Oliver Sterling, the CEO with a winning personality and drop-dead looks—sharp jawline, mesmerizing green eyes, perfect nose, luscious lips, bushy eyebrows, and sleek black hair. Standing tall at 6 and a half feet with an athletic build, he strutted through his office holding onto a bunch of papers. Emily, his hyper-organized secretary, stood there all prepared with her clipboard.
"Hey, Ms. Collins, what's my schedule for today?" Oliver flashed his usual charming smile, eyeing Emily's simple yet sharp look.
Her ginger hair is styled in a neat bun, and a no-nonsense outfit consisting of a dull-colored long skirt, an old-school blouse, no makeup, thick glasses, and pink lips. Those lips were the only colorful thing on her.
"Good morning, Mr. Sterling. Here's the deal for today's meetings." Emily handed over the clipboard. "Your 9 am got pushed to 10, and the Johnson account review is happening this afternoon."
"Got it. Thanks, Ms. Collins. What about that Jenkins project report?" He quickly scanned the notes, multitasking as usual.
"It's already on your desk, sir,"
Throughout the morning, Emily expertly managed Oliver's schedule, handling all those tiny details he tended to overlook. He barely acknowledged her when she took his jacket as he headed to his desk.
"Thanks, Ms. Collins," Oliver replied, still glued to the clipboard.
"No problem, Mr. Sterling,"
During the office commotion, a reminder pops up on Oliver's calendar: "Family Dinner - 7 p.m."
His expression changes upon reading the reminder.
"Ms. Collins, can you clear my evening? Family dinner at 7"
"Consider it done, Sir"
After wrapping up the day's meetings, Oliver was feeling accomplished yet worn out. He settled back into his office, thoughts still racing from the meeting earlier.
"Let's push the marketing presentation to tomorrow morning," Oliver decided, his voice showing fatigue.
Emily nodded, quickly noting down the change. As she moved closer, she noticed his tie was a bit wonky, and there was a strand of hair out of place. Without a word, she stepped up and effortlessly fixed his tie. Then, almost like second nature, she smoothed down that stray hair, making sure everything was back in order.
Lost in the papers on his desk, Oliver barely registered Emily's attention to detail.
Oliver glanced up, an air of fatigue still evident in his eyes, but a faint smile gracing his lips. "Thanks, Ms. Collins. You always have an eye for detail."
"It's my pleasure, Mr. Sterling," Emily responded with her tone as composed and professional as ever.
As Emily reached for a document, she glanced at the window's reflection—a reflection showing Oliver with a tidier appearance, courtesy of her discreet touch-ups.
“You can leave early,” Oliver reminded before leaving the office.
……..
Oliver strolled down the familiar path to the Sterling family dinner, a grand mansion. The fancy marble floors and extravagant décor greeted him as he entered the grand hall. His grandparents, the esteemed figures of the family, greeted him warmly.
"Oliver, my boy! Wonderful to have you here!" his grandmother exclaimed.
"Hey, Grandma, Grandpa," Oliver replied, giving them each a hug.
“How's work?” Grandma inquired, motioning for him to take a seat.
He shrugs, “Well, busy as always”
“I heard your folks are still in France?”
“Yeah, Nana. They'll be back next month, I think.”
“Oh, that lovely couple”
During the meal, the topic he expected was opened by his grandfather. Give it to his grandfather to open pressing matter in the middle of the meal.
"Got any special lady in your life, Oliver?" his grandpa asked without any reserve like always.
Oliver chuckled, knowing this drill too well. "Nah, Grandpa. Just hustling hard at work."
His grandma jumped in with a teasing tone. "Come on, darling. A successful guy like you ought to have a charming lady”
"I'm savoring my free time, Nana."
"But it's about time you got serious about finding the right one. There's this amazing girl at the charity event next month. What do you say? Interested in meeting her?"
Oliver let out a strained chuckle, glancing briefly at his grandparents. "Grandma, appreciate the suggestions, but I'm focusing on work right now."
Despite his outwardly charming smile, the constant matchmaking attempts were suffocating him. He couldn't bring himself to tell them about the someone already on his mind—a person he longed to introduce but couldn't, no matter how much he wished for it.
"Oliver, the charity event next month means a lot to the family. It's about time you brought someone special around."
Oliver gripped the fork a bit tighter, "Grandpa—"
"We keep on postponing that plan since you always told us that you already have someone but it's been 4 years and we still haven't met her. If you haven't found someone suitable by then, I'll take charge and find someone perfect for you."
His grandpa's words weighed heavily on his shoulders, knowing that his grandfather would do it in a heartbeat. Or worse, his parents would support it.
As the night wound down, Oliver found himself sitting in his car driving back to his penthouse, and dialing Emily's number without hesitation.
