Tempting my Billionaire

First Day Chaos

★Cassandra★

I woke up before my alarm went off, and the sound of waves breaking faintly in the distance made me smile. But my stomach was already in knots. I had dreamed of this day for years, but now that it had arrived, all I could think about was how easily I could mess it up.

My first day at LuxeLine Media Group.

I rolled out of bed and got ready for the day, and as I stood in front of the mirror, I adjusted the lapel of my blazer. Simple. Professional. Nothing too bold. My mother hated bold on anyone but herself. I had chosen a soft cream blouse tucked neatly into a black pencil skirt. I looked sophisticated without looking like I was trying too hard. As I fastened the small gold pendant around my neck, I caught my own reflection and stared.

“You can do this,” I whispered to my reflection. By the time I arrived, the city was awake and humming. LuxeLine’s glass tower gleamed in the morning sunlight, and the large silver logo sparkled proudly at the top. For a moment, I just stood there and stared up at it. This was no longer just my mother’s company. In a few short weeks, it would be mine. The lobby was a blur of movement. Heels clicking against marble, phones ringing, and voices that blended together in a rhythm that felt both intimidating and familiar. The air smelled of coffee and ambition.

“Miss Lionel,” a woman called. I turned to find a warm-looking woman approaching with a bright, welcoming smile. Mid-forties, professional yet approachable. Her auburn hair was tied in a neat bun, and her posture carried the quiet authority of someone who kept things running smoothly.

“Pauline?” I took a wild guess as I remembered her name from the list my mother had sent.

“Yes, dear. Welcome back to LuxeLine,” Pauline said as she shook my hand firmly. “It’s lovely to finally have you here. Your mother is upstairs in a meeting, but she asked me to get you settled and show you around,” her voice was calm and reassuring, the exact kind of energy I needed.

“Thank you,” I said. “I’m nervous, but…excited,” she smiled knowingly.

“That’s the right combination,” she remarked as we stepped into the elevator. I tried to focus on breathing as we rose. “We will start with your office,” she explained. “You will be shadowing your mother for two weeks. Then she will observe you for another two before she steps down officially,”

“I remember,” I said quietly.

“She means well, Cassandra,” Pauline added. “You know how she is,” I gave a small laugh.

“That’s one way to put it,” I said just as the elevator doors opened. The upper floor greeted me like a living, breathing version of every memory I had as a teenager visiting the building. The hum of conversations, the smell of fresh paper and perfume, and walls lined with framed covers of LuxeLine’s most iconic issues. Pauline guided me to a bright office space with floor-to-ceiling windows. My office. Or at least, the one that would soon be mine.

“This will be your workspace,” Pauline said proudly. “I made sure everything was ready for you. Gaby and Carl are waiting in the conference lounge to meet you,” I set my bag down on the desk, and then I ran my fingers across the smooth surface. It felt surreal. This was the seat my mother had groomed me for, not out of choice, but out of legacy.

“Pauline,” I said quietly. “Thank you for preparing all this,”

“Of course,” she said warmly. “Now, shall we go meet your team?” she then asked. I was tempted to stay right here and look around, but I nodded instead. Pauline led me to the conference lounge, and the room was filled with natural light and the soft aroma of fresh croissants. Gaby and Carl immediately got to their feet when we entered.

“Miss Lionel, it’s such a pleasure to finally meet you! I’m Gaby, and I will be your junior assistant. I have been with LuxeLine for three years, and I promise you, I know every coffee order in this building,” she said, and I laughed, instantly liking her.

“I’ll hold you to that,” I said as Carl stepped forward.

“Carl Stevens,” he said with a polite nod. “I’m your operations assistant. I will help manage your schedule, coordinate with departments, and make sure your day runs smoothly,”

“Nice to meet you both,” I said genuinely. “I’m looking forward to working together,” Pauline smiled approvingly.

“See? You are already a natural,” she pointed out. I wasn’t sure about that, but her confidence helped. After introductions, Pauline led me on a tour through the departments. Editorial, marketing, design, and photography. Everyone was busy, focused, and polished, exactly as I remembered. I greeted each team with a polite smile, though I could feel their curiosity. The whispers followed me down the halls, the returning daughter, the heir apparent. When we reached the design department, Pauline gestured to the wall filled with sketches, layouts, and mock-up magazine covers. “Your mother wants you to review the upcoming sustainability issue this week. You will be part of every meeting related to it,”

“I did read the brief,” I said. “It’s a strong concept. Fresh. I would love to give my input once I have had more time to study it,”

“That’s the spirit,” Pauline said. “You will fit right in,” we moved through photography next, where I stopped to admire the current set being prepared for a shoot. The creative chaos brought a smile to my face. This was what I loved: art, expression, and storytelling. Not the meetings or numbers, but the soul of the work. When we finally looped back to my office, my mother was waiting inside. She stood near the window, arms crossed, every bit as composed as the CEO she was.

“You are early,” she said without turning around.

“I wanted to get a head start,” I replied. She turned then, her eyes sharp but not unkind.

“Good. You will need it. There’s a meeting with the marketing division in an hour. You will observe and take notes,”

“I’m ready,” I said. My mother studied me for a moment longer, and then a faint smile broke through.

“You look confident,”

“I am trying to be,”

“Confidence is half the job,” she said simply. “The other half is knowing when not to show fear,”

“I will keep that in mind,”

“Do,” she said, as she grabbed a file from my desk. “Oh, and one more thing. You will be reviewing our next partnership proposal this afternoon,”

“Of course,” I said softly. “Who is it with?”

“Grant & Co. Marketing,” she said, and I stared at her in surprise. She continued casually, completely unaware of the storm building inside me. “Nathan’s father reached out about a potential joint campaign. Charles thinks it’s time we merge creative forces for one of our high-profile brand clients. It could be a wonderful opportunity for LuxeLine,” I nodded even though my mouth was dry.

“That sounds…ambitious,”

“It is,” she agreed. “But the proposal is solid. Nathan will likely be involved on the marketing end. So, I expect everything to run smoothly. I want you to sit in when the project discussion happens. It will be a good experience for you,” I nodded, even though every part of me wanted to argue. My first day, and already Nathan’s name was back in my orbit. I should have known the universe would not give me a break that easily.

“Understood,” I said finally.

“Excellent,” she said, satisfied. “Now, let’s get to work,” when she left, I let out a breath I had been holding since she said his name. My gaze drifted toward the window, to the ocean that stretched beyond the skyline. I could handle this. I had to. It was just business. Just another project. But deep down, I knew better. Nothing about Nathan Grant would ever be easy.

★★★