HIRED AS HIS ASSISTANT

CHAPTER ONE

My name is Mira Hale, and for the past two years, I have worked at Elvis Company as the executive assistant to Julian Cross.

People tend to notice Julian without trying to. He doesn't demand attention, doesn't raise his voice, doesn't fill rooms with unnecessary charm. He simply exists in them-tall, composed, impeccably dressed-and somehow that's enough. His suits are always tailored just right, his beard kept neat, his movements deliberate. Even his smiles feel intentional, like he's aware of their impact and uses them sparingly.

I manage his life on paper.

Every meeting. Every appointment. Every business trip. I know where he needs to be before he does. I know which calls matter and which ones can wait. I attend most meetings with him, sitting slightly to the side, taking notes, watching the room the way assistants are trained to do. The only things I don't manage are the strictly personal ones.

Julian Cross is married.

I know this because of the framed photograph that sits on the corner of his desk, always angled just enough to be visible but never intrusive. A woman with effortless elegance, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder. A little girl beside her, smiling wide, unmistakably his. He never talks about them. I've never asked. Some boundaries are understood without being spoken.

Still, after two years of working this closely with him, I've noticed the changes.

He used to smile more. Used to make small jokes during meetings, dry observations that made people relax. Lately, that version of him feels distant. He's quieter now. Withdrawn. As if something heavy follows him everywhere he goes, settling into the corners of his eyes and staying there.

It's not my place to ask why.

My roommate, Lena, would disagree.

"If I worked for your boss," she once said, sprawled dramatically across our couch, "I'd flirt my way into a raise."

I didn't even look up from my laptop. "He's married."

"I know," she laughed. "Relax. Married men are not my thing."

That's Lena. Loud. Bold. Unapologetic. The kind of person who laughs first in a crisis and figures out the plan later. Where I hesitate, she leaps. Where I overthink, she shrugs and moves forward.

We met during our first year of college under circumstances that should have ended badly.

I'd been rushing down a crowded hallway, late for an exam, when I collided with another student. Hard. Books flew. Papers scattered.

"I'm sorry," I said immediately, crouching to help gather her things.

She grabbed the front of my top. "Watch where you're going."

"I said I'm sorry," I replied, trying to stay calm.

"You must be stupid."

Before I could respond, someone stepped between us.

"She apologized," a firm voice said. "That should be enough."

I looked up to see Lena standing there, arms crossed, completely unbothered. The other girl muttered something under her breath and walked away.

Lena glanced at me. "You're good. Go."

I did. I didn't even know her name yet.

Later that day, I saw her again in the cafeteria. I thanked her. She smiled briefly and walked away. Over time, we kept running into each other-shared classes, overlapping schedules, late-night study sessions. Talking became routine. Friendship followed naturally. Even years later, she's still the one person I trust without question.

Last Friday started like any other workday.

Until it didn't.

I arrived early to finish a few pending files before the office filled up. I'd barely settled at my desk when my office phone rang.

"Bring the files to my office," Julian said.

I gathered them, knocked once, and stepped inside.

"Good morning, sir."

"Good morning, Mira."

He smiled.

It caught me off guard. It had been a while since I'd seen that expression on his face, and for a brief moment, it felt like something had shifted-something small but noticeable. I handed him the files and left without comment.

A few minutes later, my phone rang again.

"Bring the Brooks Investment documents."

I picked them up and walked straight to his office. This time, I didn't knock. I opened the door without thinking.

And froze.

His wife was standing there.

I hadn't heard raised voices, his office is soundproof but the tension in the room was unmistakable. The air felt tight, charged, like I had stepped into the aftermath of an argument that hadn't finished burning.

"I'm sorry," I said quickly. "I didn't realize you had someone with you. Good morning, ma'am."

She turned toward me slowly, her expression sharp, assessing. Cold.

"Can't you knock?" she snapped.