CHAPTER 2 #2
"But you kept your head up, right?" Terra asked, leaning in. "Because I didn't spend two hours helping you pick out that silk blouse for you to go in there looking scared."
"Oh, you know your girl kept her chin up," I said, a mischievous grin breaking across my face.
"I gave the security guard that million-dollar smile, got my little silver smart badge, and took the express elevator straight to the 40th floor.
And when those doors opened... child, it was a whole new world. But let me tell you about Ciara."
"Who's Ciara?"
"That's Helisa’s executive assistant. Well, her name is Ciara, but her middle name must be 'Immaculate' because the girl didn't have a single hair out of place.
Sharp bob, tailored suit, posture like a military general.
But she was sweet, though. She escorted me down this long, silent hallway right to the big walnut doors.
My name was on a little digital screen next to the door.
I thought I was gonna throw up right then and there. "
"And then?" Terra leaned so far forward she was practically falling off the cushions. "Did you go inside? Did you see her?"
"Terra," I said, my voice dropping into a dramatic whisper as I grabbed her forearm.
"I walked into that office, and the entire back wall is just glass.
You can see all of Harlem, all of Central Park, everything.
And Helisa Smith was standing right there by the window.
She had her back to me, talking on a phone to someone in Tokyo.
Six feet tall, dark skin like midnight velvet, rocking a charcoal suit that looked like it was sewn onto her body by angels.
And she was wearing these red-bottom heels that made her look like she could step on a man's throat and he’d thank her for it. "
"Shut up!" Terra squealed, slapping her hand over her mouth. "Is she really that fine?"
"Fine is not even the word, Terra," I said, my eyes wide as I remembered the sheer intensity of the moment.
"She is breathtaking. Like, it's intimidating how flawless she is.
She turned around, and she has these dark brown eyes that look straight through you.
She scanned me from my hair down to my toes, and for a second, I thought she was gonna tell me to pack my bags and leave.
Her voice is this low, smoky alto... child, when she speaks, you just want to do whatever she says. "
"What did she say to you?"
"She told me she doesn't hire interns to fetch coffee or look pretty in the lobby," I said, mimicking Helisa’s deep, commanding tone as best as I could.
"She said she expects excellence, dedication, and absolute discretion. She told me if I do well, she’ll give me a career that will take me anywhere in the world.
But if I falter... her assistant will have my badge deactivated before I even hit the elevator. "
"Ooh, she’s cold!" Terra laughed, a shiver running through her shoulders. "The Ice Empress is not playing with you, Miley."
"Not at all," I said, taking another sip of wine.
"But you know your girl didn't back down.
I looked her right back in those cold eyes and told her I didn't come to falter, I came to work.
And I swear, Terra, for a split second, I saw a little flash of something in her face. Like she was impressed."
"As she should be!" Terra said proudly, raising her glass. "You got that Harlem spirit in you, Miley. She can't break you."
"And after that, she sent me out to work with Ciara," I continued, the excitement picking back up.
"And let me tell you, Ciara is a savior.
She sat me down at my own desk—yes, girl, your sister has her own desk with a dual-monitor setup—and started teaching me the ropes.
She was showing me how Helisa likes her schedule organized, how to draft corporate communications, and how to filter her emails.
And I was soaking it up like a literal sponge.
I didn't even take a lunch break, Terra.
I was just typing, learning, and getting my life together. "
"That's what I’m talking about," Terra said, her eyes shining with pride. "You're in the building now. The only way is up."
***
By seven o'clock that evening, the quiet of our apartment was completely shattered. The doorbell rang with a chaotic, aggressive rhythm that could only mean two people had arrived to turn the place upside down.
Terra unlocked the door, and before she could even say hello, Kelly burst into the living room like a whirlwind of neon pink, loud perfume, and high-octane energy.
She was holding two bottles of expensive-looking wine in one arm and a massive bag of takeout from our favorite soul food spot down the street in the other.
Gabriel walked in right behind her, looking calm, handsome, and completely amused by her antics, holding a bakery box full of cupcakes.