"Hey, Ms. Collins, did you drop off the food and flowers at my place?"
"Yes, Mr. Sterling. Everything's sorted," Emily confirmed, her voice calm and composed as always.
Soon after, Oliver reached his penthouse and was greeted by the delightful smell of the meal Emily had set up in the dining hall. But what caught his attention wasn't the food—it was the elegant figure sitting there.
Sophie, his secret girlfriend, was lounging in one of the seats, looking effortlessly beautiful. She was a rising star in showbiz, known for her killer performances and graceful vibe. She was beautiful with her dark blonde hair like a smooth waterfall of waves framing her perfect face, and her blue eyes sparkled as she noticed Oliver walking in.
A real smile spread across Oliver's face as he made his way over, planting a sweet kiss on Sophie's cheek.
Sophie flashed him a knowing grin. "Hey there, handsome. Your secretary has great taste in food."
Oliver laughed, "Yeah, she does. Do you like it?"
"Absolutely," Sophie said, giggling. "It's delicious."
“I'm glad you like it”
Sophie smiled at her, “So, how’s work? Did you come from meeting your grandparents?”
He sighed tiredly, “Yeah, I am”
“But why do you look like that?” she frowned, holding my hand.
With his grandpa's ultimatum weighing on him, Oliver decided to bring up the topic.
"Sophie, there's something I gotta talk about," Oliver started, sounding a bit nervous.
"What is it?"
Oliver drew in a deep breath, now playing with her fingers, "The charity event is coming—it's expected that I introduce someone special to my family."
Sophie's frown deepened, realization dawning in her eyes. "You mean….us?"
"Yes. I've been considering whether it's time for us to meet my family?"
Sophie's expression shifted, a flicker of concern crossing her features. "Oliver, you know how crucial my career is right now. News of my dating could affect everything, especially at this peak of my popularity. And you know your family can be quite overly excited and publicize it"
His family being criticized irked Oliver, but he brushed it off. No matter how much he assured her that his family would not do it, she still wouldn't believe him.
Oliver nodded again, "I understand, Sophie. We've kept it private for four years—I'll handle it."
Sophie's eyes softened, "I'm sorry, Oliver."
She leaned in, planting a gentle kiss on his lips. But when he didn't respond, she pulled back.
"Ollie, seriously, I'm really sorry," she apologized once more. “Please, just this one last time”
Oliver smirked, snaking his arm to her small waist and then under her shirt to fondle her breast. He immediately heard her moan. Then he leaned to her ears, whispering,
“Baby, you should show how sorry you are in other ways”
In the confines of her cubicle, Emily sat focused at her messy desk. Papers, pens, and sticky notes covered her space. A cactus plant was set on the side, the only decoration on her table aside from hundreds of pens, notebooks, and sticky notes. "Mr. Sterling's 10 a.m. with the board got bumped to 11," Emily said calmly. As she sorted Oliver's schedule, a quick look at the pic on her desk of a financial goal scribbled on a note by her desk. Her goal of hitting a $1 million mark within a certain time frame was like her guiding star. But as the night dragged on, frustration started creeping into her expression. She double-checked her progress last night, studying the numbers with a wrinkled forehead as she faced a setback in her carefully planned-out goals. With a heavy sigh, Emily leaned back in her chair, her fingers massaging her temples as she stared at the screen. As the night wore on and the clock struck midnight, she found herself the only soul in the company. Exhaustion hun
Oliver sat at his desk, surrounded by a mountain of paperwork and illuminated by the soft glow of his computer screen. It was well past the office hours, yet he remained engrossed in finalizing the intricate details of a crucial project. The only other soul present in the office was Emily. Emily had meticulously organized files and neatly arranged stacks of documents. Her dedication to her job was admirable. Oliver glanced up from his screen, rubbing his temples in an attempt to ease the strain of looking at the screen for long. He noticed Emily typing away at her computer, engrossed in her tasks. "Hey, Ms. Collins," Emily looked up, her gaze meeting Oliver's tired eyes. "Yes, Mr. Sterling?" "How late is it now?" Oliver asked, stifling a yawn. "It's almost midnight, sir," Emily replied, glancing at the clock on her computer screen. "You've been at this for hours. Would you like some coffee?" "That would be fantastic, thank you. You're a lifesaver, Ms. Collins." As Emily headed
The sunlight filters through the large windows of the office, casting a warm glow on the desks. Oliver sits at his desk. He glances at the clock, realizing it's almost lunchtime, a perfect opportunity to discuss his proposal with his secretary. So, he strides over to Emily's desk. "Ms. Collins," he begins, leaning against the side of her desk, "Do you have a moment? I was thinking maybe we could grab lunch together?" Emily looks up from her computer screen, doubtful of Oliver's request. He never invited her to meals. "Uhm…sure, Mr. Sterling. Is everything alright?" "Yeah, of course. I just need to talk about something important" With a nod, Emily gathers her belongings and joins Oliver as they head out of the office. The streets are alive with the people going in and out, and they find themselves at a café nestled between the high-rise buildings. As they settle into a quiet corner table, Oliver orders a couple of sandwiches and a pot of coffee. The aroma of freshly brewed coffe
