--
Sange's mind went blank.
Of all the people in the world, of all the possible bosses she could have had, it had to be him. The man whose expensive suit she had ruined mere hours ago.
Hyun Jae.
The CEO.
Her new boss.
She wanted the ground to swallow her whole.
"You," he said again, voice steady but ice-cold.
The entire room held its breath. The employees standing nearby exchanged subtle, questioning glances. Even the air conditioning seemed to hum louder in the silence.
He leaned forward slightly, fingers interlocked on the desk. "Tell me, Miss Sange," he said, tone dangerously calm. "Are you here to work or to cause more disasters?"
Her throat went dry.
"I—I'm here to work," she forced out.
"Are you sure?" His hazel eyes flickered with something unreadable. "Because based on what I've seen so far, you have a talent for doing the exact opposite."
Heat flared in her chest. Was he seriously holding the coffee incident against her like she had committed a crime?
She straightened, forcing her voice to remain even. "It was an accident. And I'll make sure to be professional moving forward."
Hyun Jae didn't blink. "Professional?" He let the word roll off his tongue like it was some foreign concept to her. "Then let's see if you can handle a simple instruction without ruining something else."
A thick folder slid across the desk toward her.
"Company policies," he said coolly. "Read them, memorize them, and don't waste my time asking questions that are already answered in that document."
Sange reached for it—only to knock the entire folder off the desk.
The papers scattered everywhere.
The room went dead silent.
Sange froze in horror. No. Not again.
Hyun Jae's jaw tightened as he stared at the mess on the floor, his lips pressing into a thin, disbelieving line. He took a slow, deep breath, tilting his head slightly as if deciding whether to fire her on the spot.
Heat crawled up Sange's neck. Why did this keep happening to her?
She scrambled to pick up the papers, heart pounding. "I-I got it!" she stammered, shoving them back into the folder as fast as she could.
Hyun Jae exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. "You're unbelievable."
"Thanks," she muttered under her breath.
His gaze snapped to her. "What was that?"
Sange coughed. "Nothing! Just—uh, continuing to be professional!"
His jaw clenched.
By the time she finally gathered the papers (and double-checked that she hadn't lost any), she forced a stiff smile. "All set, sir!"
Hyun Jae didn't respond immediately. Instead, he stood up slowly, walking around the desk until he was right in front of her.
Sange suddenly became very aware of how tall he was.
"I don't care who you are or why you're here," he said, voice quiet but firm. "But if you can't even handle the basics, you won't last a day in this company. Do you understand?"
Sange felt her stomach drop.
Was he testing her? Challenging her? Did he actually want her to fail?
Something inside her snapped.
She lifted her chin. "I understand. And I won't be going anywhere."
Hyun Jae's eyes flashed with something—surprise? Amusement? Annoyance?
He held her gaze for a moment longer before stepping back. "Then prove it."
Sange swallowed hard, gripping the folder tighter.
"You're dismissed," he added flatly.
Sange turned stiffly and walked out of the office, barely managing to keep her head held high.
The second she was in the hallway, she let out a long breath, her hands shaking.
This man is going to be the death of me.
Her phone buzzed.
Hiraya: How's your first day??? Boss hot or not???
Sange: Hiraya, he's the guy from the café. The coffee disaster guy.
Hiraya: …WAIT. U SPILLED COFFEE ON UR CEO???
Sange: Yes. And I think he wants me to suffer.
Hiraya: Girl, ur life is a whole K-drama.
Sange groaned, running a hand down her face.
And then, as if things weren't bad enough—
She turned a corner and slammed directly into someone else.
This time, it was a woman.
A sharp intake of breath followed. "Watch where you're going!"
Sange winced. "I—I'm so sorry, I wasn't—"
The woman, tall and elegant in a perfectly tailored suit, narrowed her eyes. "Are you new?"
Sange nodded quickly, trying to compose herself. "Yes. I just started today."
The woman crossed her arms. "I see. And what department are you in?"
Sange hesitated. "Uh… technically, I work under Mr. Hyun Jae."
Something shifted in the woman's expression. A slow, knowing smirk curved her lips.
"Oh," she said, voice dripping with amusement. "So you're the one."
Sange blinked. The one… what?
Before she could ask, the woman stepped closer. "Let me give you some advice, new girl. Keep your head down, do your job, and don't make an enemy out of the CEO."
Sange gulped. Too late.
The woman eyed her once more before walking past, leaving Sange standing there, heart pounding.
She hadn't even finished her first day, and she was already in deep trouble.
She was so doomed.
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