Isla's POV
I stood outside the tall glass building of Patel Dynamics, heart beating a little too fast. This was my first real job after college.
I had spent the morning doing my usual routine before leaving the house. I took my one daily pill Biktarvy. The small tablet that keeps my viral load undetectable. The doctors always say undetectable equals untransmittable, but I never take chances. I swallowed it with water, checked my bag for the extra dose I carry just in case, and left my small apartment feeling ready.
My black pencil skirt and white blouse felt neat. I took a deep breath and walked through the spinning doors into the cool lobby. People moved quickly around me. I headed toward the elevators, trying not to look nervous.
Suddenly, a woman in very high red heels rushed past and bumped hard into my shoulder. My bag slipped, but I caught it.
"Watch where you're going, bitch," she said sharply without even stopping.
I turned and called after her, "Maybe you should watch where you're going, you and your oversize heels."
She didn't turn back. Just kept clicking away on those dangerous shoes. I shook my head and kept walking. Not the best start, but I wasn't going to let it ruin my day.
I found my desk on the twelfth floor. The open office had lots of computers and glass walls. I sat down, logged in, and started reading through the files they had sent me. The work looked interesting data analysis, reports, numbers that made sense to my brain. I liked it already. I worked quietly, focused, for the next few hours.
Around eleven o'clock the whole floor got quieter. People sat up straighter. I looked up and saw him walking down the middle aisle. Tall, dark suit that fit perfectly, black hair neatly styled, and a face that looked like it belonged on a magazine. Davis Patel, the CEO. Everyone knew his name. He owned the company.
He stopped near the coffee station, poured a cup, and kept moving. I tried not to stare, but he was really good-looking. Strong jaw, confident walk. I felt my cheeks get a little warm and quickly looked back at my screen.
A few minutes later I needed to take some printed reports to the main conference room. I grabbed the papers and walked carefully down the aisle. My new shoes were a bit slippery on the polished floor. I was thinking about the numbers in the report when my foot caught on something.
Or maybe nothing. One second I was walking, the next my legs went out from under me.
I slipped hard. My arms flew out, papers scattered everywhere, and I landed right on my butt in the middle of the aisle with a loud thud. My skirt rode up a little and my hair fell across my face.
In my head I was praying: Please don't let the boss see this. Please, please, please.
Of course he saw.
I looked up and there was Davis Patel standing just a few steps away, coffee in hand, looking down at me with surprise on his face. His eyes were sharp but not mean. Just… watching.
I felt my face burn. Without thinking, I blurted out, "I'm so sorry, Sir!"
The word "Sir" came out softer than I meant, almost breathy. My mind went straight to places it shouldn't on my first day. I had never been with any man, but I had read things… watched things in secret. The idea of calling someone Sir in that way always made my stomach flip in a strange, warm way. I wasn't even sure why I said it like that. It just slipped out.
I quickly tried to stand up, but my heel caught again and I almost slipped a second time. I caught myself on the edge of a desk, looking completely silly.
Davis took one step closer. His voice was calm and a little deep. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, Sir. I mean Mr. Patel. I'm fine. Just… new shoes. And new floor. And new everything." I laughed nervously and started picking up the scattered papers as fast as I could. A few people nearby were staring, trying not to smile.
He watched me for a second, then bent down and picked up two sheets that had landed near his shoes. He handed them to me. His fingers didn't touch mine, but I still felt nervous.
"Thank you, Sir," I said again, still sounding a bit off. My brain was screaming at me to stop calling him that, but the word kept coming.
One corner of his mouth moved, like he was fighting a small smile. "Take it easy. The floor can be tricky in new shoes."
I nodded quickly, face still hot. "I will. Thank you."
He gave a short nod and continued walking toward his corner office. I stayed there for a moment, heart racing, papers clutched to my chest. That was a disaster. A funny, embarrassing disaster. And the way he looked at me… I wasn't sure if it was concern or amusement.
I fixed my skirt, smoothed my hair, and went back to my desk. My hands were shaking a little as I organized the reports again.
The afternoon went by slower. I kept working hard, finishing the tasks they gave me. Around three o'clock, an email came from HR. There would be a short team meeting at four in the main conference room. Mr. Patel wanted to speak to the new hires and some of the analysts.
I sat in the meeting room with about fifteen other people. Davis Patel walked in, still looking calm and put-together. He stood at the front and spoke clearly.
"I'll be traveling for an important business deal next week. I need a personal assistant to travel with me and help manage the schedule, notes, and some of the meetings. It's short notice, but the role will include extra pay and direct work with me. Anyone interested?"
The room was quiet for a second. A couple of people raised their hands slowly, but they looked unsure.
My heart jumped. He was so good-looking, and the idea of being close to him, even for work, made me excited. I knew it was silly. Once he found out about my HIV, he would probably keep his distance like everyone else. But right now, in this moment, I wanted to be near him. I wanted the chance.
Before I could overthink it, my hand shot up fast. Really fast.
Everyone turned to look at me. Some mouths opened in surprise. The girl from marketing Tara, I think her name was raised an eyebrow at me from across the table.
Davis Patel looked straight at me. His expression didn't change much, but his eyes seemed a little more focused. "You are…?"
"Isla Hayes, Sir. New data analyst. Started today."
He nodded once. "Alright. We'll discuss details after the meeting."
The room stayed quiet. I could feel the surprise from the others. I had volunteered faster than anyone. My face felt warm again, but I kept my back straight. I was bold. I worked hard. And even if nothing could ever happen between us, I wanted this chance to prove myself.
The meeting ended soon after. As people left, I stayed behind like he asked. Davis walked over to me slowly.
"We'll talk more tomorrow about the trip," he said. His voice was friendly but still carried that cool tone. "Be ready to work long hours."
"I'm ready, Sir," I said. The word slipped out again. I bit my lip, hoping he didn't notice how it sounded.
He looked at me for a longer second this time. Then he gave a small nod. "Good. See you tomorrow, Isla."
I watched him walk away, my heart still beating fast.
First day. One rude bump in the hallway, one very embarrassing slip in front of the hot CEO, one silly "Sir" that made my thoughts go wild, and one big volunteer moment that left everyone shocked.
I smiled a little to myself as I packed my bag.
This job was going to be interesting.