Chapter 7 - [7] Day 1 as assistant

The next day at the office still felt surreal. I stood in Vanessa Reed's office, the same overwhelming sense of awe washing over me as I watched her prepare for the day. She was effortlessly in control, her every movement calm, deliberate, and powerful. Her sleek blouse hugged her body, accentuating her curves without a single wrinkle, and her long black hair flowed elegantly down her back."Tristan," she said, not bothering to look up from her tablet as she reviewed her notes. "I want you to accompany me to a meeting with the senior management and board today. You'll observe. Pay close attention.""Of course," I replied quickly, doing my best to stay composed. This was big, and I didn't want to fk it up.A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she glanced up. "Good. Let's go."***We entered the conference room, and immediately, the atmosphere shifted. Everyone was already seated—men and women in their perfectly pressed suits, all turning to look at Vanessa with a kind of reverence that made me uncomfortable. I stood off to the side, trying to blend into the background as Vanessa took her place at the head of the table. The room was as lavish as you'd expect, a far cry from anything I'd ever seen—a massive table, leather chairs, and artwork that probably cost more than my yearly salary.The meeting started with Richard, the senior VP, standing up to present the so-called "progress" on a potential merger with Centurion Corp. From the moment he opened his mouth, I could tell what kind of meeting this was going to be."Vanessa," Richard began, his voice almost unnaturally eager, "I just want to start by saying how grateful we are for your leadership in pursuing this opportunity. Your vision is, as always, impeccable. Without you, we wouldn't even be in this position."He smiled, looking around the table for approval. Everyone nodded, as if he'd just said something profound."Centurion is a fantastic target for us," he continued, "and we've been doing extensive due diligence to ensure it's the right fit. Their financials are solid, and their tech capabilities would absolutely complement what we already offer. In fact, I'm confident that this merger will not only enhance our market position but also reflect your unmatched strategic foresight."I felt my stomach churn at how blatantly he was kissing her ass. It was almost embarrassing to witness. He wasn't even pretending to offer any real insights—just stroking Vanessa's ego with every word.Another board member, Diane, chimed in, her tone syrupy sweet. "I completely agree, Vanessa. You have such an intuitive understanding of where the industry is heading. This merger—it's absolutely genius. Centurion's growth potential aligns perfectly with the long-term goals you've outlined for us."Everyone nodded enthusiastically, offering their agreement in a chorus of, "Absolutely," and, "Couldn't have said it better."I couldn't believe what I was hearing. No one was actually contributing anything useful. They were just regurgitating whatever Vanessa had likely said in prior meetings, doing their best to look smart by agreeing with her every move. It was sickening, the way they fawned over her, offering no real analysis, no real strategy—just praise, praise, and more praise."I'd like to add," chimed in another board member, "this whole process is a testament to your leadership, Vanessa. The way you've guided us through this is nothing short of remarkable."The man across from him, some executive whose name I didn't catch, jumped in immediately, "Yes, absolutely! Vanessa, your decision-making is flawless. I mean, who else could have seen the opportunity in Centurion like you did? We're all just lucky to be following your lead.""Lucky" was right. They all looked like they were competing to see who could kiss her ass the hardest. No one had raised a single concern, no one had even hinted at the possibility that there might be risks involved. They were just parroting each other, layering on compliments and ignoring the reality of the situation.Vanessa sat there, her expression neutral, but I could see the glint in her eye as she let them go on. She was testing them, watching how far they'd go.Richard started up again, his voice practically dripping with sycophancy. "Vanessa, with your guidance, this merger is bound to be the biggest win for the company in years. I have no doubt that, thanks to your incredible insight, this will take Reed Estates to new heights. You're the reason we're even in the position to make such bold moves."Jesus, I thought to myself, trying not to roll my eyes. It was obvious that Richard was angling for a promotion, maybe a bigger slice of the pie once the merger went through. But the way he was going about it—kissing up