Chapter 1

To pacify my family’s constant nagging about settling down and securing my position at the firm, I selected Logan Carter from a pool of three hundred college guys who had submitted their profiles to me.

He promised he was obedient, kept his private life spotless, and knew exactly how to please me. He was smart enough to know his place.

So, I showered him with cash, making him the envy of his peers.

I gave him resources and connections, ensuring he wouldn’t feel like a kept man cooped up in a golden cage.

I even promoted him to a high-ranking executive position at Thorne Enterprises, earning him the respect of everyone in the industry.

Yet, on the very day of his promotion, he bypassed HR’s strict three-round interview process and sneaked his college underclassman into the company.

When HR reported this to me, I simply smiled. I walked into his office and tossed the recruitment performance sheet right in front of him.

"Keep hiring. If the next batch isn't up to standard, you can go back to being an intern yourself."

I arrived at the celebration party holding a luxury watch box—a custom piece I had ordered two weeks ago. As I walked in, Logan was pulling a blushing Chloe Vance onto the stage.

"From today on, Chloe will officially be my personal assistant. Let’s give her a warm welcome!"

He clipped a brand-new ID badge onto Chloe’s collar. His eyes shone with the smug pride of a young man who thought he had conquered the world.

I stood at the back of the room, slowly clapping along with the crowd.

"Good evening, Ms. Thorne!"

Sarah, the HR Director, was the first to notice me. Her greeting instantly triggered a chain reaction of polite hellos from the rest of the staff.

Seeing me, Chloe froze on stage.

When our eyes met, her eyes instantly welled up with tears, looking incredibly vulnerable.

Logan held her hand as they walked down the stage, approaching me with a confident smile.

"Vivian, this is Chloe. We went to the same college. She’s been helping me out lately, so I decided to bring her on as my assistant to help her get settled in the city."

He spoke with absolute pride in his own authority.

Chloe shrunk slightly behind him, her fingers nervously clutching Logan’s sleeve.

Nudged by Logan, she finally spoke in a trembling, whispery voice.

"Hello, Ms. Thorne. I’m Logan’s... college friend..."

Her voice was as quiet as a fly. I ignored her completely and signaled my assistant to hand over the expensive gift box.

"Congratulations on your promotion," I said.

Logan’s eyes lit up with joy. He eagerly took the box with both hands.

But just as he opened it, Chloe let out a sudden gasp, drawing everyone’s attention.

"Oh! I remember Logan always preferred vintage leather journals. You’re still so thoughtful, Logan. Just like back in college—you kept every single love letter I wrote you because you didn't want to hurt my feelings."

Then, as if realizing she had said too much, she gasped and covered her mouth in mock terror, looking at me fearfully.

The room fell into a dead silence. Logan’s friend and colleague tried to break the tension.

"Don't mind her, Vivian. Chloe is new here and doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut. We'll train her well."

"New?" I reached out, gently lifting the ID badge hanging from Chloe’s neck to examine it. "I don't recall HR opening any new positions in your department. How is she officially hired?"

I turned my gaze to Sarah, the HR Director.

Sarah immediately shook her head, indicating she had absolutely no record of this hire.

Having Chloe's status publicly questioned in front of his team made Logan lose his cool.

"Vivian, please. Today is my celebration party," he pleaded, his eyes begging for mercy.

Three years ago, I had been blinded by those very same puppy-dog eyes. Out of three hundred college candidates, I chose him.

There were plenty of guys who were handsomer and richer, but I chose him because he was obedient, clean, and knew how to play his part. I was willing to give him a chance.

Watching him defend Chloe so fiercely, I merely smiled. "Fine. Enjoy your party." I turned to HR. "Bring me the recruitment performance reports."

As I turned to leave with my team, Chloe suddenly pouted and spoke up.

"Must be nice to be you, Vivian. You just sit in your fancy office, look at some spreadsheets, and call it a day. Unlike me—I have to work my butt off running errands for Logan just to secure a spot here."

Logan tried to stop her, whispering urgently in her ear, but it was too late.

I turned back, suddenly amused.

"Oh? Since when do our corporate projects require unpaid interns to run errands? But since you sound so capable, I’ll personally review your interview scores later. Maybe I’ll even give you a promotion."

Hearing that I was going to look up her interview records, Chloe’s face turned deathly pale.

Logan panicked. "Vivian, her professor personally asked me to look after her, so..."

"So you used your position to sneak her through the back door?"

He didn't deny it.

"I just thought Chloe met the basic requirements for the job..." he muttered.

I didn't say another word. I turned on my heel and went upstairs to my office.

Not even five minutes later, Logan followed me.

He quietly stood aside, holding a cup of coffee made exactly to my liking.

He waited until I signed the last document before speaking.

"Vivian, Chloe is really just someone my old professor asked me to look after. You know how much I owe that professor..."

"You don't need to explain. I see you really enjoy playing the savior."

Just as he was about to let out a sigh of relief, I added:

"Keep hiring. If the next person you bring in isn't up to par, you can join the intern pool yourself."