Twenty-one and ready to take on the world, orphan Lizzie Gold didn't expect her chance encounter with a stranger to lead to a damnable task - to take down a rising business tycoon.
Ryan Pierce - her viciously handsome target and her new boss - might...
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L I Z Z I E 01 | first meets
The man before me is gorgeous.
He has a face like one of my dream guys with a chiseled jawline, dark curls which look messy, urging me to run my fingers through them, and his cheeks are endowed with a five o'clock beard. His blue, magnetic eyes are concentrated on my file as he lazily turns the sheets, looking like a professor checking exam papers. His gold watch reflects the light coming through the large glass wall behind him, adding to his charisma.
Dressed in a deep grey three-piece suit covering his broad shoulders and lean muscles, his appearance commands the room.
The sight of him is so breathtaking that the moment I saw him I knew this plan was never going to work if I didn't manage to keep my imagination in check. When you read too many BookTok romance books like me, you end up imagining yourself as the heroine every time a familiar situation presents itself.
"Miss. Elizabeth Gold..." the man begins in a deep voice that makes me squeeze my legs. He shuts the file and raises his eyes to my face. He puts his elbows on top of the file, resting his chin above as he studies me. "I'll ask one simple question - why do you want this job?"
I purse my lips, straightening in my seat. "Mr. Pierce, I have researched all about your company. You have the environment and the management which I think perfectly suits what I'm looking for. If I'm given the position, I'll do my best to prove myself worth it..."
He lifts a hand, waving it in the air to stop my rambling.
"Miss. Gold..." He leans back in his chair like a man who knows he owns the conversation without requiring permission. "You've applied for the position of my PA. The position does not only require hard work and dedication but also compatibility with me. You understand what I am saying, right?"
"I do."
He nods slowly, picking my portfolio again and studying it.
"Your qualification impresses me but the part about your interests and hobbies has me hesitating. Can you describe them to me in more detail?"
"I like to read," I answer immediately. "I like to read and knit and blog about stuff. It helps me pass time."
Mr. Pierce raises a dark eyebrow, shaking his head dismissively. "I have met thirty other applicants with the same hobbies. What makes you special, Miss. Gold? Why do you think I should choose you?"
He drops my portfolio and his gaze on me intensifies as if he can't wait to see if he is finally getting on my nerves. My hobbies should have nothing to do with the job criteria and yet he is making this personal route of conversation sound so official.
"Mr. Pierce, I do realize how my qualifications are nothing out of the ordinary but I have been told that I have a way of surprising people with my dedication towards any kind of work. I'm passionate about basically everything I do and work is another passion of mine. I don't work to earn but because I love work itself. It pleases me."
