The morning sun peeked through the curtains, gently rousing the assistant from sleep. He blinked his eyes open and reached for his glasses on the nightstand. Sliding the familiar frames onto his face brought the world into focus.
After doing some light stretches and calisthenics in the mansion's gym to fully wake up, he took a cold shower. He went through his morning skincare routine, meticulously cleansing and moisturizing his fair skin.
Dressed in just a towel, he stood before the bathroom mirror examining his reflection. His blue-sky eyes surveyed the handsome man gazing back - dark hair neatly parted, chiseled features, a strong jawline. He ran a comb through his damp locks, ensuring no strand was out of place.
With his appearance polished, he brewed a fresh pot of coffee in the small kitchenette in his quarters. He prepared a light but nutritious breakfast of oats, berries, and yogurt. Carrying his meal and the steaming mug of coffee, he settled onto the plush sofa.
He used his iTab 7 to read through the day's news, business emails, and other information that would aid in advising Lady Ava. He took notes on pertinent details, scheduling reminders, and making to-do lists for the day's tasks.
With the necessary prep work complete, he scheduled Lady Ava's appointments, meetings, and obligations into his calendar. Everything ran like a well-oiled machine.
Placing his iTab 7 aside, he stood and headed back to his bedroom. He slipped into a perfectly tailored black suit, knotting his tie with the smooth expertise of routine. His polished shoes gleamed as he laced them up.
Removing his glasses, he slid a gold-rimmed monocle onto his left eye. He gave one last glance in the mirror to straighten his lapels.
With a leather folio briefcase in hand, strode confidently from his chambers, bound for the main dining hall. It was time to greet Lady Ava with his customary poise and report the day's agenda, just as he did each morning.
***
Audrey lounged in the massive marble bathtub as three maids attended to her every need. One was delicately filing and buffing her nails into perfect ovals. Another was massaging Audrey's scalp with skilled fingers, lathering her hair with luxurious shampoo.
The third maid bustled around lighting scented candles, adding rose petals to the steaming water, and preparing an array of bath salts and oils.
"Oooh yes, that's the stuff!" Audrey sighed contentedly.
She shifted her plump behind further down into the fragrant water, completely immersed in the high society lifestyle. Just this morning she had awoken distressed at inhabiting Ava's body. But now, hours later, she seemed to have embraced it fully.
"Curse my former self for always getting worked up!" she thought with a giggle. "This evil CEO existence is off the charts amazing!"
One of the maids offered a tray of champagne flutes and chocolate-dipped strawberries. "Refreshments for you, Lady Victorian."
"Don't mind if I do!" Audrey took a long sip, letting out an indulgent "Ahhh" as the bubbles tickled her throat.
She munched on a strawberry, feeling gloriously pampered. "I could stay in this fancy tub all day and just soak up the opulence."
The nail maid quietly asked, "Shall we do your color, as usual, my lady?"
"Usual?! I only use the most expensive custom-mixed ruby lacquer from Molan, you fool!" Audrey shouted in faux outrage. "And be sure none of you pearl-clutching busybodies ruin my cuticles again!"
"At once, your ladyship!" The meek maids hastened to obey her every command.
Audrey chuckled to herself. "The wicked witch routine is kind of fun."
Her thoughts turned scornful as she remembered her previous working-class life. "What a trashy existence I used to have, slumming it as a cashier."
After her indulgent bath, Audrey sauntered into the lavish dressing room, in a plush robe. She settled into a velvet armchair as maids began drying and styling her hair.
While one maid wielded a round brush and high-powered dryer, taming Audrey's damp tresses, another tenderly applied make-up with a skilled hand. Maids bustled about, feeding her juicy wedges of grapefruit and cubes of honeydew to aid her digestion.
"Excellent, excellent" Audrey murmured, feigning nonchalance as she was pampered.
Next, a maid presented a tray of elegant outfit choices - all exquisite designer pieces in the finest fabrics.
