ISABELLA’S POV
I'm on edge, sitting across from my boss in the luxurious limousine. The opulence surrounding me, from the plush leather seats to the lingering scent of fine leather, leaves me in awe. Through the crystal-clear windows, I catch glimpses of the city passing by, a stark reminder of my boss's wealth. At this moment, I can't shake the feeling of nervousness, especially knowing how delusional I've been to think I could ever catch his attention. A man like him is way out of my league.
Levi and Mark, the Engineer, discuss response solutions in the car, while I make calls to Kevin's assistants and doctors to understand his condition for my crisis management report.
"And are you sure he'll recover in a month?" I ask the doctor, seeking confirmation once more.
"Yes, Ms. Isabella. As I've told you before," he replies patiently. "Sorry, I'm just feeling nervous," I confess.
"I understand," he reassures me before we say goodbye.
As soon as I ended the call, I opened my laptop and resumed typing at lightning speed, my fingers dancing across the keys in a frenzy. I wanted to be done with the report as soon as possible so I don’t get in trouble with Levi.
The problem is, In Levi's presence, it always felt like I was caught in a vacuum, where every breath carried the weight of potential mistakes, so I just chose not to breathe. I’m almost passing out.
"Sir, I'm finished," I announced, interrupting Levi's conversation with Mark as they both worked on their laptops. Our seats faced each other in the limo, making me even more anxious. I try my best not to stare at him as he speaks instead I stare at his expensive leather shoes.
"Did you send it to my email?" Levi inquired.
"Yes, sir," I confirmed.
"I'll check it now," he replied, his attention shifting to his inbox.
Nervously, I bit my lip, awaiting his assessment of my work.
"What's this?" Levi asked, turning his screen to face me, revealing my hard work displayed on the screen.
"Sir, it's the crisis report," I replied, my heart racing as I awaited his verdict. From the tone of his voice, I could already tell that he didn’t like my work...
"This is rubbish. It's incomprehensible. Did you even review it before submitting it?" Levi's frustration was palpable, his disappointment piercing through me like a knife. I gave the report my best.
"Yes, sir," I murmured, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes.
"Edit this. It's not fit for anyone to read, let alone someone of my caliber," Levi commanded sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"I'm sorry, sir," I whispered, my heart sinking as I began to revise the document, determined to salvage what I could and avoid breaking down in front of him.
"Don't apologize. Just rewrite it," he instructed tersely. "Okay, sir," I responded, swallowing back my tears.
My heart sinks with each keystroke as I start to rewrite the work, wondering if he's still upset about yesterday. The memory floods back, casting a shadow of sadness over my thoughts.
*"Sir, are you hard for me?” I blurted out, accidentally voicing my thoughts as I noticed the bulge in his pants. Levi's quick response showed he heard me.
*"What did you say?" His tone was sharp, clearly surprised by my words.
*
In a panic, I fled the room, apologizing as I went. Yesterday I thought I heard him chuckle, but now he seems upset. I need to rein in my feelings for him to avoid trouble. After all, Levi may not be interested in someone like me.*
Is this my punishment?
I meticulously review the work countless times until the lines blur together, before finally mustering the nerve to send it to Levi's email.
"Sir, I've edited the work," I announce nervously, bracing myself for his reaction.
"I hope it's good," Levi responds, his tone guarded. He doesn’t even look at me as he speaks.
I bite down on my lip so hard it nearly draws blood as Levi scrutinizes the revised document once more. His face is blank revealing no emotion.
"This is better, but still far from satisfactory," he concludes.
I feel my breath catch in my throat once more, unable to contain the rising panic. Levi seems to sense my distress, and in his eyes, I detect a glimmer of understanding of what I truly need in this moment.
Him.
"Breath, Isabella,” Levi said, crossing his legs as he stared at me with gentleness in his gaze, as opposed to when he just thrashed my work. “If you are unable to breathe because of nervousness, you may not be suitable for this job. This is a high-risk, high-reward company. You take the risk like a big girl and get the reward of it.”
“Do you understand?” He asked.
“Yes,” I nodded, but we both knew I was lying. His question made me even more nervous.
Levi leaned in close to me, I could smell his sweet masculine cologne and taste his domineering power, “I said breathe.” He said, now it felt like we were in our own world.
I focused on his lips. His words were a master's irresistible command. I slowly breathed in and breathed out.
“Good job, Isabella.” Levi praised. “Now write the report again.”
I let out a nervous smile. However I felt embarrassed to be praised for something so basic like breathing normally. But I nodded and agreed to Levi's request to rewrite the report. He sounded firm but also encouraging, which made me feel better.
I started working on the report again, trying to calm down and focus. I wanted to do a good job and make Levi proud. Despite feeling nervous, I was determined to prove myself capable and get Levi's approval.
"Sir, I've sent the report," I announced nervously, tapping my finger on my legs as Levi began to read it.
As he finished, Levi nodded approvingly. "This is good. I'll make a few minor changes," he remarked.
Relief flooded over me, and I couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, sir," I said gratefully.
"You see what happens when you breathe and stay calm," Levi commented, his tone gentle.
I smiled shyly, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "Yes, sir."
"Good job, baby girl,” Levi said, and I glanced up at him, a hint of confusion flickering across my face.
"Sorry, I didn't catch that, sir," I replied, my heart racing hard. Did he just call me baby girl? Only Mr L has called me that.
Levi clarified with a smile, "I said a good job."
“Oh...” I blurted, smiling shyly. I could feel his eyes on me as I resumed working on other tasks.
“Will you want to lodge in the same hotel with me?” Levi asked, causing my mouth to go dry.