Chapter 3. First day

"Don't look at me too long 'cause you're so beautiful. I'm afraid I forgot you were my assistant for a minute there."

"You'll get used to it, Sir. You'll see me every day."

There was a fervor moment between them after Madeleine said those words. It was apparent how they felt, how their eyes sealed and held each other until they conveyed their farewells.

Just a few minutes when Madeleine vamoosed the room, leaving the CEO standing still, dumbstruck by the woman's beauty and just the thought of her gave a smile on his lips. And that was the first time a woman managed to bring him such feelings of attraction. He didn't know why but she left the most vivid impressions in his mind.

MANY hours finally went out, and Madeleine decided to visit her best friend, Steffi.

"Seriously, girl? The CEO of Descartes Company interviewed you?"

Steffi was surprised that her best friend got to see the man— one of their town's most famous and affluent people.

"Oh, please!" Madeleine chortled even more. "That was nothing."

"I'd bet he fell in love with your face!"

"I doubt," she replied despite the fact that Mr. Harrington's last words kept repeating in her mind. The way he called her beautiful was enough to melt the atom of her being.

Steffi frowned a little, glancing at her best friend with curiosity until Madeleine took a deep break before continuing. "He was the epitome of elegance, and I won't deny it."

"See? You liked him!" her friend chimed happily.

"Oh, c'mon, it wasn't like that." she rolled her eyes.

Steffi shook her head as if to disagree, and Madeleine had had enough of this conversation.

"It isn't what you think. I've only seen Mr. Harrington once—"

"And you already have fallen head over heels for that man?"

"No!" Madeleine protested. "Why would you say that? He's the man of every girl's dreams, but I don't think liking that man is a good idea. I'm sure he has a lot of women at his beck and call. It's not that I'm judging, you know, just a straightforward. Besides, I accepted the offer because I need this job for my mom.

"Yeah, I know." Madeleine nodded, agreeing. "Don't worry. I'll support you with that."

Afterward, they continued conversing about what had happened in their past weeks until they decided to end their conversation. It seemed like they both had a lot of things to talk about, so they promised to meet again soon.

LOOKING at the clock, Madeleine got up from the couch. Her mind went back to the things she had been avoiding since yesterday. That was the compliment she got from Mr. Harrington yesterday during the brief interview. She despised admitting it, but that made her heart beat swiftly as a slight, warm feeling circulated through her body, causing her cheeks to turn red.

As much as she attempted not to express any interest in Mr. Harrington, she couldn't help herself. But it was impossible for someone so damn hot, handsome, and wealthy to be interested in a poor girl like her.

It took her thirty minutes to fix herself and put on some makeup. When she saw her reflection in the mirror, she didn't look bad, but she knew she needed a more pleasing look.

Finally!

She looked professional enough with a pencil-cut skirt and high neck long-sleeved blouse.

Taking her purse, she headed out of her house and went directly toward the subway station. Honestly, she couldn't help but feel guilty for being so liar during yesterday's interview with the CEO. Madeleine came from a low-income family; her father died four years ago due to bone marrow cancer while her mother was currently admitted to the hospital. She thought concealing her status would enable her to get hired quickly, so she didn't hesitate to do it.

Madeleine's life was honestly like living in hell. She wanted to get out of her town due to its environment, and numerous people died because of traffic accidents, which was why it didn't feel like home. It was suffocating due to the crowded streets, all the smells of garbage and trash filled her nostrils, and the heat was unbearable because of the summer weather. Also, the noise reverberated throughout the entire surrounding. No wonder she lived in a squatter town with almost no infrastructure, only a house made of cheap wood. This is why having a job is paramount for her in order to provide for her needs and support her mother, who was currently admitted to the hospital due to a disease she had.

Just a few minutes later, she arrived at the Descartes Company, and soon as she surpassed the entrance, she went immediately to the CEO's room and stopped when she caught a man in his mid-thirties wearing glasses.

"Is Mr. Harrington here?" she questioned politely, adjusting the strap of her purse and endeavoring to keep herself under control and not sound like a stalker or anything. The man might not be familiar with her because she was just new at Descartes Company.

The man smiled widely before responding, making her sigh of relief.

"He's not here, but he apprised me to get you inside. I'm sorry I couldn't catch your name, Miss."

"Madeleine Nevia."

His face lit up, making her curious, "So you're the new assistant. Please come inside." he opened the door for her, which she did in gratitude.

"This is your new place, Ms. Nevia." the man guided her into the right corner, opposite the CEO's table. Her place seemed complete; it consisted of multiple files on the shelves, a couple of chairs, two filing cabinets on the floor, a couch next to the windows facing east, and a brand-new MacBook lying on the desk. Everything looked perfect.

"This is too much." she swiveled around to face the man. "Is this all mine?"

He nodded. "Mr. Harrington instructed me to give this to you personally as a token of appreciation. I'll bring the rest tomorrow. If you need anything else, please ask one of the staff."

Madeleine was speechless upon hearing those words.

"Where is Mr. Harrington?"

"The boss is a bit late today, though. I'll tell him that you are here."

"Thank you, Sir." she bowed politely.

"Just call me Mr. Bright."

She nodded until the man spun around and left the room.

Once the door closed, Madeleine sat down in her chair; she glanced at the glass window and observed where the outside view could be seen. She couldn't help but brood about her mother's condition. She needs a tremendous amount of money to proceed with her treatment as soon as possible, and if her mother's illness worsens by the day, she will not be able to afford it. This is why she was grateful for having the opportunity to be the CEO's personal assistant, although this role was challenging because it needed the experience to fulfill that duty. She had zero idea of managing such a stressful situation, much less handling one like this, so it was truly fortunate to have a chance.

After a moment of mulling, the door burst open, revealing the man she'd been lingering with, and her heart started thumping fast and strong. It consistently happened whenever she saw him, and that truthfully made her uncomfortable.

He came closer and closer until she looked up and met those dark orbs she secretly adored. But she wondered why Mr. Harrington seemed to lose his breath as if he ran all the way to reach here, and the words he stated next widened her eyes in surprise.