The moment I stepped into the boardroom, the air felt heavy. Ming Xu sat at the head of the long glass table, looking like he'd just stepped out of a luxury magazine—sharp suit, perfect hair, and that cold, unreadable gaze that could make glaciers jealous.
"Sit," he ordered without looking at me.
I obeyed, though my inner voice was screaming, Can someone tell him "please" exists?
He slid a thick file toward me. "You're coming to the hotel party tonight. Investors."
"Hotel party?" My brain short-circuited. "Sir, I'm just your assistant. I don't even own a dress expensive enough to stand next to those people!"
He looked at me for exactly two seconds, then returned to his laptop. "Then buy one."
Did this man think money grew on trees in my backyard? I pressed my lips together, reminding myself I needed this internship.
Hours later, I found myself standing outside the grand Royal Orchid Hotel, wearing a rental gown that cost more than my month's rent. I spotted Ming Xu near the entrance, effortlessly charming a group of foreign investors with his smooth English.
The moment he saw me, his eyes narrowed—like he'd found a misplaced puppy at a wedding. "You're late."
"I had to wrestle with my hair," I whispered, walking beside him. "It almost won."
He almost—almost—smirked.
The party was dazzling—chandeliers, laughter, the scent of money floating in the air. Ming Xu introduced me as "my assistant," his deep voice making it sound like I was some rare collectible item.
Everything was going smoothly… until the lights flickered. And then, the hotel's fire alarm blared, echoing through the hall. Guests gasped, waiters froze, and Ming Xu's eyes shot to mine.
"Stay close," he said, grabbing my wrist.
Before I could reply, the crowd surged toward the exit—and that's when I realized… we weren't heading outside. Ming Xu was pulling me toward a private elevator.
Why was my boss taking me upstairs during a fire alarm?