Jake
The moment Laura walked into the office on her first day, I knew I'd made the right decision. She was nervous, I could see it in her eyes, the way she walked with a slight hesitation, the stiffness in her posture, but she didn't show it outright, and that intrigued me.
Most women in this building and in my life were easy to read. They'd flutter around me, giggle at my every word, or flash me coy smiles as if I'd be interested. It was predictable and, frankly, boring. I've never had time for any of that. They were always trying to please me, hoping for the chance to win me over, to get close. But not Laura.
Even when she was rude during her interview, standing there in front of me, throwing back my questions with sharp retorts, I knew she was different. She had guts. And I liked that. Of course, I wasn't going to let her know that. At least, not yet.
And hiring her was a test. That hadn't changed. I wanted to see how far she could go, how much she could take before she'd break like the rest of them. No assistant had lasted more than three months with me. They either quit or I fired them for incompetence. Laura wouldn't be any different.
"Good morning, Mr. Robbins," she said softly as she stepped into my office, the slight quiver in her voice betraying her nerves. I didn't even look up from my laptop. I had no intention of making this easy for her.
"Morning," I replied flatly, scrolling through emails. I could feel her standing there, waiting for… something. A conversation, maybe? Applause for surviving her first day? Whatever it was, I wasn't giving it to her.
After a moment, she cleared her throat. "I… wanted to apologize for the interview the other day. I—"
I cut her off immediately before she could say another word, and then finally raised my head to meet her eyes.
"Let me stop you right there," I said, my voice cold and deliberate.
"I didn't hire you to apologize. And I certainly didn't hire you to waste my time with pointless conversations. Ask around, I don't tolerate incompetence and that's all what I can see in you right now. You don't want me to think that's all about you. It's not going to help you, you'd only lose your job for it." I let out firmly.
She blinked, clearly taken aback by my tone, but I didn't care. If she wanted this job, she'd have to learn that I wasn't here to chat or befriend her. This wasn't some friendly workplace where we all sat around sharing stories about our weekends.
"This isn't personal, Laura," I continued, watching her closely.
"This is business. I hired you because I think you can do the job, not because I want to hear your excuses or pleasantries. Understood? Professionals don't go about apologizing at every convenience. If you want to go far, then you should get a grip of yourself or… just quit!!!" I said, stressing the last part.
Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but she swallowed it back. Good. She nodded, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"Yes, Mr. Robbins."
"Good. Now get to work," I said, dismissing her with a quick glance back at my computer screen.
As she left my office, I allowed myself a small smirk. I knew exactly what I was doing. I'd hired her because she stood up to me, but I wasn't going to let her off easy. No, I was going to push her. See where her limits were. See how long it would take for her to snap under the pressure.
I wasn't looking for perfection, though. I already knew she wasn't perfect. But what I was looking for was resilience. Could she handle me? Could she handle the intensity of the job? Or would she fold like the rest of them?
I leaned back in my chair, thinking about the way she'd looked at me just now defensive, but holding back. She didn't cry or make excuses. I had to give her credit for that.
The day passed like a blur, with me throwing task after task her way. Meetings to schedule, reports to compile, errands to run. Every time she passed by my office, I could see the strain in her expression, but she didn't complain. That was good.
I was watching, waiting to see how far I could push her before she would start breaking down. But so far, she kept going.
Around midday, she came to my office again, holding a folder of reports I'd asked for. Her hair was a little out of place, and there was a hint of exhaustion in her eyes, but she smiled at me a small, polite smile.
"I've compiled the reports for the Smith & Co. project," she said, placing the folder on my desk.
"Everything is in order."
I glanced at the folder briefly before looking back at her.
"And the Carter deal?" I asked, my tone sharp. I watched her face, waiting to see if she'd panic.
"I'm already working on that," she said calmly.
"It'll be done by the end of the day."
I raised an eyebrow. "It better be. I don't tolerate delays, Laura."
She straightened slightly, her eyes meeting mine with a hint of defiance. "I understand, Mr. Robbins."
Good. She wasn't backing down, even though I could tell she was under immense pressure. I watched her for a moment longer, then nodded. "That'll be all."
She left the room without another word, and I allowed myself another small smile. This was going to be interesting.
As the day dragged on, I continued to pile on more tasks, sending emails with last-minute changes, interrupting her when she was clearly in the middle of something. It wasn't because I needed to; it was because I wanted to see if she could keep up. If she'd break.
By the time it was five in the evening, I could see her slowing down, her energy nearly depleted. She looked like she'd been run ragged. I almost expected her to storm into my office and tell me to go to hell. But she didn't.
Instead, she knocked lightly on my door again, holding another stack of papers. Her face was pale, but she held her head high.
"The Carter deal report," she said, placing it on my desk.
I barely glanced at it before giving her a curt nod. "Good. You're dismissed."
For a second, I thought she was going to say something maybe protest, maybe ask for feedback but she stopped herself and simply turned to leave.
As she walked out, I couldn't help but feel a strange mix of satisfaction and intrigue. She hadn't cracked, at least not yet. She was tougher than I thought.
But this was only the beginning. I wasn't done testing her limits. Not by a long shot.
As I packed up for the day, I found myself thinking about her more than I probably should have. There was something about her, something that was getting under my skin in a way I hadn't anticipated. I wasn't sure if it was her defiance or her determination, but whatever it was, it intrigued me.
And I wasn't done with her yet.
No, this was just the beginning.
"Hello, Sandra…" I said to the receptionist over the phone.
"Yes, Mr. Robbins, Sir. What can I do for you sir?" She said firmly.
"Tomorrow morning, once Laura gets to work, I want you to give her that compiled list of tasks to her. Let John and the new intern know there's no need to join Laura on the task. She's to handle it all alone." I ordered and I could tell she was standing to attention.
"Alright sir." She said and I hung up without saying another word.
If Laura thinks she's been working tirelessly for the past two days, then she's about to experience a surge of work.
I smiled as I grabbed my bags and made for the door. For some reasons. I was so excited. I couldn't wait to see the look on her face tomorrow when Sandra hands her the task list. She would be on her feet all day, running around trying to get the work done.
I know. I definitely sound wicked. But no, I'm not wicked. I'm only strict.
I need only hardworking people around me and the only way to test and know, is to push through their limits…
"Goodbye sir…" someone who I guess was one of the workers said to me but I didn't even waste a glance in the direction.
I had better things to do than wait to talk to someone I know is only interested in me… no… actually interestedin my billions…