"WHERE IS THE CORPORATE QUEEN?!" Kelly screamed, dropping the food onto the kitchen island and running straight toward me with her arms wide open. "WHERE IS SHE? LET ME SMELL THE BILLIONAIRE AIR ON YOU, BITCH!"
"Kelly, shut up, the neighbors are gonna call the cops!" I laughed, getting smothered in a massive, coconut-scented hug that nearly took the wind out of my lungs.
"Let them call 'em! Tell 'em we celebrating black excellence tonight!" Kelly shouted, releasing me and holding me at arm's length to inspect my outfit. "Look at you! The silk is still crisp! The braids are still laid! You didn't get chewed up and spit out by the Ice Empress!"
"Not at all," Gabriel said, stepping up with a warm, genuine smile. He pulled me into a gentle, brotherly hug, the scent of his clean cologne a nice contrast to Kelly’s chaos. "Congratulations, Miley. We are so incredibly proud of you. First day in the books."
"Thank you, Gabe," I said softly, feeling a wave of deep sweetness wash over me. These were my people. No matter how high I climbed or how scared I felt, they were my anchor.
"Alright, enough with the emotional stuff, pour the wine!
" Kelly commanded, already cracking open one of the bottles and grabbing four glasses from the cabinet like she owned the place.
"I want details. I want the tea. I want to know exactly how terrifying Helisa Smith is in real life.
Did she look at you and make your credit score drop? Tell me everything!"
We all gathered around the kitchen island, piling our plates high with fried chicken, mac and cheese, and collard greens. The energy in the room was electric, the loud, humorous banter of true Harlem friendship filling every corner of the space.
"Okay, so listen," I started, leaning against the counter with my wine glass in hand. "You know how Kelly was talking all that trash about her being a mythical creature? She wasn't entirely wrong. The woman is not human. She walks into the room and the air temperature literally drops."
"I TOLD YOU!" Kelly shrieked, pointing a chicken wing at Gabriel. "I told you she was cold! Did she fire anybody while you were standing there?"
"No, she didn't fire anybody, but she was on the phone with some executive in Tokyo, and she told him—in the calmest, most terrifying voice ever—not to call her back until the job was done," I said, shivering a little at the memory.
"But the real tea? She is stunning. Like, Kelly, you don't even understand. Her skin is so dark and smooth it looks like satin. Her jawline could cut glass. And the way she looks at you... it’s like she’s reading your whole bank statement with one glance. "
"Ooh, stop, you’re making me jealous," Kelly groaned, fanning her face with a napkin.
"An independent, gorgeous, dark-skinned billionaire sister? If she looked at me like that, I’d be signing over my soul right then and there.
Did she mention me? Did you tell her you got a fine-ass friend who works at the boutique? "
"Kelly, please, I was trying to keep my job, not get escorted out by security!
" I laughed, nearly choking on my wine. "But honestly, she was real firm with me.
She told me she expects absolute excellence.
She doesn't play games. But her secretary, Ciara, really held me down today. She taught me so much about how the executive suite runs, and I was just absorbing everything like a sponge. I’m starting back at eight tomorrow morning. "
Gabriel smiled, taking a slow sip of his wine.
"That’s amazing, Miley. Truly. It sounds like she respects your drive.
Helisa Smith didn't get to where she is by taking soft people into her inner circle.
The fact that she kept you close means she sees the potential. Just keep doing what you're doing."
"Exactly," Terra added, leaning her head on my shoulder. "Our girl is on her way to the top. E-Tech ain't ready for her."
"To Miley!" Kelly shouted, raising her glass high, her pink nails gleaming in the kitchen light. "The baddest intern in Harlem! May you survive the Ice Empress, get that coin, and eventually let me use your employee discount on a new laptop!"
"To Miley!" Gabriel and Terra echoed, clinking their glasses together.
I looked at their beautiful, smiling faces, the laughter and love in our little apartment wrapping around me like a warm blanket.
The fear of tomorrow morning was still there, lurking in the back of my mind, but looking at my friends, I knew I had everything I needed to conquer whatever Helisa Smith threw my way.
"To the future," I said, a confident smile spreading across my lips as we drank.