Chapter 2: Ice-Cold First Impressions

(Celeste’s POV)

Today is the day I finally meet the rest of the team. Or, at least, the important ones. Which, apparently, means the people whose names are already whispered in the hallways like they’re characters in some overly dramatic N*****x drama. Marcus, Emma, Mr. Kane. I’ve heard about them all in passing since yesterday, and the way people say their names makes me feel like I’m about to step into some weird power circle.

It’s only my second day here, but walking into Sterling Enterprise. still feels like stepping into another universe where everything smells faintly like expensive perfume and printer ink, and everyone walks like they have somewhere very important to be. Which, I guess, they do. Me? I’m just trying to make sure I don’t trip in front of the CEO again. I’m not even joking. If that happens twice in two days, I might just resign on the spot.

Emma was the first one to find me this morning. She’s about my age, maybe a year older, with that kind of effortless hair that makes you think she wakes up looking like she’s already halfway through a photoshoot. I liked her instantly. She talks fast, walks fast, and seems to know everything about everyone. If I’m going to survive in this place, I need her on my side.

“Okay,” she said, handing me a coffee like she’d read my mind. “Big day. You’re meeting Marcus, senior manager of… well, everything. Don’t let him intimidate you. He’s a sweetheart if you don’t take his sarcasm personally.”

Sweetheart and sarcasm don’t exactly go together, but whatever. I took a sip of the coffee perfect temperature, perfect sweetness and decided she might actually be my guardian angel.

“And Mr. Kane,” she added, lowering her voice like we were in the middle of a spy movie. “Legal advisor. He’s quiet but not shy. You’ll see.”

The way she said “you’ll see” made me nervous.

By ten o’clock, I’m following Emma into a glass-walled conference room on the 12th floor. The carpet is so plush I feel like my heels are sinking into it. Inside, Marcus is already there, leaning back in his chair with a confidence that says he’s run this meeting a thousand times and could probably do it in his sleep. He’s tall, sharp suit, easy smile the kind of guy who probably has a comeback ready before you even finish your sentence.

“Celeste,” he says, standing to shake my hand. His grip is firm, but not crushing. “So you’re the new events planner.”

“That’s me,” I reply, trying to sound like I’m not internally panicking about making a good impression.

“She’s good,” Emma says, sliding into the chair next to mine. “I can already tell.”

Marcus smirks. “We’ll see. The CEO doesn’t exactly hire people who can’t handle a little pressure.”

Great. No pressure. Only the CEO’s approval hanging over my head like a chandelier in a soap opera.

Then the door opens again, and Mr. Kane walks in. If Marcus is all charm and presence, Kane is the opposite calm, collected, quiet. His suit is darker, his movements slower. He gives me a polite nod before taking the seat across from me.

“Celeste,” he says in a voice that’s deep but measured. “Welcome.”

“Thank you,” I say, because honestly, what else do you say to someone who looks like they could out-stare you into submission?

We spend the first ten minutes going over the basics upcoming events, deadlines, budget limits. I try to take notes without letting my hand shake. Marcus makes little jokes here and there, and Emma jumps in to fill me in on the office gossip I’m apparently going to need to know to survive. Kane? He mostly watches. I get the feeling he doesn’t miss a thing.

Halfway through, the door opens again. And yes, of course, it’s him. Julian Sterling. The CEO.

I swear the room temperature drops by five degrees. Or maybe that’s just me suddenly feeling like I’ve been dunked into a pool of ice water. He doesn’t even look at me when he steps inside just scans the room, says something to Marcus about a contract, and then sets a folder on the table.

My brain decides now is a good time to replay yesterday’s moment in the elevator when I practically ran into him and mumbled something that was definitely not professional. Great. Just great.

He doesn’t stay long just enough time to make my heart beat like it’s trying to break out of my chest. When he leaves, Marcus leans back and says, “You’ll get used to that.”

“Used to what?” I ask.

Marcus grins. “The ice-cold aura. Don’t take it personally. He’s like that with everyone.”

Emma snorts. “I think it’s in his contract. No unnecessary warmth allowed.”

I laugh, but it’s a nervous laugh. Because, sure, maybe he’s like that with everyone, but there’s something about the way his eyes passed over me like he was reading a page in a book he wasn’t sure was worth finishing that makes me want to prove him wrong.

The meeting runs for another hour. By the time we’re done, I’ve got a to-do list that could double as a novella. Marcus gives me a pat on the shoulder as we leave.

“You’ll be fine,” he says. “Just remember, this place runs on two things efficiency and results. You give both, you’ll go far.”

Emma walks me back to my desk, filling me in on where to find things and who to avoid when they’re in a bad mood.

“And Kane,” she says, glancing toward his office as we pass. “He might seem serious, but he’s good to have on your side. Trust me.”

By the time I sit down, my head is spinning. Not in a bad way more like the adrenaline rush you get before a big performance. I can do this. I have to do this.

At lunch, Emma drags me to the cafeteria. It’s not like the school cafeterias I remember this one has floor-to-ceiling windows, a salad bar that looks like it belongs in a five-star hotel, and coffee machines that probably cost more than my rent. We grab food and sit near the window.

“So,” Emma says between bites, “first impressions?”

I pause, thinking about Marcus’s easy smile, Kane’s steady gaze, and Julian Sterling’s frostbite-inducing presence.

“Intense,” I finally say.

Emma laughs. “You’ll fit right in.”

The rest of the day is a blur of emails, planning notes, and setting up for the next event. By five o’clock, my brain feels like it’s been through a marathon, but in a strange way, I’m enjoying it. There’s something addictive about the pace here, the way everyone seems to be in a constant race toward… something.

As I pack up, I glance toward the CEO’s office. The lights are still on, and I can see him through the glass walls, bent over some document, completely focused. He doesn’t look up, and I don’t expect him to. But there’s a tiny part of me that wonders if one day, he will.

For now, though, I’ve got enough on my plate. Tomorrow is another day, and I’ve got work to do.

I sling my bag over my shoulder and head for the elevator. Emma’s words echo in my head you’ll fit right in. I’m not sure if that’s true yet, but I’m willing to try.

Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned already, it’s that this place is all about playing the game. And I’ve always been a quick learner.