Strictly business (until it wasn't) - Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Nat's POV
I sat behind my massive desk, my eyes scanning the resume of yet another applicant. It was late, and I was already exhausted from a day filled with back-to-back meetings, conference calls, and a boardroom showdown that left me irritated and tense. My previous assistant had quit, like most did, unable to withstand my demanding standards, long hours, and the constant pressure of working for one of the most powerful CEOs in the world.
My reputation as an intimidating boss preceded me, and I made no effort to dispel it. It kept my employees on their toes, ensured productivity, and, if I l were honest, helped weed out the weak. But tonight, I was tired of this parade of nervous, unremarkable candidates.
I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples. The clock on the wall ticked toward 6 p.m., and my patience was officially gone.
"Another one?" My HR manager, Wanda, asked, peeking through the half-open door.
I sighed. "Might as well. Let's get this over with."
The door opened wider, and in walked the final candidate. My tired eyes flicked up, and stayed there.
The woman was striking. Confident strides, head held high, posture as sharp as the tailored black blazer she wore over a white blouse. Her hair was neatly pulled back into a low bun, with a few loose strands framing her face. But it wasn't just her appearance. It was the way she moved, unbothered, calm, like she belonged.
"Y/N Y/L/N," the woman introduced herself with a smooth, self-assured smile, extending her hand.
I took it, her grip firm, my eyes narrowing as I studied Y/N. Most candidates avoided looking directly at me. Not Y/N. She held my gaze like it was a challenge she intended to win.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss. Romanoff," Y/N said, her voice steady and warm.
"Miss. Y/L/N," I said slowly, leaning forward, elbows on my desk. "You're my last interview today. I hope you're here to impress me. I've been disappointed by all the others who have interviewed today. Everyone has been, well rather ordinary" I had no reason to hold back.
Y/N's smile didn't falter. She sat without waiting to be asked. Bold move. I raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"I view myself as more extraordinary rather than ordinary." She smiled, no hesitation in her voice.
The interview began, and I quickly realised Y/N was different. She was confident without being arrogant, efficient without being robotic, and organised in a way that suggested she thrived on structure and chaos in equal measure.
I blinked once. Then a short, surprised huff of amusement escaped past my lips. This one was different. "Confidence," I said, tilting my head. "That's either admirable or reckless."
"Maybe both," Y/N quipped, crossing one leg over the other.
I leaned back, folding my arms across my chest, her gaze never leaving Y/N's face. "Why do you want this job?"
Y/N leaned forward, resting her forearms on her knees. "I'm good at handling chaos. And from what I've read about you, Miss. Romanoff, you thrive in it."
Wanda, who was still standing by the door, nearly choked on a sip of water. I tilted my head, my lips curving into a small, sly smile.
"Is that right?" I asked, eyes narrowing in mock scrutiny. "And what makes you think you can handle my chaos, Y/N?"
"Simple," she said, leaning back with the confidence of someone who had already won. "I don't fear it."
I smirked despite myself. I liked that answer. I liked the fire in Y/N's eyes even more. The silence that followed was heavy but not uncomfortable. I stared, assessing. Most people tried too hard to prove themselves. Y/N just... was.
"Skills?" I prompted, still testing her.
"Time management, multitasking, conflict resolution, and a scary amount of patience," Y/N listed without hesitation. "I know how to think on my feet and keep things running smoothly, even when everything's on fire." She raised an eyebrow. "Which, from what I hear, is a typical Tuesday for you."
Another amused exhale escaped me. I glanced at Wanda, who gave a small, encouraging nod, clearly entertained. My gaze shifted back to Y/N.
"You're not afraid of me," I observed, more of a statement than a question.
"Should I be?" Y/N countered, leaning forward again, resting her chin on her hand.
My smirk widened. "Most people are."
"I'm not most people."
The words hung in the air like a gauntlet thrown at my feet. For the first time that day, I felt... awake. Alive, even
By the time the interview ended, I was surprised to feel... intrigued. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I might have found someone who could not only keep up with me but challenge me. And I needed that.
As Y/N stood to leave, I found myself saying, "You'll hear from me tomorrow."
Y/N nodded, her lips curving into a small, confident smile. "I look forward to it."
When Y/N walked out and I was sure she had left the floor via the lift, I leaned back in my chair, a rare flicker of excitement sparking in my chest. Maybe, just maybe, this one would last.
