I’d survive, even if it killed me…

Laura

I arrived at the office that morning with a knot in my stomach, my hands gripping the steering wheel of my car a little too tightly. This was it. My first day as Jake's personal assistant. I was dressed in one of the outfits Arlene and I had picked out—a sleek pencil skirt, a light blue blouse, and black heels that I already regretted wearing. They were uncomfortable, and I had a feeling I'd be running around all day. 

As I stepped out of the elevator and into the sleek, glass-walled office space, the tension in my chest only grew. The environment screamed power and wealth—the kind of place where a simple mistake could cost you everything. 

I walked up to the receptionist, who gave me a small nod, clearly aware of who I was. She pointed to the far end of the corridor, where Jake's office was.

"Good luck," she said, a knowing look in her eyes.

I swallowed hard and smiled, though I felt like I might throw up. "Thanks."

Taking a deep breath, I walked toward Jake's office, mentally preparing myself. I could do this. I just had to act confident, even if my legs were shaking in my heels. When I reached the large, intimidating door, I gave it a soft knock, and without waiting for a response, I stepped in.

Jake was sitting behind his massive mahogany desk, looking effortlessly handsome in a tailored black suit. His dark eyes flicked up to meet mine for barely a second before returning to the papers in front of him. His jaw clenched, and he didn't offer any greeting.

"Good morning, Mr. Robbins," I said, trying to sound professional, even though my heart was racing.

"Morning," he said flatly, without looking up again. 

"I've emailed you your tasks for the day. I expect you to get them done by five. If you have any questions, direct them to Sarah, my old assistant. She'll help you out." He said firmly, his voice, so thick it could puncture my skin.

"Oh, uh, okay. Thank you." I said and then blinked, unsure if I had heard him right. He still hadn't even looked at me properly.

"That will be all." He replied and then nodded towards the door.

Feeling a bit off balance, I turned and left the office, already feeling the heat of stress crawling up my neck. I walked down the hallway to my new desk—a sleek, modern-looking workspace near Jake's office—and pulled out my phone to check the email he mentioned. When I opened it, my jaw practically dropped.

The list of tasks was insane.

He wanted me to organize three different meetings, gather reports from various departments, schedule his upcoming trip to Tokyo, and somehow also find time to pick up his dry cleaning by the end of the day. Oh, and there was a note about ordering his lunch exactly at 12:30 from a very specific restaurant in town—otherwise, he'd "fire me on the spot."

I stared at the email in disbelief. How was I supposed to do all of this in one day? Hell, how was I supposed to do this ever? I had no idea where to start, no training, and he hadn't even bothered to give me a proper introduction. It was like he expected me to already be a pro at this job.

I stood there for a second, frozen, wondering if I should just run right now before I embarrassed myself.

But then, I thought of the pay. The insane amount they were paying me. Enough to cover all my bills, with plenty left over to finally save up for a place of my own. I couldn't blow this—not after how hard I'd worked to even land this job. I needed the money, desperately.

Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to sit down at my desk and began working. My first task was to arrange the meetings. Sounds simple, right? Nope. Jake's calendar was a chaotic mess, with appointments overlapping and important calls scattered everywhere. I spent the next hour trying to make sense of it all, feeling like my head was about to explode.

Then came the reports. I had to contact people in departments I'd never even heard of and request documents I didn't understand. Every phone call felt like I was bothering someone. I could hear the irritation in their voices—probably because Jake had a reputation for being difficult, and by extension, so did I now.

It wasn't even noon yet, and I felt like I was drowning.

Around 12:15, I realized I needed to order Jake's lunch, and I panicked. I scrambled to find the number for the restaurant he wanted and called them as quickly as I could. When they answered, my voice came out in a shaky rush. 

"Hi, I need to place an order for delivery for Jake Robbins at Robbins Enterprises. It's, uh… it's very important that it arrives by 12:30 sharp." I replied firmly, but my tone was almost sounding like I was pleading desperately. The person on the other end sounded unimpressed. 

"Ma'am, we're swamped. It'll get there when it gets there."

I felt a surge of panic. "No, you don't understand. If it's late, I could lose my job. Please, I need it to arrive on time."

There was a long pause, and then a sigh. "We'll do our best."

I hung up, praying they'd actually come through.

By 2:00 PM, I'd scheduled the meetings, organized Jake's trip, and managed to get some of the reports. But I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Every time I thought I had a handle on something, Jake would send me another email or call me into his office with more tasks. It was like he was deliberately testing me, trying to see if I'd crack.

At one point, I was so exhausted that I found myself staring out the window, wondering what would happen if I just… left. 

What if I walked out right now and never came back? It wasn't like Jake would care. I was just another assistant to him. Someone to boss around until I couldn't take it anymore.

I could feel the pressure building in my chest, my mind racing with thoughts of quitting. But then I remembered the bills stacked on the kitchen counter, the rent that was due and I planned on helping Arlene this time around before I start working on getting a place of my own. I couldn't afford to be unemployed. 

And I thought about the pay. The pay that would solve everything.

I groaned, rubbing my temples. I could do this. I had to. I wasn't going to let Jake or my lack of experience get the best of me. I just needed to push through.

By 4:30, I was practically crawling to the finish line. My feet were killing me, and my head felt like it was spinning. But I'd completed almost all the tasks. Jake hadn't spoken to me much, just barked orders or sent me curt emails. But I knew he was watching me, testing me, waiting to see if I'd fail.

As I finally sat down at my desk for what felt like the first time in hours, I glanced at the clock and sighed with relief. Thirty more minutes. Just thirty more minutes, and I could go home, collapse into bed, and forget this nightmare of a day.

Then, just as I thought I was in the clear, Jake called me into his office one last time.

"Laura," he said without looking up from his computer, "I need you to draft a report summarizing today's meetings. Have it on my desk before you leave."

I stared at him, my mouth hanging open. "But… the meetings just finished."

He finally looked up, his eyes cold. "Is that going to be a problem?"

I swallowed hard. "No. I'll get it done."

He nodded, already dismissing me. "Good. That'll be all."

I turned and walked out of his office, trying not to scream in frustration. How the hell was I supposed to summarize a day's worth of meetings in less than thirty minutes?

I sat down at my desk, my fingers flying over the keyboard as I tried to make sense of the notes I'd taken earlier. My head was pounding, my body aching. But I kept going, kept pushing, because I needed this job.

Finally, just as the clock hit 5:00, I printed out the report and placed it on Jake's desk. He didn't even acknowledge me, just kept typing away on his computer.

I left the office feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. But I made it through the day. Barely.

As I drove home, I thought about quitting again. But then I remembered the paycheck that would be coming my way soon, and I knew I had to stick it out. Just a little longer.

For now, I'd survive. Even if it killed me.