130
The elevator ride up to the top floor was quieter than usual.
Amanda stood beside Ericka, both dressed sharply for the week ahead.
Ericka wore a fitted navy suit that commanded attention, her hair pinned into a sleek twist. Amanda matched her in a tailored charcoal suit, her tie tucked just right, her presence polished despite the nervous flutter in her chest.
The doors slid open to the familiar hum of the office. Phones rang, keys clacked, voices murmured but it all faltered for a half-second when Amanda and Ericka stepped out together.
Amanda caught it instantly: the way heads dipped back down a beat too fast, the smothered smiles, the hushed whispers.
She leaned slightly toward Ericka, whispering out of the corner of her mouth. "They know."
"They've known," Ericka murmured back, her stride smooth and unbothered as she moved through the space. "Now they're just enjoying the show."
Amanda exhaled slowly, trying not to laugh. She followed Ericka into the suite of executive offices, heels clicking, posture perfectly poised. Still, she could feel eyes following them like shadows.
At her desk, Amanda powered up her computer, but before she could even log in, her phone buzzed with a notification. She glanced down the group chat.
Amanda pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering, "Oh my God."
"Something wrong?" Ericka asked from her office doorway, one brow raised.
Amanda looked up, deadpan. "Your employees are feral."
Then, with that signature CEO tone that made the room straighten: "Amanda, with me."
Amanda rose, grabbing her tablet and a folder, following Ericka inside. The door clicked shut, muting the buzz outside.
Amanda exhaled, sinking into the seat across from her. "So, what's the plan? Pretend nothing's happening? Or just... own it?"
Ericka leaned against the edge of her desk, studying her with that slow, unreadable smirk. "We do what we've always done. Keep the line sharp in the office. Let them whisper. And when we're ready to confirm it..." She leaned closer, lowering her voice. "We'll make sure there's no doubt."
Amanda's pulse quickened, but she managed a smirk of her own. "You do realize they're all betting on us, right?"
Ericka chuckled, straightening. "Then let's make sure they lose a little money first."
Amanda rubbed her temples, typing quickly.
For a moment, there was silence in the chat. Then, predictably
Amanda tilted her head, smirking faintly. "And let them think they scared me off? Never." She tapped out another message, her fingers flying.
Amanda turned her phone face down on the desk with a dramatic sigh. "They're going to be the death of me."
Ericka chuckled softly, brushing her hand against Amanda's shoulder in a fleeting, hidden touch. "Relax, baby. They're already terrified of you."
Amanda smirked despite herself. "Good. Let's keep it that way."
After silencing her phone, Amanda straightened in her chair, sliding her tablet closer. The playful chaos of the group chat faded to the back of her mind as she tapped through her neatly organized schedule.
"Alright," she muttered to herself, "let's get this under control."
Moments later, Ericka's office door cracked open. "Amanda," she called, her voice steady and precise.
Amanda grabbed her folder and tablet, moving swiftly into CEO mode as she entered Ericka's office. The desk was already stacked with contracts, reports, and memos from the weekend, but Amanda had anticipated the pileup.
"Here's what we're looking at today," Amanda said, setting the folder down and sliding her tablet across to Ericka.
"Three contracts need final signatures before lunch, two vendor calls scheduled for the afternoon, and the board wants a progress update on last quarter's numbers.
I've already drafted your talking points for that. "
Ericka raised a brow, impressed. "Already?"
Amanda smirked. "You trained me well."
For the next hour, the two of them worked seamlessly—papers signed, calls coordinated, questions fielded. Ericka's sharp instructions paired with Amanda's quick, efficient responses created a rhythm the rest of the office could only dream of matching.
Every so often, though, the edge of Amanda's hand would brush against Ericka's when passing papers. Or Ericka's gaze would linger a beat too long when Amanda leaned over the desk to point at a line on the screen.
To anyone else, it was just business. But to them, every small contact buzzed like a current under the surface.
By mid-morning, Amanda exhaled, sliding the last signed contract into the outgoing tray. "That's the last of the urgent ones. You're clear until your first call at noon."
Ericka leaned back in her chair, eyes narrowing at her with that faint smirk. "Clear, thanks to you."
Amanda crossed her arms, tilting her head. "That's literally my job."
Ericka's smirk deepened. "And yet, you make it look like an art form."
By the time the clock ticked toward noon, Ericka's office was pristine: papers stacked, contracts signed, water glass refilled. Amanda stood at her desk outside, double-checking the call agenda one last time.
The intercom on her phone buzzed. Ericka's voice came through, crisp. "Amanda, patch them in."
"On it," Amanda replied. Her fingers flew across the console, connecting the line. Within seconds, the flat tone of the conference bridge was replaced by a chorus of polite voices greeting Ericka Mathews.
Amanda rose from her chair, slipping silently into Ericka's office. She moved to her usual spot off to the side, tablet in hand, her presence quiet but steady.
Ericka sat at the head of her desk, posture perfect, voice smooth as silk. "Thank you all for making time today. Let's get started."
The call launched into updates—numbers, projections, creative pitches. Ericka navigated it with effortless command, steering the conversation like she was born for it. Her questions were precise, her tone calm but authoritative.
Amanda tracked everything in real time, noting which points needed follow-up, which figures looked off, and when Ericka might need backup. At one moment, a vendor stumbled over a delivery timeline.
Ericka's brows flicked toward Amanda.
Amanda, already prepared, slid a note across the desk: Check page 4, Q2 adjustments.
Ericka's lips twitched ever so slightly as she flipped to the correct page. "According to your own report, you adjusted this back in April. Which means this delay shouldn't exist. Care to explain?"
The line went silent for a beat before the vendor stumbled through an excuse.
Amanda hid a small smile, her pen moving smoothly across her notes.
As the call wound down, Ericka's voice dropped into that decisive register that made even seasoned executives sit up straighter. "We'll move forward with the revised timeline. But I expect an updated report in my inbox before close of business today. Thank you."
The line clicked off. Silence filled the room for a beat.
Ericka leaned back in her chair, exhaling slowly. "God, I love watching them squirm."
Amanda smirked, closing her tablet. "You're terrifying. In the best way."
Ericka tilted her head, eyes softening just slightly. "And you? You're indispensable."
Amanda raised a brow, teasing. "Only at work?"
The faintest smile tugged at Ericka's lips. "Everywhere."