Wanda came in and sat down. I didn't have many people I considered my friends, I had a lot of acquaintances, but Wanda was one of the handful of people I got along with. She was as brutally honest and hard working as I was, so working together was easy. We never actually saw that much of each other at work, both of us too busy dealing with all sorts of issue. We would catch up occasionally outside of work for dinner, but it was times like this that I appreciated her opinion, this time though, I had made up my mind and I wasn't budging.
"You're going to hire her, aren't you?" Wanda questioned.
I nodded. "I am. You don't have to waste your time trying to change my mind, it won't work."
"Why her?" She asked.
"Did you see anyone else here earlier who didn't fold the second I stared at them thinking? Y/N isn't intimidated by me." I answered.
Wanda shook her head. "She's arrogant."
"She's confident" I countered.
She sighed. "You can't like her, Nat. You can't make this a HR mess that I have to clean up. If you hire her, she's off limits."
I huffed a laugh. "I'm looking for an assistant, that's it. She ticks all the right boxes and she seems like the type of person who won't run off crying the moment I raise my voice, like every other assistant I have had." I smoothed my hair done. "I'm not looking for anything else than stability and professionalism in my assistant."
Wanda opened her mouth and then closed it, and then she nodded.
I stood and collected my things. "I'm going home, you should head home too, it's late."
That night, I sat in the living room of my penthouse apartment, nursing a glass of red wine. The lights of the city twinkled outside, but my focus was elsewhere.
I couldn't stop thinking about Y/N Y/L/N.
The confidence, the poise, the subtle but undeniable spark in her demeanour, it all lingered in my mind. Y/N wasn't just qualified, she was brilliant. And beautiful. I had noted it during the interview, though I had quickly pushed the thought aside. Now, in the quiet of my home, it crept back in.
Brushing a hand through my hair, I frowned at myself. She's a candidate for an assistant position, nothing more, I reminded myself. But even as I told myself that, I couldn't shake the way Y/N had looked at me, steady and unafraid, like she was an equal in a room where everyone else cowered.
The thought brought a small smile to my lips.
The next morning, I was already in my office by 7 a.m., as usual, my coffee in hand and a long list of tasks to tackle.
I waited until 9am to make the call.
Pulling out Y/N's file, I dialled the number listed and waited, the phone pressed to my ear. After a few rings, a familiar voice answered.
"Hello, this is Y/N Y/LN."
My lips quirked at the calm professionalism in her tone.
"Good morning, Miss. Y/L/N. This is Natasha Romanoff."
"Miss. Romanoff," she replied smoothly, though I detected a hint of surprise in her voice. "Good morning. How can I help you?"
"I've reviewed your application, and after some consideration, I'd like to offer you the position of my personal assistant." I paused, allowing the weight of my words to sink in. "Assuming, of course, that you're still interested."
There was a brief silence before Y/N responded, her voice warm and confident. "I'd be delighted to accept, Miss. Romanoff. Thank you for the opportunity."
"Good," I said, a rare note of satisfaction in my tone. "You'll start Monday. My team will send over the details."
"I'll be ready," Y/N assured me.
"Welcome to the chaos, Miss Y/L/N," I said, turning toward the window, hand in my pocket. "Don't make me regret it."
"I won't." She replied.
I hung up, sitting back down in my chair with a thoughtful expression. I had hired countless assistants over the years, but something told me this time would be different. Finally an assistant I thought would actually hold their own and her credentials told me she could manage the role.
For the first time in a long while, I felt a flicker of anticipation. I sensed that Y/N would do well in the job and I also couldn't wait for my phone to stop ringing endlessly thanks to my last assistant up and leaving so quickly.
I made sure HR sent Y/N the details she required, documents to sign, starting times, policies to read, everything to be ready at the start of the week. They organised a time for her to come in later today to be shown around and get her an ID card to scan in to the building. I kept to myself in my office while she was here, I had a feeling not only was I going to keep her on her toes but she would do the same for me. One more day of not bossing someone around and being alone up here on the top floor actually sounded nice to me.
Y/N's POV
I sat down on my couch, turning on the tv for background noise. I opened my laptop to find the email I had been waiting for. As I read and signed contracts and NDA's and read all the documents sent to me, I couldn't help but be excited. I knew that this wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, but for now I enjoyed it. I loved organising schedules, keeping everything in line and having days run smoothly. My old job wasn't as fast paced as I would have liked and I was starting to get bored.
Everything I have heard about Natasha Romanoff, told me I wasn't going to be bored at all.
I spent Saturday with some friends, hanging out at a cafe and then doing some shopping. I picked up a few more pieces of clothing for work, wanting to make sure I fit the part of Miss Romanoff's assistant.
