Sera twirled her phone in her hand, a bright smile lighting up her face as she sat at her favorite café, waiting for her best friend, Emma.She still couldn't believe she had pulled it off—the project, the grueling hours, the meticulous attention to detail. But she had done it. She had proven herself, and now she felt a surge of pride she hadn't experienced in a long time.
Emma, ever the burst of energy, burst through the door moments later, waving enthusiastically as she spotted Sera.
"There she is!" Emma,exclaimed, sliding into the seat across from her. "Miss 'I-can-handle-anything-and-everything'. You did it, girl!"
Sera laughed, her cheeks flushing with excitement. "I know! It feels surreal. I really thought Nicole was going to find some tiny mistake and tear me apart for it."
"Well, the fact that you survived a project from that stone-hearted CEO means you're practically invincible now," Emma teased, flagging down a waiter. "This calls for celebration."
"I didn't survive him," Sera corrected, leaning in with a conspiratorial grin. "I thrived. I didn't make a single mistake, Emma, Not one."
Emma's eyes widened. "You mean to tell me the Ice King couldn't find a flaw in your work? That's huge!"
Sera leaned back in her chair, a satisfied smile spreading across her face. "It is, isn't it? I thought he'd nitpick something, but he actually complimented me. Sort of. It was more like a grudging acknowledgment."
Emma let out a low whistle. "That's a victory if I've ever heard one. You know how hard it is to get a compliment out of that guy?"
The waiter arrived with their drinks, and Emma held up her glass. "To my brilliant best friend, who's not only surviving the corporate jungle but also slaying it!"
Sera clinked her glass against Emma's, a bubble of laughter escaping her lips. It felt good—no, great—to finally feel like she was on the right path, like her hard work was being noticed.
Nicole's Doubts
While Sera celebrated, Nicole sat in his office, staring at the report she had submitted earlier in the week. He had read through it several times already, scrutinizing every page for any sign of a mistake, any reason to doubt her. But each time, he came up empty.
It was frustrating, to say the least.
How could she have done it so perfectly?
Nicole rubbed the back of his neck, leaning back in his chair. His instincts told him there was more to this than met the eye. Sera Williams was still new, still inexperienced. The odds of her completing such a tedious, detail-heavy project without a single error seemed almost too good to be true.
He wasn't ready to believe she had suddenly become capable of handling such responsibility. One project didn't make her reliable. She was still unproven in his eyes.
As he mulled it over, a knock came at his door.
"Come in," he called out, his voice low.
His assistant, David, stepped into the office, a stack of files in hand. "Sir, these are the reports you requested. Also, the team is ready for the presentation tomorrow."
Nicole waved his hand dismissively. "Leave them on the desk. I'll review them later."
David hesitated, his gaze drifting to the report on Nicole's desk—the one Sera had completed. "Is that the intern's work?"
Nicole's eyes flickered to the report. "It is."
David smiled slightly. "She's impressive. I've heard good things from the team about her."
Nicole let out a low hum, not offering much in response. It wasn't that he disagreed, but he wasn't about to jump to conclusions. David picked up on his boss's hesitation and raised an eyebrow.
"You don't believe it?"
Nicole stood, walking to the large windows that overlooked the city skyline. His hands slipped into his pockets as he stared out at the glowing lights below. "It's not about belief. It's about consistency. One success doesn't mean she's reliable. Let's see how she handles the next challenge before we start singing her praises."
David nodded, though there was a hint of amusement in his expression. "Fair enough. But from what I've seen, I wouldn't be surprised if she continues to impress."
Nicole said nothing, though the words lingered in his mind long after David left the office.
The Celebration Continues
Back at the café, Sera and Emma were deep in conversation, the two of them laughing and swapping stories about work, life, and everything in between. The café was bustling, but it felt like their own little bubble of joy and excitement.
"I just wish Nicole would actually believe in me, though," Sera said, stirring her coffee absentmindedly. "It's like no matter what I do, he still sees me as this inexperienced student who can't be trusted with real work."
Emma tilted her head, her brow furrowing. "Didn't he say you did a good job on the project?"
"Yeah, but it felt more like a 'well, you didn't screw up this time' kind of compliment. He's still waiting for me to fail."
Emma scoffed. "He sounds like a real joy to work for."
Sera sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "It's frustrating. I want him to see that I'm capable, that I can handle the pressure. But no matter what I do, it's like he's always waiting for me to trip up."
Emma leaned forward, a determined look on her face. "Listen, you've already proven you're more than capable. You can't control what he thinks. All you can do is keep doing your best. He'll come around eventually."
Sera smiled, appreciating her friend's unwavering support. "I hope you're right."
"I know I'm right," Emma replied confidently. "And if he doesn't realize how amazing you are, that's his loss."
They spent the rest of the evening talking and laughing, the weight of Sera's frustrations momentarily lifted as she basked in the joy of her success.
But as the night wore on and the café began to empty, Sera couldn't shake the nagging feeling that Nicole's doubts still hung over her like a dark cloud. It wasn't enough to just complete the project—she needed him to trust her, to see her as more than just an intern.
She wanted to prove herself, not just to him, but to herself as well.
The Next Morning
The next day, Sera arrived at the office early, determined to keep up the momentum. She had proven she could handle the pressure, but now came the real test—whether she could maintain that level of performance.
As she walked through the office, she noticed a few of her coworkers giving her nods of approval, whispers of congratulations following her as she made her way to her desk. It felt good to be recognized, even if it wasn't by Nicole.
She sat down and began organizing her tasks for the day, her mind focused on the work ahead. But before she could fully dive in, her phone buzzed with a message from Emma.
Emma: "Good luck today, superstar! You've got this! 💪✨"
Sera smiled, her heart lifting at the words of encouragement. She needed that boost, especially knowing that Nicole would be watching her every move, waiting for her to slip up.
But she wasn't about to give him the satisfaction.
Just as she settled into her routine, a notification popped up on her screen—an email from Nicole. Her stomach tightened as she opened it.
Subject: New Project
Sera,
Meet me in my office at 10 a.m. I have a new project for you. It's high priority and needs to be handled with precision. We'll discuss the details in person.
—Nicole Calvin
Sera stared at the email for a moment, her mind racing. A new project, and not just any project—high priority.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she glanced at the clock. She had an hour before the meeting. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. This was her chance to prove herself once again, to show Nicole that she wasn't a one-hit wonder.
But there was no denying the pressure she felt. This time, the stakes were even higher.
Facing the Challenge
At 10 a.m. sharp, Sera knocked on Nicole's office door, her nerves tightly wound as she stepped inside.
Nicole was seated behind his desk, his expression as unreadable as ever. He motioned for her to sit, not wasting time with pleasantries.
"This project," he began, sliding a folder across the desk toward her, "requires absolute attention to detail. We have a potential partnership on the line, and any mistakes could cost us millions."
Sera swallowed, opening the folder and skimming through the documents. It was a massive undertaking—complex contracts, legal terms, negotiations. It was unlike anything she had handled before.
"I'm trusting you with this," Nicole said, his eyes locking onto hers. "But make no mistake—this is not a test. This is real, and there is no room for error."
Sera nodded, her determination solidifying. "I understand."
Nicole leaned back in his chair, his gaze never wavering. "You've proven you can handle pressure, but this is a different level. You'll need to work closely with legal and marketing. Are you ready for that?"
"Yes," Sera replied, her voice being stable as she answered him.