10
The morning was crisp as Amanda stepped out of her apartment, coffee in one hand, phone in the other. The city was already buzzing—cars honking, people moving with purpose, the same familiar energy that pulsed through her every morning.
But today, something felt different.
Maybe it was because last night hadn't felt like just a regular dinner.
Maybe it was because, for the first time, she'd seen Ericka as more than just the powerful CEO of Matthews Couture.
She had seen the person underneath—the one who played piano, who carried the weight of an empire on her shoulders, who actually, for a fleeting moment, let someone else take care of her.
Amanda had spent more time than she'd like to admit replaying parts of the evening in her head—Ericka's smirks, her easy laughter, the way she'd looked at her in the dim light of the car before dropping her off.
But today was a workday. And Ericka was still her boss.
She shook off the lingering thoughts as she arrived at the office, stepping into the elevator and pressing the button for the top floor. She straightened her posture, preparing for whatever version of Ericka Matthews would be waiting for her on the other side.
When the elevator doors opened, she immediately felt it—the shift in energy.
Gone was the woman from last night, the one who smirked over whiskey and admitted to playing piano as a child.
Ericka Matthews, CEO, was back.
She stood at the head of the conference table, arms crossed, sharp gaze locked onto a team of executives as she spoke with cool precision. Her voice was steady, commanding, leaving no room for debate as she reviewed the latest numbers from the new deal.
Amanda hesitated in the doorway for only a second before stepping inside, placing her bag on her desk and immediately pulling up Ericka's schedule.
The casual ease of last night was nowhere to be found—Ericka barely acknowledged her as she continued the meeting, rattling off strategies and expectations with her usual no-nonsense approach.
"Marketing needs to tighten their campaign timeline," Ericka was saying. "We can't afford delays on this launch, and I don't want excuses. Make it happen."
A chorus of murmured agreements followed before the meeting wrapped up, executives shuffling out quickly, some looking relieved, others scrambling to make notes before they forgot anything Ericka had said.
Amanda sat at her desk, fingers poised over her keyboard as she glanced up at her boss. Ericka was reviewing a document, brows furrowed in concentration, back to her usual composed, untouchable self.
Amanda smirked slightly. "Good morning to you, too."
Ericka finally looked up, her expression unreadable. "Morning."
No smirk. No teasing. Just business.
Amanda's smirk faded slightly as she picked up her tablet. "Your schedule is packed today. I moved the investor follow-up to tomorrow since you have back-to-back meetings this afternoon. I also had legal finalize the exclusivity agreement so it's in your inbox."
Ericka nodded, already scanning her emails. "Good."
Silence.
Amanda tapped her fingers against her tablet. "Anything else you need?"
Ericka finally glanced up at her, her expression giving nothing away. "No. That'll be all."
Amanda nodded, pressing her lips together as she turned back to her screen.
Okay. So that was that.
Last night was last night.
Today, they were back in their roles.
She knew it shouldn't bother her—it was just how Ericka was. She was a CEO first, a person second.
But still...
Amanda stole one more glance at her boss, watching as she immersed herself back into work.
Maybe last night had been a momentary glimpse into something softer, something Ericka wasn't willing to show in daylight.
Amanda wasn't sure why that unsettled her.
Amanda exhaled, rolling her shoulders as she settled into the rhythm of the day. The morning had started with a jarring shift—Ericka back to her CEO mode, all sharp edges and business, leaving no trace of the woman Amanda had seen the night before.
Fine. She could play that game, too.
She refocused on her work, knowing that if there was one thing Ericka expected from her, it was efficiency. And if she wasn't going to get anything personal today, she'd at least make sure she was indispensable professionally.
9:30 AM – Staff Check-ins
Amanda coordinated Ericka's morning check-ins with various department heads, making sure they had all the reports she needed before the meetings even started. She had reviewed each one herself beforehand, flagging anything that might be questioned so Ericka wouldn't have to waste time digging.
When Ericka sat down with the marketing team, Amanda was already at her side, iPad in hand, anticipating follow-ups before they were spoken.
"We need the updated engagement numbers from last quarter," Ericka said, barely looking up from the reports.
Amanda tapped her screen. "Already pulled them. Here."
Ericka glanced at her, just briefly, but with something almost like approval before she turned back to the discussion.
11:45 AM – Crisis Management
The design team had an issue. One of the fabrics for the new collection wasn't arriving on schedule, which would delay production. It wasn't catastrophic yet, but Ericka hated inefficiency, and a delay—even a small one—was unacceptable.
Amanda was on it before Ericka even had to ask.
"I spoke with the supplier," Amanda said as she entered Ericka's office. "They can get the shipment here on time, but they need approval to expedite it." She slid the contract onto Ericka's desk, pen ready.
Ericka didn't even look surprised. She just took the pen, signed it, and handed it back. "Good work."
Amanda smirked. "You sound shocked."
Ericka finally glanced up, her expression unreadable. "I'm not."
Something about that made Amanda's stomach flip.
2:00 PM – Board Meeting
Amanda sat just outside the boardroom, going over the notes for the afternoon meeting. This was one of the biggest ones of the month—an update with investors on the company's performance. Ericka had already gone over everything, but Amanda had memorized the key points just in case.
Halfway through the meeting, Ericka's voice came through the intercom on Amanda's desk.
"Amanda, I need the adjusted revenue projections."
Amanda didn't hesitate. She grabbed the updated report and walked in without missing a beat, placing the document in front of Ericka. The investors barely noticed her—just another assistant doing her job.
But Ericka did.
For a fraction of a second, their eyes met, and Amanda swore she saw something flicker behind her usual mask of composure.
"Thank you," Ericka said simply before turning back to the discussion.
Amanda lingered a second longer before stepping out, her pulse unsteady for reasons she refused to examine.
5:30 PM – Wrapping Up
The office had started to wind down, but Amanda still had a few things to finalize before the day was over. She was at her desk, making sure everything for tomorrow was in place, when Ericka stepped out of her office.
"I need the finalized client reports for tomorrow morning," Ericka said, slipping on her coat.
"They're already in your inbox," Amanda replied without looking up.
Ericka paused for a moment, as if considering something. Then, she nodded. "Good."
Amanda tapped at her screen. "Anything else?"
Ericka hesitated for half a second, then shook her head. "No. That'll be all."
With that, she turned and walked toward the elevator, her usual grace and confidence in every step.
Amanda watched her leave, exhaling as she leaned back in her chair.
Today had been... intense. Different. A shift, even if neither of them acknowledged it.
Amanda wasn't sure what was changing between them.
But she knew one thing—she was right in the middle of it.