to Vanessa like she was some kind of goddess—it was painful to watch.As Richard finished, the others chimed in again with more nods, more empty agreement, and more empty praise. No one dared to question anything. No one dared to bring up any potential pitfalls or challenges that might come with a merger this size.And then, out of nowhere, Vanessa's voice cut through the bullshit."Tristan," she said, turning her head to look directly at me, her eyes sharp. "What do you think?"Every pair of eyes in the room suddenly shifted toward me, and I felt a jolt of panic. My heart started pounding in my chest. I wasn't supposed to speak—I was just here to observe, right? I wasn't ready for this."I, uh..." I stammered, trying to collect my thoughts. "I don't think it's my place to—"Vanessa raised an eyebrow, her tone firm but still calm. "I insist."My pulse quickened. There was no backing out now. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. I had to say something, but I wasn't going to sugarcoat it like the others."Well," I started slowly, "to be honest... it sounds like everyone here is just agreeing with each other. No one's actually offering any real solutions. It's all just... surface-level."The room went dead silent. The executives and board members stared at me like I'd just said something offensive, their faces frozen in shock. I could feel the tension thickening by the second.I pressed on. "I mean, I get that Centurion looks good on paper, but no one's talking about the risks. Like, how are we planning to integrate their systems with ours? What happens if there are compatibility issues? What's our contingency plan if things go wrong? Because it doesn't sound like we've really explored that yet."I could feel the weight of Vanessa's gaze on me, but I didn't dare look at her. My heart was still pounding, but I knew I had to finish what I started."And... to be blunt, this whole conversation feels more like... flattery than an actual discussion about strategy. No one's questioning anything, no one's offering any real insights. It's all just... agreeing."The silence in the room was deafening. The executives were all staring at me, clearly stunned that I'd dared to say something so blunt. I could see the fear in their eyes, the panic that they might have to actually start thinking critically instead of just licking Vanessa's boots.But then, after a long, tense pause, I saw Vanessa's lips curl into a smile."Well," she said, her voice cold but amused, "it seems Tristan has a point."The board members and executives looked like they wanted to sink into their chairs. Richard's face had turned pale, and Diane looked like she was about to pass out.Vanessa stood up slowly, smoothing out her skirt. "I've been sitting here for the past hour listening to you all kiss my ass," she said, her voice sharp as a blade. "And frankly, I'm tired of it."She walked around the table, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she moved. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop."If this is the level of thinking you're bringing to the table," she continued, her eyes sweeping over the room, "then maybe it's time to consider new leadership. Because I don't need a bunch of yes-men. I need people who can think critically, people who can offer real solutions. If you're not capable of that, then I'll find someone who is."She stopped in front of Richard, her eyes narrowing. "Richard, you're supposed to be leading this discussion. But all I've heard from you is the same regurgitated bullshit I've heard a hundred times before. If you don't start coming up with something useful by the end of the week, I'll find someone who can."Richard swallowed hard, nodding quickly. "Y-Yes, Ms. Reed. I'll get on it."Vanessa gave him a withering look before turning back to the rest of the room. "That goes for all of you. I expect real solutions by the next meeting. Or you'll find yourselves replaced."Without another word, she turned and walked toward the door, her head held high. I followed her, still in shock from everything that had just happened.As we left the room, Vanessa glanced over at me, that same small smile still playing on her lips. "You did well," she said softly. "Keep thinking like that, and you'll do just fine."I blinked, surprised by the compliment. "Th-Thanks," I stammered, still unsure of what to say.Vanessa didn't say anything else. She just kept walking, her heels clicking against the floor as she led the way back to her office. I followed, my mind still spinning from the intensity of the meeting and the fact that I'd somehow managed not to completely screw it up.But one thing was clear: Vanessa Reed wasn't like anyone I'd ever worked for. And this was only the beginning.Q: What would you say if you were in Tristan's place?