back against the couch. "I don't know if I can keep this up, Lily. He's so... intimidating."
"Sounds like someone needs wine," Lily teased.
Maddison smiled faintly. "I need a lot more than that."
"Listen, Maddie, you're tougher than you think," Lily said. "You just need to hang in there. Don't let him get to you."
"I'll try," Maddison said, though she wasn't entirely convinced.
After hanging up, she wandered into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine. She sipped it slowly, staring out the window at the city lights.
You've made it this far, she thought to herself. You can do this. One day at a time.
YOU ARE READING
The Billionare's Secretary
Romance"What are you doing in here?" he asked, his voice cold and furious. "I... I brought the files you requested, sir," Maddison stammered cautiously, stepping into his office. "Put them here and get the hell out of my office," he bellowed, pointing to h...
