A/N - There is a fun little Pride Book Club that I'm a member of, with some very talented writers in it. This year we're taking a little time to do a few fan-fics of each other's books, with the characters from those books. So, I'm starting off by doing that for the book The Queen's Maid by the wonderful AziaElga which you should definitely check out. I changed it up a little. Instead of a historical fiction, this is a little office romance. In any case, I hope you enjoy!
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"I have to warn you, Seul-Gi, she's been very hard on assistants," The office manager told me as we went up in the elevator in the skyscraper that housed Empire Financial. I was so nervous that I couldn't even remember the office manager's name. "She fired the last three we assigned her, and we've had four from temp agencies leave in under a week. Don't take it personally if this doesn't work out."
Right, it's only my job if I fail, don't take it personally. I was shocked to have survived the corporate merger and have a job at this point. But if Ms. Bae didn't retain me, then I was out on the streets, like so many others. I used to work with. Kang Financial, my old employer, tried to initiate a hostile takeover of Empire Financial, only for them to turn the tables and take over Kang Financial instead once the proxy fight was done. Having been a senior personal assistant over at my old job, perhaps it was thought that I might be able to handle this assignment.
But I wasn't holding my breath based on what I was hearing. I was hardly a miracle worker!
When the elevator opened up, we were on a quiet floor. There were glass doors in both directions off the elevator bank, and I was directed to the right. I used my new security badge to get through the doors, and we headed straight ahead to a tasteful desk and waiting area, behind which was a heavy wooden door.
"This will be your desk. Ms. Bae's office is through that door." She stopped short of the desk, backing away from the door nervously. "I'll let you make your own introductions, as I have to get the other new employees settled."
"Yes, thank you." I said with a nervous nod. I guess I was on my own from here on out. The office manager wasted no time scurrying back towards the elevator. I would have liked the introduction, but she really did have more people to settle. Many of us were coming over from Kang, so they'd be busy getting them all into their new positions.
With a deep breath, I knocked on the door, hearing an exasperated 'come in' from beyond the door.
I opened the door, easing in slowly. "Ms. Bae? My name is Seul-Gi, I've been assigned as your new assistant. Is there anything I can do for you? Or would you prefer to man the desk?"
I was just glad I said that before looking at the woman on the far side of the room, because it seemed as though my tongue was suddenly glued to the roof of my mouth by the sheer beauty of this goddess. Porcelain doll skin, petite frame and ebony hair in a bun made her look as though she couldn't possibly be real. Dainty hands were poised in front of her right eye, and she just gazed back at me. I think I just stood and stared, half in and half out of the room until I heard her clear her throat after I obviously missed what she said.
"I'm sorry Ms. Bae, what did you say?" I finally choked out.
She flashed me a small smile, and my heart melted. "I said you have great timing. I seem to have lost my contact lens. Could you help me find it?"
"Oh! Of course! Stay still so you don't accidentally step in it!" I raced across the room, dropping to my hands and knees as I got close to her and her office chair, and then had to bite my lower lip to stifle a groan when I saw the rest of her.
She was wearing a lightweight crimson sundress that was cut just below her knees, giving me a wonderful view of her delicate feet tucked into similarly crimson strappy wedge sandals, with her little toes painted in an identical color. I could only imagine what she wore under the dress and if it likewise was the same crimson color. Her ankles and calves looked as though they'd been carved from the whitest of marble, and it took me a moment of shameless gazing before I remembered that I was supposed to be looking for a wayward contact lens.
But that skin! I don't know if it was good genetics or the best skincare routine on the planet, but it was stunning. It was like someone had coated her in pure milk and I wanted to lap it up. Oh no! Seul-Gi, stop thinking about these things! She's your boss and could have you thrown right out of the building on your ass! I was mortified that I was thinking such thoughts, and yet she was the most beautiful woman it had ever been my pleasure to see. I could only do so much!
I had to turn my whole head to tear my gaze from the vision in front of me, and I placed my head almost on the floor to look for the stray contact. I made my way under the desk, around the chair, and then all the way back to my beginning point when I finally located the little lens. Stuck right between two of Ms. Bae's toes. Oh, shit.
"Ms. Bae, I found it. It is between two of your toes on your left foot. Can you get it?" I looked up at her face as I asked and was struck dumb by her dark eyes peering back down at me. She had a small smile on her face and giggled lightly when I told her where it was.
"Can you please get it? I'm afraid if I move it will fall out and we'll have to start this all over!"
I nodded, trying not to show too much happiness, and then swallowed as I leaned back down to get the contact. But it turns out that Ms. Bae has very sensitive feet, and every time I tried to get a hold on the tiny thing, she giggled and flinched. As a last resort, I gently gripped her heel around the leather straps and heard her gasp lightly. Praying I didn't just get myself fired, I reached with my other finger and plucked the contact lens from between her toes. Straightening up, I held it out flat in my palm, shocked to see a flush of pink on her beautiful face.
"Here you are Ms. Bae. I'm sorry for the delay."
She gently reached out, her fingers brushing along the palm of my hand as she collected the prize. "Don't be sorry, you were very diligent in your efforts." Her tiny tongue darted out, moistening her lips. "I hope you're just as diligent the next time I have a task for you."
"Yes Ms. Bae! It would be my honor!"
I struggled to my feet, and walked carefully back to the door out to my desk. I was almost there when I heard her call out to me. "Seul-Gi, welcome aboard. I think we'll get along quite well."
I could scarcely believe it. I'd been petrified that I'd crossed a boundary, and here she was saying that we would get along well? I was momentarily stunned. I had worked for the Kangs for 5 years and had never once touched any of them. Coffee was placed in a cup holder. Papers and folders were placed in a file tray. There was never hand to hand contact of any sort, and they never looked you in the eyes unless you were being berated for failing at a task. This morning I had friendly eye contact and touching, and I wanted more.
A lot more.
And yet, Ms. Bae was my boss! I couldn't do any of the things that my naughty little imagination wanted to do! But I could imagine it, and I did.
The next two weeks settled into a more proper business routine, much to my dismay. Ms. Bae was the Chief Financial Officer of the entire Empire Finance company, and reported only to Mr. King, the CEO, and was very busy. Evidently there was a lot of tension there, not that I listened to her calls. Much. Mr. King was giving all the praise for the Kang acquisition to another corporate officer named That Bitch Soo-Young According to Ms. Bae, that is, I was pretty sure that wasn't her real name. but I used it in my mind too. From what I understood, That Bitch Soo-Young was the Vice President of Acquisitions, and had stretched the company thin trying to acquire several smaller businesses, and the Kang Company, sensing weakness, tried a hostile takeover. Luckily, Ms. Bae had kept a large cash reserve, and turned the takeover around, buying a large chunk of Kang stock, and turning the tables. But because That Bitch Soo-Young was in charge of acquisitions, she was getting the credit, even though she was the one that put the company into danger, and Ms. Bae had saved it.