On Sunday, I meticulously prepared for my first day. I did my research, learning everything I could about Natasha Romanoff's preferences, her leadership style, her achievements, and I even emailed one of the contacts given to me, asking about her favourite coffee shop and coffee order.
On Monday morning, I arrived fifteen minutes early, dressed in a sleek navy blazer and matching trousers paired with a crisp white blouse. My makeup was subtle yet polished, and my heels clicked softly against the marble floors of Natasha's pristine office building. I used the access card I had been provided and stepped into the executive suite.
On the top level was her office, I remembered from the tour I was given and the interview that it was behind the large doors on the left side of the room when you got out of the lift. A desk sat out the front of her office, it had a computer, a lap top, pens and a notebook sitting there. I wouldn't go over the top but I would be bringing in a few things to make the space more me. The other doors on this level led to a kitchen and sitting area, there was a balcony with a few small tables and chairs, a bathroom and a very large meeting room. The building was sleek and modern inside.
I sat down at my desk, looking at the time. It was almost 7 a.m, I was told that was the usual time that Miss Romanoff started her day in the office.
The lift doors opened and out she walked. Her heels clicked on the ground as she rounded the corner. I swallowed at the sight in front of me. Her black blazer and suit pants were tailored perfectly. Her red hair flowed down effortlessly just below her collar bone. She looked so good. I pulled myself from my thoughts to stand up.
Miss Romanoff paused mid-step, clearly not expecting to see me standing there. For a brief moment, her impassive expression softened, her gaze flickering over me.
"Good morning, Miss Romanoff," I said smoothly, offering a small, confident smile. I held out a cup of coffee. "I thought you might like this, black, no sugar."
Natasha raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching in what might have been the start of a smile. "You've done your homework."
"I like to come prepared," I replied, my tone light but professional.
Natasha accepted the coffee, her fingers brushing briefly against mine. "Impressive. Most people take weeks to figure out something so simple."
"I don't like to waste time," I replied.
Natasha studied me for a moment, then took a sip of the coffee. She nodded approvingly.
"Follow me," Natasha said, turning and gesturing for me to step into the office. "Let's see if the rest of your first day is as impressive as your start."
I followed, my confidence unwavering. I just wanted to prove that I could live up to her expectations. As I stepped inside Natasha's office, I couldn't help but feel a thrill of satisfaction. If this morning was any indication, I was ready for whatever challenges lay ahead, and Natasha Romanoff was about to discover that I wasn't like anyone she'd worked with before.
Natasha's office was as imposing and refined as the woman herself, floor-to-ceiling windows, dark wood accents, and a minimalist design that exuded power.
My first day was already off to a smooth start. After my brief interaction with Natasha, I quickly set about organising my desk outside the CEO's office. It was a sleek setup, and within minutes, I had my workspace arranged to perfection, everything in its place.
By 9 a.m., I was fully immersed in my tasks. I accessed Natasha's schedule and immediately spotted inefficiencies from the last assistant. Overlapping meetings, unnecessary appointments, and blocks of time that could be better utilised. With precision and tact, I reorganised the timetable, streamlining Natasha's day to maximise productivity while ensuring room for breathing space.
An hour later, I sent the updated schedule to
Natasha's tablet with a concise note:
Ms. Romanoff,
I've taken the liberty of reorganising your timetable for today and the week ahead. Let me know if there are any adjustments you'd like me to make. Sorry if I have over stepped.
Regards,
Y/N.
It wasn't long before Natasha stepped out of her office, tablet in hand. She glanced at me, her green eyes appraising.
"You reorganised my schedule," Natasha said, her tone neutral but curious.
"I should have checked with you first I'm sorry," I replied, standing to meet her gaze. "I noticed some areas where time could be better allocated. I hope it meets your expectations."
Natasha studied me for a moment, then nodded. "It's efficient. I like it."
"Thank you," I said, my smile professional but pleased.
As it neared midday I slipped out to a nearby upscale deli Natasha was known to frequent according to her HR Manager I spoke to last week before starting. I returned with a fresh salad, grilled chicken, and a sparkling water. At exactly 12:30, I knocked lightly on Natasha's door before stepping in.
"I thought you might appreciate a proper lunch," I said, setting the neatly packed meal on Natasha's desk.
Natasha looked up, looking momentarily surprised. Her gaze shifted from the food to me.
"You didn't have to do that," Natasha said, though there was no hint of annoyance, if anything, she sounded impressed.
"I know," I replied with a small smile. "But I thought it might save you some time.
I smiled and left her to eat in peace, heading back to my desk. I felt pretty good about how the day was going.
Maybe this job will be better than I thought.