Chapter 2: First Impressions

The sun was barely up when Sophie found herself standing once again in the towering shadow of Steele Enterprises. The city streets were still quiet, but inside the steel and glass fortress, everything was already in motion. Employees moved briskly, their steps purposeful, while phones rang and papers shuffled behind the glass walls of offices.

Sophie took a deep breath and adjusted her bag on her shoulder before stepping inside. As she entered the building, she couldn’t help but feel the weight of what today meant. She wasn’t just starting any job—she was working for one of the most powerful, enigmatic men in the country. And if yesterday’s interview was any indication, it would be nothing short of a battlefield.

At precisely 6:55 a.m., Sophie was standing outside the office of Alexander Steele. The same elegant woman from the day before—now identified as Mrs. Carter, his senior executive assistant—looked her over with the same critical eye but nodded approvingly this time.

"Good," Mrs. Carter said, her tone curt. "He likes punctuality. Follow me. I’ll give you a rundown of your duties before he arrives."

Sophie fell into step behind Mrs. Carter as they walked through the large, modern office space. Everything about this floor screamed efficiency and precision, and Sophie quickly realized that working for Alexander Steele was going to require her to be more than just organized—she’d need to be impeccable.

"You’ll be responsible for managing his schedule, which as you’ll soon see, is a challenge in itself. He expects absolute discretion. Anything you hear, anything you see, stays with you," Mrs. Carter said sharply, fixing Sophie with a look that suggested she was already testing her. "Understood?"

"Yes," Sophie replied firmly.

"You’ll also be coordinating with clients, preparing briefings, and ensuring that every detail, no matter how small, is taken care of. Mr. Steele is a perfectionist, and he has no tolerance for mistakes."

As they neared Alexander’s office, Mrs. Carter paused and turned to face Sophie. "One last thing—don’t try to figure him out."

Sophie frowned, confused. "Excuse me?"

"Mr. Steele isn’t like other people. You’ll hear things, see things that don’t make sense. Don’t question it. Just do your job."

Before Sophie could respond, the glass doors to the office swung open, and Alexander Steele strode in. He was dressed in another impeccably tailored suit, his hair perfectly in place, his expression as unreadable as ever. He didn’t spare either woman a glance as he moved toward his desk, but Sophie felt the air in the room shift the moment he entered.

"Good morning, Mr. Steele," Mrs. Carter said briskly.

Alexander nodded once, his gaze briefly flicking to Sophie. "Miss Matthews," he said in that same cold, clipped tone from the day before. "You’re early. That’s a good start."

"Thank you," Sophie replied, though she wasn’t sure if it was a compliment.

He sat down behind his desk and gestured for her to take a seat across from him. Sophie complied, trying to mask her nervousness as she pulled out her notebook.

"I have several meetings today," Alexander began, not wasting any time. "You’ll accompany me to each of them. I expect you to take detailed notes and handle any follow-up communication. Mrs. Carter will oversee the rest of your training."

Sophie nodded, jotting down the details as he spoke. His words were precise, each instruction clear and concise. It was as if he had everything planned down to the second.

As Alexander spoke, Sophie couldn’t help but notice the way he held himself—rigid, controlled, as if every movement was carefully calculated. It was the same with his words. He didn’t waste time with pleasantries or unnecessary details. He spoke only when he had something important to say.

But there was something else beneath the surface. Something darker. Sophie could sense it, though she couldn’t put her finger on what it was. It was in the way his eyes flickered briefly when he mentioned one particular meeting, his tone sharpening ever so slightly. But before she could dwell on it, Alexander’s voice snapped her back to the present.

"Is that clear, Miss Matthews?"

"Yes, Mr. Steele," Sophie replied quickly.

"Good. We leave in ten minutes for the first meeting. Don’t keep me waiting."

With that, he dismissed her, and Sophie returned to her desk, her mind racing. Her first day hadn’t even properly begun, and already she felt the pressure mounting. She had dealt with difficult bosses before, but Alexander Steele was on a whole other level. His presence was commanding, almost suffocating, and Sophie found herself constantly on edge around him.

But there was something else, too—something she couldn’t quite shake. The way Mrs. Carter had warned her, the way Alexander seemed to carry a weight heavier than his empire. What secrets was he hiding behind those cold blue eyes?

Sophie had no time to ponder these thoughts as the minutes ticked down. She gathered her things and made her way back to Alexander’s office, just as he was stepping out.

"Let’s go," he said, not waiting for her to catch up.

The day was a blur of meetings, phone calls, and rapid note-taking. Sophie barely had time to catch her breath as Alexander moved from one task to the next with precision. He was as efficient as everyone had said, but what surprised Sophie most was how little he spoke in these meetings. Most of the time, he simply listened, his expression unreadable, occasionally nodding or interjecting with a single sentence that seemed to shift the entire tone of the discussion.

But it wasn’t until the final meeting of the day that Sophie noticed something different. The moment they entered the boardroom, Alexander’s demeanor changed. His posture became even more rigid, and his eyes darkened as he took his seat at the head of the table.

The room was filled with several executives, all of whom seemed to shrink under Alexander’s gaze. Sophie could feel the tension in the air, and as the meeting progressed, it became clear that there was more going on than just business.

The conversation took a strange turn, with one of the executives making a vague reference to a "problem" that needed to be handled discreetly. Sophie glanced at Alexander, who said nothing, but his jaw tightened. There was something unspoken between him and the men at the table, something that made Sophie’s skin crawl.

As the meeting ended, Sophie gathered her things quickly, eager to leave the suffocating atmosphere. But just as they were leaving the boardroom, Alexander leaned in close to her, his voice low.

"Remember what I said, Miss Matthews. Discretion is key."

Sophie nodded, her heart racing. She had a feeling that whatever Alexander Steele was involved in, it was far more dangerous than she had ever imagined.

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