Months had passed since I'd been appointed as Draven Carter's assistant, though I had yet to meet the man himself. My days were a predictable blur of managing paperwork, coordinating schedules, and ensuring that documents were sent to the right people. On the surface, it seemed like a well-oiled machine, but beneath that routine, I was left with more questions than answers.
Draven Carter, the elusive CEO of Carter Industries, was a figure shrouded in mystery. Despite working directly under his name, I had never once seen him in person. Everything came to me through intermediaries—his requests, his memos, and his schedules. Even his voice was an enigma; communication was handled solely through emails and impersonal messages passed along by his team. Sometimes, I wondered if Draven Carter was even real.
I was told early on that the CEO valued discretion, preferring to remain behind the scenes. But after months of working in near-isolation from the company's upper echelons, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disillusionment. My tasks were basic, often involving sending papers to various floor managers and ensuring Draven's instructions were carried out to the letter. It felt less like being an assistant to a powerful CEO and more like handling administrative grunt work.
One afternoon, I was at my desk, sorting through a stack of documents for an upcoming executive meeting. The office was quiet, the low hum of air conditioning blending with the occasional clatter of keyboards from the few employees scattered across the floor. I was buried in routine, but my mind was elsewhere, wondering yet again about the true purpose of my role.
"Hey, Seren!" Rebecca's voice cut through my thoughts. She leaned into my small office with her usual friendly smile. "Still buried under a mountain of paperwork, I see."
"Hey, Rebecca," I replied with a weary grin. "Yeah, it's been a lot of that lately. Just trying to stay on top of everything."
She chuckled, stepping into the room and sitting across from me. "You know, I've been dying to ask—what's it like working directly with Draven Carter? I heard he's pretty mysterious, but you must have more insight working as his assistant."
I hesitated. How could I explain that despite my title, I didn't really work with Draven? "It's... interesting," I said cautiously. "But to be honest, I haven't actually met him. I get his requests and handle his paperwork, but everything comes through other people. I haven't even seen a picture of him."
Rebecca raised her eyebrows, clearly surprised. "Seriously? You're his assistant, and you've never even met the guy? That's so strange. I always thought you'd be sitting in on high-level meetings with him."
"Me too," I admitted. "But so far, it's been mostly administrative work. Nothing too involved. I handle the basics, make sure things are in order, but I'm not part of the strategic discussions or the important decisions."
"Huh," Rebecca mused. "I wonder why that is. You'd think being his assistant would come with more responsibilities. Maybe it's just a matter of time?"
"Maybe," I said, though doubt lingered in my voice. "It's just frustrating not knowing what the bigger picture is."
Rebecca offered me a reassuring smile. "Hang in there. Things might change, and you could get more involved soon. You've only been here a few months. Sometimes it takes a while before you really get pulled into the inner circle."
"I hope so," I replied, though I wasn't entirely convinced.
After she left, I turned back to my work, but the conversation stuck with me. Why had I never met Draven Carter? Why did he keep such a distance, even from someone working so closely in his orbit? It wasn't normal for a CEO to be so removed from the people around him, even if he preferred a low profile.
The weeks continued to pass in much the same way—handling paperwork, sending out documents, and ensuring Draven's minor requests were followed to the letter. I carried out each task with care, determined to prove myself, but my role remained frustratingly narrow.
One morning, as I was preparing another batch of documents for an executive meeting, I received an email from Ven Carter. Ven had been the one who initially hired me for the role and had become my primary point of contact within the company. He was always friendly, always helpful, but I could never quite shake the feeling that he was hiding something.
Ven's latest message was short and to the point: Ensure all documents are prepared for the quarterly meeting by this afternoon. Draven wants everything finalized by 3 PM.
I typed out a quick response confirming the task, but as I hit send, I felt that familiar pang of frustration. Another set of instructions passed along by Ven on behalf of the CEO. No direct interaction, no real insight into the man I was supposedly assisting.
I spent the rest of the day following Ven's instructions, organizing the documents and ensuring they were delivered to the right departments. As I wrapped up, I couldn't help but wonder—was Ven the real power behind the scenes? Draven Carter remained a ghost, while Ven seemed to handle everything of substance.
That night, as I lay awake, I started to piece things together. The tasks, the vague instructions, the way Ven had hired me without ever making it clear what Draven's expectations were—it all seemed strange. Was there something about Draven Carter that I wasn't supposed to know? Or had I simply been misled about my role from the beginning?
Whatever the case, I was determined to get to the bottom of it. For now, I would continue to do my job, but I wasn't going to let the mystery of Draven Carter fade into the background.