"I expected better from you, Mirasol. What's this!"

Devon slammed the file against the polished glass table.

I pressed my lips tight to suppress a flinch.

"T-The product launching deal of our new car model with Nirvana Inc." I gulped, looking up at the standing man through my dark lashes.

His copper brown eyes blazed with dark amber. Clean shaved jaw clenched hard as he swept a stray black strand away from his eyes.

"Yeah?" He leaned closer to me over the table. "Then where's the delivery date? Where's the clause of our offered price in this damn report!"

I bit my trembling lips.

What excuse should I give?

That I overworked all night!

That I overslept the morning of my deadline, yet, I couldn't proofread my work!

Maybe, I should curse my luck for getting only twenty-four hours to prepare a thirty-pages long report.

Devon must have been so upset...

I was an idiot!

"I'm sorry, Sir. I-I'm fixing this right awa-"

"Shut up, Mirasol!"

I coiled back in my black leather seat.

Tears froze on the corners of my dark gray eyes and I blinked a couple of times.

I took a deep breath and faced my looming boss with a blank expression.

"I made a mistake, I know. But at least give me a chance to remedy th-"

He raised his pale, muscled hand.

"Please, Mirasol, save your sob story. I've decided."

My heart jumped as dread coiled in my stomach.

"What?"

He straightened his posture and crossed his arms.

Navy blue suit stretched against his lean biceps, making my eyes roam over his button-down, white shirt for a second.

He had such a chiseled tanned chest. Not a single body hair. Well, the weekends he spent on those expensive men's spas surely paid off-

Someone cleared their throat.

He raised his perfectly trimmed brows.

Right. I was in trouble.

"As I was saying," He cold cooper gaze pinned me in my place. "Since you are so keen on slacking off in your job these days, perhaps, working in one of the most hardworking departments of our company might do you some good."

No...

"But, Sir-"

"So, from now on, Ms. Hayes, you will offer your service at the sales department as a junior sales officer."

Saleswoman.

A damn saleswoman!

After two years of giving tireless service as a personal assistant, this was how I got repaid.

For what?

Some fucking missing words!

Chairs screeched loud and I stood up.

Tears finally began to trickle down my dead blank face. My glossy eyes bored holes in Devon's cruel copper ones.

"Thank you, Sir," I took my sweet time wiping the tears off my cheeks. "I... I graciously accept the position."

"Good. You're dismissed." He took his seat and waved his hand like I was some fly.

A fresh batch of warm tears trickled down my already damp, cold cheeks as I turned around.

When would Devon see how his sharp words pierced my soul?

When would he recognize
the efforts I put in for his approval?

When would he feel my-

I closed my eyes shut.

Beige heels dug deep into the polished black tiles as I rushed through the massive white office. My nimble fingers clasped the cold golden knob as I pulled the Italian silver door open.

The last thing I heard before walking out was the resounding slam of that expensive door.

✯✯✯

The elevator tinged and I stepped out of that polished silver box.

The first thing that greeted me on this third floor of the thirty-four-story building was the loud, lively buzz around me.

People were rushing around busily. Some were typing on their computers. Some were laughing with their colleagues. Some were even slurping coffee while watching something on their screens.

Chaos.

This was utter chaos compared to the silent top floor that I had been working on even this morning.

I sighed and walked passed two chattering tall men in suits who were approaching the elevator.

Walking around with a blank face, I reached the Departmental Head's cabin.

I knocked three times on the pale gray doors of metal.

"Come in," a gruff, deep voice muffled from the inside.

I pressed my demotion letter and other files closer to my chest.

With one last breath, I twisted the silver knob and opened the door to walk inside.

The room was a medium-sized one.

Off-white walls. Dark brown tiles. A big white window on the left. A black desk on my front and silver cabinets on my right.

And, files. Lots and lots of files were scattered around the cabinets.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Jefferson." I offered a small smile to a middle-aged man before me.

"Yeah?" Mr. Jefferson was typing something fast on his laptop, never looking up.

His green eyes were scrunched up, almost lost between his bushy gray brows.

I cleared my throat and stepped forward.

"Actually, I'm here give you my joining letter."

He now looked up and scrunched his plump, tanned nose just as I stood before his desk.

"Miss... Hayes, is it?" his gruff voice deepened as he stared at me with those eagle eyes.

"Yes."

"Devon Harlington's PA?"

"Um... Was." I looked around, not meeting his keen green eyes.

"That's right!" He leaned back in his groggy, black leather chair and grinned. "I knew I've seen you somewhere. You top floor people barely take a step inside our domain."

I cringed at the way he emphasized that 'top floor people' thing. But didn't forget to offer him a quick smile too.

"Yes, Sir. Now, would you please-"

He dialed something on a blue telephone on the left of his desk, beside his family portrait.

A smiling picture of Mr. Jefferson, a teenage black-haired girl with the same eyes as him, and a baby dalmatian in her arms.

Cute!

"Yeah, send Ronnes to my room. Quick!"

"Papers." I handed him the files and stepped back.

He pulled out a slick black pen from his ears and scratched his shiny bald head before pushing forward his square-shaped glasses.

Silence stretched in the room as he read and signed the papers.

I had nothing else to do so I looked around.

A black crow sat outside the window, at that moment. He pecked something on the white windowsill.

I frowned and looked closer to see a small red, plastic bowl hanging from the windowsill on the outside.

It was full of golden seeds. That crow was having his lunch from that bowl.

I gulped, feeling my stomach twist at the sight.

What was the time I did my breakfast again?

I flinched as a firm knock broke me out of my trance.

"Yeah?" Jefferson gruffed and looked up to hand me back my files.

"Hey, Bob! You called?" A deep, raspy voice spoke from my behind.

"Oh, Sawyer. Come, boy. I've got a new trainee for you."

"An intern?" The door closed with a thud behind me. "Please, Jefferson, I'm busy this week. No time to teach. I'll recommend someone else if you want."

Intern, huh?

With a deep frown, I looked back to see who was that so-called busy bee.

And, I was met with a tall mountain in a brown shirt and black pants standing beside me.

His honey-gold eyes twinkled as they met my dark gray ones.

My frown deepened further when his thin red lips smirked, brushing back his dirty-blond strands with a flick.

"Well, who'll you recommend, again?" Jefferson deadpanned. "Sam is out of state, Gary is working on the promotional campaign, and Houston is busy with his batch of interns. So?"

"So, you're giving Devon's little puppy to me, huh?"

Puppy! Who the hell is he calling-

Wait! He knew me...

"Language, Sawyer. We're in the office. And, yes. You'll take her in. She'll be working with us as a junior saleswoman so behave."

The way Jefferson narrowed his green eyes at Mr. Ronnes... Something did not feel right.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll take care of her, Sir. Don't worry."

Wasn't he so busy just seconds ago?

What changed?

Maybe, I was thinking too much.

It must have been Jefferson's order.

Yup. That was the reason behind him changing his mind.

Mr. Ronnes turned to me with a smirk and raised his left brow.

"Come, Puppy. Follow your master!"

"Sawyer..." Jefferson spoke in a stern, low tone.

"Yeah, Sir. Come on, Hayes. Hurry up!"

He rushed out of the room with a smooth flourish, taking his six-foot-something existence away with long strides.

I fisted the files in my chest and followed his steps.

Swear to God, I had never met someone this unprofessional in my whole life!