The moon shone brightly over the amusement park as the laughter of children echoed in the air. Emily stood near the entrance gate, patiently awaiting Oliver's arrival still in her heels and long-fitted skirt. Soon after, Oliver arrived and spotted Emily near the gate of the lively park atmosphere. "This is quite an unexpected choice for our meeting," Oliver remarked, as soon as he reached her side. "I thought we could use a change of scenery, and truthfully, I've always wanted to ride the Ferris wheel," Emily confessed with a sheepish smile, gesturing toward the towering structure that dominated the park's skyline. But due to the demanding job of being a secretary for Oliver Sterling, she never had the chance to fulfill that wishlist so she decided to use the agreement to do so. "A negotiation in amusement park rides — I can't say I've done that before." "Work has always kept me busy, but today, I wanted to experience the joy of the Ferris wheel, and well, also discuss our arran
Oliver's office exuded an air of prestige, furnished with sleek, mahogany accents that reflected his status as CEO. Emily, poised and composed, sat across the mahogany desk, clutching a pen ready to finalize the terms of their arrangement. The pen moves fluidly in Emily's hand as she scrutinizes the lines, finalizing the contract. Oliver couldn't help but notice a faint furrow between Emily's brows. "Is there anything you'd like to discuss further, Ms. Collins?" Emily's focus snapped back to the present, "No Sir. Everything seems to align with our prior discussions. I believe we've covered all essential aspects." “That’s good to hear” With a swift yet deliberate motion, they both affixed their signatures on the document, sealing their agreement in ink. Oliver leaned forward slightly, extending his hand across the polished desk. “I am looking forward to working with you, Ms. Collins” Emily looked at his extended hand. It was like she had gone back to their first meeting a
Sunlight streamed through the windows of Emily's modest apartment, and to the meticulously arranged notes and research materials spread across her coffee table. As usual, her weekends are still busy as always. Later, she would need to bring groceries since her only stock consists of only cup noodles. A stack of magazines featuring Oliver's public appearances sat beside her laptop, open to various online articles highlighting the events of wealthy people.Emily, engrossed in her research, sat hunched over her notebook, busy jotting down"Argh…this is tiring" She sifted through pages of notes, analyzing Oliver's family. The Sterling name was not just a name. It was a multi-billionaires family name. So, it is important she did intensive research on them. Although she had a little background on them, this time she needed to research the family's daughters-in-law. "I need to somehow fit in their social status…," Emily mused, her eyes scanning through images of red-carpet appearances of
Emily carefully placed a steaming cup of coffee on Oliver's desk, interrupting his usual routine of reading reports. Oliver glanced up, a faint smile gracing his lips at the sight of his favorite afternoon coffee. "Thanks, Ms. Collins," Oliver said, acknowledging her with a nod."Sir," Emily began, "I think it's about time we put our plan into action, don't you think?"“Ah, right on cue. I've been waiting for this. How about we meet at my penthouse after work? We can discuss the details without interruptions.""That sounds good, Sir. I still have a few emails to send, so meeting after work works perfectly."With a nod, Emily returned to her cubicle after finalizing her tasks for the day. As she settled back into her chair, a sigh escaped her lips. Her legs started to protest quietly, aching from going back and forth on the company. Emily winced slightly and, in an attempt to alleviate the discomfort, she discreetly massaged her legs, trying to soothe the strain.Across the room, Ol
Soon after, they were seated inside the car, Emily let out a sigh of relief. After 5 years of being Oliver’s secretary, it was the first time people pointed those curious glances at her. Mostly, it is all directed to her boss—Oliver Sterling. She glanced at Oliver who took the driver seat and her in the passenger’s seat. “Can you please delete the picture, Sir?” Oliver, seemingly amused, chuckled, "Come on, Ms. Collins, it's harmless," Emily let out a defeated sigh, realizing that Oliver wasn't going to budge. She decided to drop the issue for the time being. "Some of the workers were looking at us earlier" Oliver shrugged nonchalantly, his attention now directed toward the route. "Let them think what they want to think," he replied with a casual indifference. “Just tell where we should head to?” Emily couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief at Oliver's apparent forgetfulness regarding the location of the shop where he ordered her to bring his clothes. She can't help but bl