CHAPTER 10: Being a Personal Assistant

　　The first week as Alexander's personal assistant was a whirlwind. Gone were the days of quiet mornings spent daydreaming about novel ideas while I dreaded resuming at my part-time jobs. Now, my days were a frantic dance between managing Alexander's relentless calendar, fielding calls from demanding clients, and navigating the treacherous waters of the Westcott executive team.

　　Sarah and Emily, Alexander's icy-veined executive assistants, remained a puzzle. Their clipped pronouncements and hawk-like stares made every interaction feel like a test I was destined to fail. Vance, the head of IT, offered a welcome reprieve. His easy smile and offbeat sense of humor were a balm to my frayed nerves, even if his knowledge of Alexander's personal life was limited to cryptic jokes about his boss's legendary workaholic tendencies.

　　One afternoon, as I juggled three phone calls at once, a friendly voice cut through the chaos. "Looks like you could use a hand."