Sophia Chen's first day at Thompson Enterprises was less "girl boss" and more "hot mess." First, she nearly tossed confidential documents into the recycling bin, mistaking them for discarded drafts.
Then, in the crowded elevator, she engaged in a spirited game of rock-paper-scissors with her own reflection, earning a mixture of amused glances and stifled chuckles from her fellow passengers.
*So much for a smooth start,* she thought, cringing inwardly.
The real trial by fire, however, came in the form of the dreaded executive meeting.
Sophia, fresh out of college and armed with more enthusiasm than corporate savvy, was tasked with presenting a market analysis.
As she stood before the steely gazes of the senior management team, her carefully rehearsed presentation vanished from her mind like a Snapchat story after 24 hours.
Words tumbled out in a jumbled mess, peppered with nervous giggles and increasingly desperate attempts to regain control.
Just when she thought she might spontaneously combust from sheer mortification, a voice cut through the awkward silence.
"Perhaps Ms. Chen would benefit from a less... theatrical presentation style," a deep, cool voice stated.
Sophia's head snapped up to see Ethan Thompson, the enigmatic heir to the Thompson empire, regarding her with an expression of detached amusement.
He stood tall and imposing, his perfectly tailored suit and aloof demeanor radiating an aura of power and control.
*He's even hotter in person,* Sophia thought, momentarily forgetting her impending doom.
Ethan smoothly took over the presentation, effortlessly transforming her stammering mess into a concise and compelling overview.
Sophia watched, mesmerized, as he commanded the room, his words precise and confident.
*Marry me,* she mouthed silently, before realizing she was still technically in the middle of a public humiliation.
After the meeting, Sophia made a beeline for the sanctuary of the break room, desperately needing a caffeine fix.
As she reached for a coffee mug, a delicate hand bumped into hers, sending a cascade of scalding liquid splashing down the front of her crisp white blouse.
"Oh my god, I am so sorry!" a sweet voice exclaimed.
Sophia looked up to see Lily Thompson, Ethan's cousin and resident office mean girl, fluttering her eyelashes with an exaggerated expression of remorse.
Sophia knew a calculated "accident" when she saw one.
Lily's sugary apologies felt as genuine as a Kardashian marriage.
"It's okay," Sophia gritted out, forcing a smile.
She knew better than to start a feud on her first day.
"Accidents happen." *Especially when they're orchestrated by a scheming little…* Sophia trailed off, reminding herself to breathe.
Later that day, as Sophia contemplated faking a sudden illness and fleeing the building, Ethan appeared at her desk.
"Ms.
Chen," he began, his voice as smooth as single malt whiskey.
"We need to talk.
"
He led her to a secluded corner of the office, his gaze intense and unsettling.
"I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend," he stated bluntly, as if discussing the weather.
Sophia blinked. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Ethan said, a hint of impatience creeping into his voice.
"My grandfather insists I settle down.
He believes a stable relationship will demonstrate my maturity and readiness to take over the company.
You, Ms.
Chen, are the perfect solution.
"
Sophia stared at him, speechless.
This was getting weirder by the minute.
"And why me?" she finally managed to ask.
"You're… unconventional," Ethan replied, a flicker of something that might have been amusement crossing his face.
"My grandfather will approve.
"
Sophia considered her options.
On the one hand, this was completely insane.
On the other, it might just be the key to surviving this corporate jungle.
And, let's be honest, pretending to date Ethan Thompson wasn't exactly a hardship.
"Okay," she said, surprising herself.
"I'll do it.
"
Ethan nodded curtly, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips.
"Excellent.
Dinner tomorrow night.
Eight o'clock.
Be ready.
"
He turned to leave, then paused, a strange look in his eyes.
"And try not to… spill anything.
"
Sophia rolled her eyes.
"Ha. Ha." She watched him walk away, a strange mix of excitement and apprehension bubbling in her stomach.
This fake relationship was definitely going to be interesting.
Just then, Mr.
Thompson, a stern-faced executive and Ethan's staunch supporter, walked past, a quizzical expression on his face.
He'd clearly seen Ethan and Sophia together, their hushed conversation fueling his curiosity.
"Ethan," he called out.
"Everything alright?
" Ethan turned, a carefully neutral expression settling on his features.
"Perfectly fine, Mr.
Thompson," he replied smoothly. "Just discussing… business strategy with Ms.
Chen.
"
Sophia Chen, a self-proclaimed expert in the art of not taking life too seriously (and a low-key hopeless romantic), tripped, quite literally, into her new job at the prestigious Blake Industries.
Her heel caught on a rogue rug, sending her sprawling towards a man who radiated an aura of "don't even think about breathing the same air as me." He was breathtakingly handsome, in a sharp, ice-sculpture kind of way, but his glacial stare could freeze hell over.
This, she would soon learn, was Ethan Blake, the reclusive heir to the Blake empire, and the man she was about to enter into a hilariously complicated arrangement with.
"Oof!" Sophia exclaimed, landing in a less-than-graceful heap practically at his feet.
Files scattered, a rogue pen bounced off his impeccably polished shoe, and the world, for a moment, held its breath.
Ethan's steely gaze swept over her like a laser scanner assessing a potential security threat.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice a smooth baritone that held a surprising lack of annoyance.
Sophia, scrambling to gather her belongings, flashed him a disarming grin.
"Just practicing my floor routine for the company talent show," she quipped, earning a raised eyebrow, the barest twitch of a smile, and an immediate surge of confidence.
Maybe this ice-king wasn't entirely made of permafrost.
Their unconventional first meeting was only the prelude to an even more bizarre turn of events.
Within an hour, Sophia found herself in Ethan's opulent office, listening to a proposition that sounded more like the plot of a rom-com than a real-life scenario.
"I need a fake girlfriend," he stated, as if ordering a black coffee, no sugar.
He explained, with the detached air of a CEO discussing quarterly earnings, that his family, particularly his scheming cousin Lily, was putting pressure on him to settle down.
A fake girlfriend would buy him time and space to focus on securing his position as CEO.
Enter Lily, stage left, as if on cue.
She floated into the office, all sweetness and light, a designer handbag swinging from her perfectly manicured hand.
"Ethan, darling!
I just wanted to see how your new assistant was settling in.
" Her sugary tone dripped with faux concern, her eyes, however, narrowed as they landed on Sophia, who was still trying to process the "fake girlfriend" bomb.
Lily, it turned out, wasn't just a cousin; she was the "sweetheart" Ethan's family had picked out for him, and she made no secret of her disdain for Sophia.
The air crackled with unspoken rivalry.
The final piece of this chaotic puzzle arrived in the form of Mr.
Thompson, a senior executive and staunch supporter of Ethan, who viewed Sophia with the suspicion of a seasoned investor evaluating a risky startup.
He made it abundantly clear that he considered Sophia a distraction and a potential threat to Ethan's focus.
By the end of the day, Sophia, still slightly dazed, had agreed to Ethan's proposal.
After all, how much trouble could pretending to be the girlfriend of a ridiculously handsome, if slightly frosty, CEO possibly get her into?
She had a feeling this was going to be a wild ride.