The third morning felt slightly less intimidating for Sofia Mirano.
Not easy. Not comfortable.
But… manageable.
The moment she stepped into the sleek lobby of Rivera Group, she felt the same quiet pressure that seemed to hang in the air of the building. Employees walked quickly, conversations were low and focused, and everything moved with precise efficiency.
That was the culture Leo Rivera had built.
And now, Sofia was part of it.
Her phone buzzed just as she stepped into the elevator.
Lucy, of course.
Lucy:
"Day three. Still alive?"
Sofia smiled, typing quickly.
Sofia:
"Barely. But I think I'm starting to understand how things work here."
A moment later Lucy replied.
Lucy:
"Good. Just remember to breathe. And don't let the scary CEO steal your soul."
Sofia chuckled softly.
Sofia:
"He's not scary."
There was a pause.
Then Lucy sent another message.
Lucy:
"Oh? That sounds suspicious."
Sofia rolled her eyes as the elevator doors opened to the twelfth floor.
When she arrived at her desk, she noticed something immediately.
Leo was already there.
He usually arrived early, but today he seemed even more focused than usual. His sleeves were rolled slightly up his forearms as he reviewed documents, his brow faintly furrowed.
Sofia quietly prepared his coffee exactly the way he liked it.
Black.
No sugar.
No cream.
She knocked lightly on his office door.
"Good morning, Mr. Rivera."
Leo looked up.
For a brief second, his eyes softened in recognition.
"Good morning, Miss Mirano."
Sofia placed the coffee carefully on the corner of his desk.
"I reviewed today's schedule," she said. "Your meeting with the investment partners has been moved to eleven, and the legal team sent the revised contract for your approval."
Leo nodded slowly.
Efficient.
Prepared.
Exactly how he liked things.
"Leave the contract here," he said.
Sofia placed the file neatly in front of him.
As she turned to leave, Leo suddenly spoke again.
"Miss Mirano."
She stopped.
"Yes, sir?"
His eyes studied her for a moment.
"You adapted quickly."
The words were simple, but coming from him, they carried weight.
Sofia blinked slightly.
"Thank you, sir."
Leo didn't say anything else, but his gaze lingered just a moment longer than necessary.
Then he returned to his documents.
The morning quickly became hectic.
An important client meeting had been moved forward unexpectedly, and several reports still needed final adjustments.
Phones rang.
Employees rushed between offices.
And Sofia found herself juggling multiple tasks at once.
Despite the pressure, she kept moving calmly.
Organize the files.
Update the meeting schedule.
Print the financial summary.
At one point, Leo stepped out of his office and watched the floor silently.
His sharp eyes moved from employee to employee… until they landed on Sofia.
She was standing beside the printer, quickly arranging documents while speaking calmly to one of the junior managers.
"No, the updated report should replace the older version," she explained gently. "Mr. Rivera will need the correct numbers for the meeting."
The manager nodded and hurried away.
Leo observed the interaction quietly.
She wasn't loud.
She wasn't trying to impress anyone.
She was simply doing her job well.
Very well.
Around noon, Sofia finally sat down for a short break.
She had barely taken two bites of her sandwich when her phone buzzed again.
Lucy.
Lucy:
"Lunch update please. Did the CEO glare at anyone today?"
Sofia smiled.
Sofia:
"Probably everyone."
Lucy:
"Except you?"
Sofia paused.
She thought about it.
Leo hadn't glared at her.
Not once.
Sofia:
"He's strict… but fair."
Lucy responded instantly.
Lucy:
"That sounds like the beginning of a dangerous sentence."
Sofia laughed quietly.
Sofia:
"Relax. He's just my boss."
She locked her phone and returned to work.
But deep down, she wasn't completely sure that was all he was.
Later that afternoon, a sudden problem arose.
One of the presentation files for Leo's client meeting was missing.
Completely gone.
The conference room was already prepared, and the investors would arrive in less than thirty minutes.
Leo stood at the head of the table, reviewing the remaining documents.
His voice was calm—but unmistakably firm.
"We cannot present incomplete data."
Sofia felt her stomach tighten.
She quickly checked the folders again.
Nothing.
Then suddenly, she remembered.
Earlier that morning, the finance department had sent a revised file.
It must still be in the shared system.
"I'll retrieve it," she said quickly.
Leo looked at her.
"You have ten minutes."
Sofia nodded and hurried back to her desk.
Her fingers moved quickly across the keyboard as she searched the system folders.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Three.
Finally—there it was.
The updated file.
She printed the documents immediately and rushed back to the conference room.
"Mr. Rivera," she said, slightly breathless as she handed him the papers.
Leo reviewed the pages quickly.
Everything was correct.
He looked up at her.
For a brief moment, there was something new in his eyes.
Respect.
"Good work, Miss Mirano."
Sofia felt a small rush of relief.
"Thank you, sir."
The meeting went smoothly after that.
As the investors left the building, Leo returned to his office.
Sofia expected the day to finally slow down.
But as she organized the remaining documents, she suddenly heard his voice again.
"Miss Mirano."
She stepped into the office.
"Yes, Mr. Rivera?"
Leo leaned slightly back in his chair, studying her.
"You handled the situation earlier efficiently."
Sofia nodded politely.
"I just did what needed to be done."
Leo watched her for a moment longer.
Then he said something unexpected.
"You're becoming… reliable."
For Leo Rivera, that was practically a compliment.
Sofia felt a small smile tug at the corner of her lips.
"I'm glad to hear that."
For the first time since she had met him…
Leo Rivera almost smiled.
And Sofia didn't realize it yet, but something had quietly shifted between them.
Something subtle.
Something dangerous.
Something that had nothing to do with files, meetings, or coffee.
And everything to do with the way Leo Rivera was beginning to notice her.