Emily froze, her eyes widening in panic. “Oh, my God! I… I’m sorry, sir! I didn’t mean to,” she said in a trembling voice, terrified of the consequences of her mistake.
“It’s so hot,” Sean grumbled, fingering his wet clothes and the coffee stains that now marred his appearance.
Emily quickly grabbed some tissues and wiped the stain from Sean’s shirt. But the stain that was being removed was becoming more and more widespread. Sean’s hands held Emily’s tightly and tightly and his gaze became even more frightening.
“It hurts, sir. Please let me go,” Emily said, trying to break free.
Daniel massaged his furrowed mid-brow, he was really distracted at the moment.
“You said someone who works here has abilities, right? Look at this secretary of yours,” he said as he glanced at Emily with a dismissive look. “She is so careless. She’s not even worthy of reaching the position of secretary here. How could someone like her possibly qualify to be your secretary?”
Without warning, Sean pressed Emily’s chin with his finger, forcing her face up to look at him. “She’s not even attractive,” he said in a condescending tone.
Emily, caught in Sean’s grip, felt the pulse in her neck racing. The pain from the pressure on her chin was almost worth the shame that flooded through her. But this time, she wouldn’t hold back anymore. Her teenage memories, where she was always ostracized, came back to fill her mind. Firmly, she pushed Sean away. “I may be unattractive, and I may be careless,” she said, her voice shaky yet clear. “But I’m here because I’m hard-working and dedicated. You can’t intimidate or demean me.”
Emily looked up at Sean, her eyes showing a newfound courage. “You’re not attractive in my eyes either,” she said in a steady voice. “You’re good-looking, but the value of your manners and the words that come out of your mouth don’t match your looks. A person’s value is not just in their face, but also in how they treat others.”
Sean, with a bright red face, looked at Emily with blazing eyes. “You! How dare you say that to me? You don’t know who I am?” he snapped.
Daniel, who had been a silent witness to this tense exchange, finally spoke. His face still showed the same calmness as always, but there was a stern glint in his eyes. “Enough,” he said in a calm yet commanding voice. “I have a lot of work. Sean, I’ve already given you a position in this company. Never make a scene here again,” he said, emphasizing the boundaries that must not be crossed.
Sean fell silent, transfixed by the undeniable authority in Daniel’s voice. He glanced at Emily once more before turning and leaving the room without a word.
Emily breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the tension that had gripped her heart slowly loosen. “Then, if you’ll excuse me, sir,” she said in a barely audible voice.
Meanwhile, Daniel stared at the watch on his arm, the hands showing 10:00 sharp. A strange feeling crept over his body, a sensation that could not be described in words.
This seemed to be the time…
Without warning, an inexplicable sensation enveloped them, like an electric current flowing through their bodies, connecting them to each other. Just as Emily was about to leave Daniel’s room, they suddenly switched places. Emily returned to Daniel’s body sitting in his chair, and Daniel returned to Emily’s body standing by the door.
Emily let out a long sigh. “It’s happening again,” she whispered softly, her voice almost inaudible.
“Have you prepared my schedule?” asked Daniel calmly.
“I have, sir. I’ll check it now,” Emily replied, trying to hide her nervousness.
A few minutes later, she returned to Daniel’s presence, carrying Daniel’s schedule information for today. “You have a meeting with the logistics team at 11am to discuss the new distribution strategy. Then, at 1pm, there’s an important lunch meeting with one of our business partners…” Emily continued to explain Daniel’s schedule.
Seeing Daniel’s tight schedule made Emily’s heart beat faster. The feeling of running away from this reality was increasingly felt.
With limited time, Daniel used every minute to make sure Emily was ready to be with him.
“When you’re running a meeting, use data to support your argument,” Daniel emphasized.
Emily, despite feeling overwhelmed, listened attentively. Daniel went through topic after topic that would help Emily complete her schedule for the day.
Daniel turned to Emily, his eyes showing urgency. “Open the drawer in my desk and you’ll find a pair of bluetooth earpieces,” he ordered in a calm yet firm voice. Emily, still in a daze, complied and pulled Daniel’s desk drawer open. Inside lay a bluetooth earpiece.
