Chapter 2
Nina
Monday, 7:55 AM. I stood outside the office door, my palms completely soaked with sweat.
The consequence of a sleepless night was that I now looked like a raccoon—a malnourished one at that.
Last night, I'd practiced apologizing in front of my mirror a hundred times, ranging from "I'm so sorry, I was wrong" to "Please don't fire me," and even considered dropping to my knees.
But now, facing that closed office door, my mind went completely blank.
Deep breath, Nina. The worst that can happen is getting fired and spending the rest of your life eating hot dog at home.
I knocked on the door. No response. Strange, we definitely agreed on 8 AM. I gently pushed the handle and found the door unlocked.
"Mr. Shaffer? It's—"
I froze mid-sentence.
Enzo wasn't alone in his office.
A woman in a tight, low-cut red dress was leaning over his desk in a provocative pose, her four-inch heels accentuating her already exaggerated curves. Her voice was syrupy sweet: "Darling, I made you a special latte~"
I blinked, making sure I hadn't walked into the wrong office. This was definitely Enzo's CEO suite, and the ice king himself was sitting behind his desk, not even looking up from his documents.
And this woman...
Olivia Grant. Enzo's fiancée.
I'd only heard about her in office gossip, but this was my first time seeing her in person. Honestly, she looked more like a nightclub hostess than an heiress.
"Um..." I stood in the doorway, unsure whether to enter or retreat.
Enzo finally looked up, his cold gray eyes first scanning Olivia, then landing on me. That look... how do I describe it? Like he was observing two equally annoying flies.
"Olivia," his voice was cold enough to freeze water, "did you mistake your wardrobe this morning? This is an office, not your personal fashion runway."
I almost laughed out loud.
Olivia's smile faltered for a moment before she recovered: "I just wanted to look pretty for you. Don't you like it?"
"I prefer black coffee, nothing added." Enzo's gaze returned to his documents. "Just like I prefer simple, direct communication without embellishment."
Is this what they call a toxic relationship? I stood at the doorway watching this one-sided display of affection.
So even rich people have soap opera relationships.
Olivia's expression grew increasingly strained, but she persisted: "Enzo, you work too hard. I just wanted to show I care..."
"Caring doesn't require such..." Enzo paused, his eyes briefly scanning her low neckline, "theatrical expression."
I mentally applauded his savage comeback. Not even sparing his fiancée—Enzo's tongue was truly lethal.
Olivia finally realized her performance had completely failed. Her face went from flushed to pale, though she maintained a veneer of elegance: "Fine, I won't disturb your work."
As she turned, she noticed me, her gaze instantly turning sharp. In that moment, I felt like prey spotted by a viper.
"You must be Nina?" She approached me with a fake smile. "Enzo's mentioned you."
"Yes, I'm his secretary." I struggled to remain polite while internal alarms blared.
"Secretary..." She repeated the word meaningfully, then leaned closer, lowering her voice: "Be careful with your work. Enzo has very high standards for his employees. Some people lose their jobs over the smallest mistakes."
A threat. A blatant threat.
I maintained my professional smile: "Thanks for the advice. I'll do my best."
Olivia smiled with satisfaction and clicked her way out of the office. As the door closed, she shot me one last hostile glance.
The office fell silent, leaving just Enzo and me. Danger hung in the air like the calm before a storm.
"Nina Simons." Enzo finally spoke, his voice carrying an emotion I couldn't decipher.
"Yes, sir." I approached his desk with trepidation.
"After all this time as my secretary, you're still as reckless as before?"
Before?
My heart rate suddenly accelerated. Yes, we'd known each other since high school.
"Sir, I've always been careful." I played dumb, but the nervousness in my voice betrayed me.
Enzo set down his documents, crossed his hands, and regarded me with interest: "Really? I recall someone who enjoyed these little stunts even back in school."
"Hahaha, maybe I'm just nervous." I laughed awkwardly.
Fuck, he does remember! Is he settling old scores?
"I'm curious, though," Enzo stood and walked toward me, "after all these years, has your 'creativity' improved?"
He was now just three feet away. I could smell his subtle cologne.
"Sir, about last night's video, I can really explain..."
"No need." He cut me off, his lips curling into an enigmatic smile. "I actually found it quite entertaining."
Entertaining? Not the reaction I was expecting.
"Tomorrow you'll join me for a client meeting," he returned to his desk, "and we'll see what you're really capable of."
"A client meeting?" I blinked in confusion. "But I'm just a secretary..."
"Are you?" His smile deepened. "I think you're far more... capable than you appear."
That didn't sound like a compliment. It sounded like a trap.
"Of course, sir. I'll do my best." I could only agree.
"Good." Enzo returned his attention to his documents. "Work as usual today. Meet me downstairs at 8 AM tomorrow."
I quickly exited the office, nearly collapsing against the door once it closed behind me.
He definitely remembered our past! So was my hiring as his secretary coincidence or deliberate? And that Olivia clearly saw me as a threat.
More importantly, what awaited me at tomorrow's client meeting?
I checked my phone. The TikTok video now had 100,000 likes, with comments still pouring in. Followers were demanding updates, wanting to know my boss's reaction.
If they only knew my situation...
"Nina Simons," I gave myself a pep talk in the mirror, "what's done is done. Whatever comes, you'll handle it."
The worst outcome was still just getting fired. But my instincts told me Enzo's plans were far more complex.
I only hoped those plans wouldn't completely destroy me.