Audrey gasped internally at the finery but maintained her CEO persona. "Yes, yes, that one will do," she said dismissively, pointing at random.
The ensemble she chose was a crisp white blouse with a sharp collar and a grey pencil skirt that hugged shapely hips. "And those shoes there. The Lopotins, you simpleton!" She added in a mocking tone.
Outwardly poised but inwardly thrilled, Audrey dressed in the tailored pieces that accentuated her hourglass figure. She marveled at the feel of the rich materials as they slid over her skin.
Once clothed, the maid circled back to finish styling Audrey's hair. In the mirror's reflection, Audrey saw her flawless blonde waves cascading over one shoulder in a flattering side part. She couldn't stifle her gasp this time.
"I'm GORGEOUS!" she gushed in her head. "Look at this face and body! No wonder Ava has it all."
The stunning visage that gazed back at her in the mirror was otherworldly - sparkling green eyes, high cheekbones, lush lashes, and pillowy lips. And the form-fitting outfit only highlighted her toned and curvaceous physique.
This knockout woman was a far cry from frumpy Audrey the cashier. As her maids applied the finishing touches, she couldn't help but think how great it felt to be glamorous.
"Maybe I'll actually enjoy being Ava," she secretly mused. "Walking around looking like a million bucks, playing CEO, totally pampered? Yeah, I think I could get used to this."
***
Audrey sank into the plush dining chair, eyeing the lavish spread of silver platters piled high with decadent breakfast foods. Her mouth watered, but before she could dig in, the assistant launched into a detailed briefing.
"I don't think I could get used to this," she thought, head spinning as he rattled off facts and figures about Victorian Entertainment's stocks, projects, and industry trends.
The onslaught of information was endless. Audrey's brain fizzled out trying to absorb it all. She took a half-hearted bite of fluffy pancakes smothered in syrup, too stressed to enjoy the taste.
"Is this Ava's normal morning?!" she screamed internally. The schedule he described was packed with back-to-back meetings, calls, and hyper-ambitious plans. Just listening to it all exhausted Audrey.
She nodded along mutely as the assistant outlined her impossible agenda, punctuating with the occasional "Mmhmm" and "Of course" to keep up appearances.
But inside, her mind was melting down. "How does Ava get anything done at this pace? I can barely keep my head above water working part-time at a grocery store!"
The thought of having to actually pull off a full day as CEO made her want to crawl back into bed. But she maintained Ava's cool facade.
Audrey sat poker-faced as the assistant droned on about her important meeting with some hotel bigwig named Lucas Sterling. Apparently, his family owned a mega-successful hospitality company and she was supposed to convince him to partner with Victorian Entertainment.
"No big deal, just have to charm a complete stranger who's an expert businessman when I can barely make small talk about the weather," she thought sarcastically. Audrey pushed away her half-eaten breakfast, too anxious to take another bite.
According to the assistant, this Lucas guy sounded like a total overachiever - respectable reputation, runs his hotel impeccably, driven and ambitious. Meanwhile, Audrey could barely manage her local Stuff-Mart without wanting to tear her hair out.
She maintained a cool exterior but inside Audrey was freaking out. "I know nothing about negotiating deals! I'm just a cashier who zones out and makes up stories about customers. I can't run a freaking company!"
The assistant kept highlighting Lucas's many admirable qualities and successes. Each fact made Audrey feel more inadequate. She had no idea how she would pull this act off.
When the assistant finally finished briefing her, Audrey elegantly dabbed her mouth with a silk napkin and rose from her seat. "Very well. Take me to this meeting," she proclaimed with faux confidence.
Inside she was screaming. "I'm totally screwed! This guy is gonna take one look at me and know I'm a fraud!" She had no strategy besides smiling and nodding.
But outwardly, Audrey held her chin high and strode breezily across the marble floors, looking every bit the savvy CEO. "Here we go. Let's see if I can BS my way into a business deal with this terrifying hotel emperor," she thought, knees shaking. "I have no freaking clue what I'm doing!"