“I’ll be giving you instructions through this earpiece as you run the meeting this morning,” Daniel said.
“What if I make a mistake?” asked Emily, her voice shaking slightly.
“Never make a mistake. Stay focused and follow my instructions,” said Daniel, to which Emily simply nodded in response.
At 11am sharp, Emily’s heartbeat was racing, echoing in her ears as she stepped into the grand conference room. W Company’s logistics team had gathered, awaiting the CEO’s presence-no one realized that today, Daniel’s stern and authoritative figure had been replaced with Emily trapped inside his body. With her bluetooth earpiece neatly hidden, she tried hard not to forget the words and instructions Daniel had drilled into her mind.
Her steps were measured, yet Emily’s legs trembled violently, as if every muscle and joint was resisting an invisible weight. When she was about to fall, a member of the logistics team asked in a tone full of concern, “Are you alright?”
“Y-yeah, it’s fine,” Emily replied, her voice trembling along with her body. She felt the puzzled looks of the team staring at her, trying to understand the changes that had occurred in the figure they admired.
“Good morning,” Emily said, her voice now deeper and more assured, a perfect imitation of the real Daniel. “Let’s begin.”
A logistics analyst stood up, clicking the remote confidently to begin a presentation on the new distribution strategy. Charts and numbers appeared on a large screen, but it was very confusing for Emily. She had to be a fast learner, grasping every detail to provide precise and impressive commentary.
As the presentation progresses, Emily takes meticulous notes on the key points, straining to fill Daniel’s place. She pondered over every graph, every plan presented, searching for the meaning behind the numbers. When it came time to speak, the room suddenly felt larger, quieter, and all eyes were on her.
Panic crept across Emily’s face, and small whispers filled the silence. “What’s wrong with Mr. Winston?” whispered one of the team members, his voice full of astonishment.
From the other end of the earpiece, Daniel tried to soothe her with a voice only Emily could hear, “Calm down, Em.”
However, Emily’s vision became blurred, her mind flung somewhere far away, to an empty room where there was no pressure or demanding gaze. Her body felt stiff and her lips felt numb. The whispers grew more and more distinct. “Is Mr. Winston sick? His face looks so pale.”
“Em, do you hear me? Relax, take a deep breath, and let it out slowly. I’m sure you can do it,” Daniel’s voice came back, this time in a more urgent tone, awakening Emily’s almost lost consciousness.
“Th-thank you for a very… informative presentation,” Emily said, but her voice sounded unsure.
“Follow my instructions slowly,” Daniel whispered from behind the earpiece.
Emily took a deep breath and tried to focus herself on hearing Daniel’s every word. “I see we have some challenges ahead, but also significant opportunities. What we need is a more integrated approach between warehouse and distribution, as well as technology that can improve our efficiency.” Daniel’s voice guided Emily through every word. Emily tried to follow every word carefully.
The logistics team nodded, some noting his suggestions. Emily felt relieved. She had made it through the first part of the meeting.
“Any questions?” asked Emily, looking around the room. A logistics manager raised his hand, asking about implementing the new technology.
Emily listened carefully and with Daniel’s guidance, then answered thoughtfully. “We ensure that the transition to the new system does not disrupt our existing operations. I suggest a small pilot before we roll out in full.”
The Q&A session went smoothly, question after question being answered by Emily with the invisible help of Daniel. When the meeting ended, Emily rose from her chair, ready to leave the conference room with her head held high, trying to maintain the dignity of a CEO. However, she was unaware of the wires lurking at her feet.
As Emily stepped forward, her foot caught on the cable. For a moment, time seemed to slow down. Emily felt her body float forward, hands and feet searching for something stable, but found only air.
Emily fell to the floor, feeling the cold marble against her cheek. The papers from the folder she was holding flew into the air, swirling and then falling. Instantly, the room was filled with shock, some standing up reflexively, ready to offer help.
In confusion and embarrassment, Emily’s mind raced. God, this is so embarrassing. What should I do now? Getting up now will only make me more embarrassed. Maybe I should just pretend to be unconscious? She thought to herself; her face flushed with the shame she was feeling right now.