While Mia was still focused on her notes, the office door suddenly swung open. A tall, handsome man with a commanding aura strode in, his steps brisk.
Rico.
His eyes immediately landed on Mia sitting at his desk. He looked surprised—if not slightly irritated.
"Who are you? What are you doing in my office?" he asked sharply, suspicion lacing his tone.
"I—" Mia began to explain, but before she could finish, the shrill ring of a phone cut her off.
Rico glanced at the screen and quickly answered. His expression darkened almost instantly.
Mia only stole a brief glance before turning her attention back to her agenda. She knew her place. It wasn't her business to get involved in her boss's personal affairs—especially not when Rico's tone began to rise.
"I don't care what your excuse is! You brat! You'd better do exactly what I say, or forget about ever becoming an heir to the Biromo family!" shouted an older man on the other end of the call. His voice was loud enough that Mia could hear it clearly from where she sat.
Rico clenched his fists. His jaw tightened, trying to contain the fury threatening to erupt.
"…Fine. This time, I'll do what you want," he muttered, firm but bitter. He ended the call with a heavy, frustrated sigh.
Mia pretended she hadn't heard a thing. She carried on with her work quietly and diligently. She wasn't the type to procrastinate.
To her, completing tasks quickly, precisely, and perfectly was non-negotiable—even when family drama was erupting in the background.
After the heated phone call, Rico threw his phone onto the desk with a sharp flick of the wrist. The room fell silent.
But peace wasn't what he felt—it was pressure.
Every move he made now felt… watched. Even in his own office.
The presence of Mia, his new assistant, was like a thorn in his side. He felt monitored, restrained. He could no longer freely bring women into his office—every detail would be recorded in the eyes of that "plain-faced assistant."
But Mia didn't seem to care.
Her gaze stayed fixed on the laptop screen, fingers typing away, occasionally scribbling something down in her planner. Not a single hint of curiosity crossed her face about what just happened.
Time ticked by until finally, lunchtime arrived. Mia stood from her desk, holding a document that needed urgent signing.
With confident steps, she knocked and entered the CEO's office.
"Excuse me, Mr. Rico," she said politely, clutching the document she had prepared.
Rico glanced up without much interest.
"Hmm… What is it? If you want to go for lunch or take a break, you don't need to report to me," he said coldly.
"I'm not here to report that," Mia replied calmly. "I'm here to deliver this important document. You need to sign the cooperation contract with S.H Group today, as scheduled."
Rico stared at her for a moment before taking the document without another word.
"Thank you. You may go," he said briefly, already focused on the first page.
"In that case, I'll take my break now," Mia said politely, turning around to leave.
"Go ahead," Rico replied, not lifting his eyes.
As Mia walked out, Rico glanced up for a moment, watching her back as she moved away.
There was something different about this woman—calm, disciplined, unaffected by gossip. And because of that, her presence was… irritating.
Once outside the office, Mia headed straight for the employee cafeteria. With only an hour for lunch, she intended to make the most of it.
When she entered the cafeteria, her eyes widened in awe. The spacious room was lined with clean tables, an array of mouthwatering food, and an atmosphere far from ordinary.
"Wow… this cafeteria is huge, and the food options are fancy. I might actually enjoy working here," she muttered to herself, eyes gleaming. As a food lover, this was definitely a bonus.
But the euphoria didn't last long.
"Looks like that woman is the new hire… disgusting," someone whispered from the far-right corner of the room. Loud enough for others nearby to hear—including Mia.
She stopped in her tracks, slowly turning her head. A sly smile curled on her lips.
"Tch… a garbage mouth like that dares to echo through a company this big?" she said deliberately loud, approaching the source of the comment.
The woman—Zahwa, dressed in heavy makeup and flashing branded accessories—turned with an angry expression.
"You little—!"
Her hand shot up, aiming a slap at Mia's face.
But Mia was ready. She blocked it in one swift motion.
"Oops. Sorry. Your hand doesn't deserve to touch my cheek," she said, her voice cold and razor-sharp.
The scuffle immediately drew attention from the other employees. A few had even started recording discreetly with their phones.
Just as the atmosphere reached its boiling point, a plump woman in glasses hurried over with quick steps.
"Zahwa, stop it!" she said firmly. Her voice was calm—but carried unmistakable authority.
"Tch. This is none of your business! Stay out of it, you fart bag!" Zahwa snapped, glaring at her with utter disgust.
But the woman stood her ground.
"You're only embarrassing yourself, Zahwa. Look around you," she said, offering a slight, knowing smile.
Zahwa's eyes darted around… and only then did she notice the dozens of eyes watching her—some with pity, others with ridicule.
Her jaw tightened. Her rage simmered even hotter.
"Watch yourself! I swear, you'll regret ever crossing me!" she hissed, pointing at Mia with pure venom in her gaze.
"Oh? A threat?" Mia stepped forward, unfazed. Her stare was sharp as a blade.
"Go ahead. I'm waiting. But you've clearly picked the wrong person if you thought I'd be scared."
The tension in the air grew heavier, but now all eyes were on one thing: Mia's courage.
Sensing the confrontation was about to spiral, the bespectacled woman quickly grabbed Mia's arm and pulled her away from Zahwa before things got worse.
"Mia, come on. Let's get out of here," she whispered, guiding her quickly out of the crowd.
Zahwa could only glare at them as they left, teeth clenched in frustration—no one had ever dared challenge her like that, especially not in front of a crowd.
Once they reached a quieter corner of the cafeteria, the woman exhaled deeply and gently patted Mia's shoulder.
"Let it go. Don't waste your energy on her. Zahwa's always like that—picking fights with anyone new. If you ignore her, she usually gets bored," she said kindly, trying to reassure her.
Mia gave a small nod, her smile returning as the woman slung a friendly arm over her shoulders.
"Now let's focus on finding something to eat. No point dealing with a walking explosion like her... or we might explode from hunger ourselves," the woman joked, rubbing her round belly.
Mia chuckled. "You're right. Let's find the tastiest food and eat like queens. We'll need the energy to deal with people like Zahwa."
The woman laughed heartily.
"Sounds like we're on the same frequency—fellow food lovers."
Mia nudged her playfully. "Looks like it."
After a few steps, Mia paused, remembering something. She turned to the woman beside her.
"Oh, wait—we haven't officially introduced ourselves. I'm Mia. And... thanks, really. For helping me back there."
The woman smiled warmly and shook Mia's hand with confidence.
"I'm Nadia. And don't worry about it. Zahwa needed someone to put her in her place. If you don't push back, she'll just keep acting like a queen and bullying every new face."
Her eyes sparkled with strength, though her tone remained friendly.
Mia nodded in agreement. She felt grateful to have met Nadia today. In the middle of a harsh work environment filled with judgmental stares and silent hostility, she had found someone who felt like both a protector and a friend.
And maybe… this was the beginning of an unexpected friendship.