THE ASSISTANT

Emily

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There was only one thing worse than waking up at five o’clock every Monday morning. It was waking up knowing that the rest of my week was about to be spent working at Wolf Industries.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The sound of my alarm jerked me out of my thoughts, and I rolled across my bed, yanking my clock from the wall. Sighing, I tossed the covers off my body and slipped into the bathroom, taking a quick, hot shower.

The second I stepped out, I covered my face with a light layer of make-up and put on one of my favorite navy-blue dresses with complementing nude heels. I debated whether I should wear something more festive to celebrate today’s occasion, but this shit was not worth celebrating. Ever.

I picked up my phone and noticed a slew of new messages from my closest coworkers. 

Congratulations, Emily!

Congrats on making it two years with The Wolf, Emily!

Go, Emily! Two years!

How the fuck did you last this long???

Are we celebrating this or nah?

Another year at my job should’ve warranted a night of champagne, a celebratory evening with friends, or even legitimate happiness. But working for Nicholas A. Wolf—the literal Wolf of Wall Street, just meant another “x” stamped on my “days until I get to quit” calendar.

One of the most infuriating men I’d ever worked for, Mr. Wolf was an alluring enigma who ate deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He was the type of man who owned a different designer suit and thousand-dollar watch for every day of the year. He was also, unfortunately, the type of man who still managed to make me wet, despite his weekly ass-holery. Especially when I was seconds away from wanting to slap him.

Over the past two years, I’d spent more time with him than I’d spent with anyone else in my life. He was the first person I saw in the mornings, the last person I spoke to at night, and since we were both workaholics, he was the one person I saw every weekend.

I stood by his side as he ruthlessly ran his billion-dollar corporation, as he channeled his life lessons from one too many viewings of The Godfather. I sat in on meetings with his closest cabinet of executives, taking notes on their body language and watching anyone who was suspected of being disloyal. And I accompanied him on all of his business trips—foreign and domestic, dutifully keeping him abreast of the inner workings of his corporation.

Our two-year business relationship now mirrored a modern marriage, without the sex. The only benefits I gained from working under him were material: unlimited town car access, a corner office that overlooked Manhattan, access to his credit account whenever I wanted to go shopping, and a salary that was more than five times what most CEOs paid their executive assistants. Then again, it was a salary I was never truly able to enjoy because I was always working.

My life was his life.

Scrolling down my list of contacts, I sent my town car driver a text. 

ME: I’ll be ready in twenty minutes.

DRIVER: I’ll be there in fifteen.

I set out some food and water for my kitten, Luna. Then I called Wolf Industries’ main receptionist.

“Mr. Wolf’s office,” she answered on the first ring. “This is Savannah Smith speaking. How may I direct your call this morning?”

“Savannah, it’s Emily. I’m calling with your first set of tasks for the day.”

“I’m all ears, Miss Johnson.”

“I need you to make sure the conference room is cleared for Mr. Wolf’s eight o’clock meeting with Van Corps,” I said. “I’ll also need the files from Pierce, Inc., on my desk so I can pull out all of the unnecessary segments he hates before I give it to him for final approval. I’ll also need you to book me a five-minute meeting with HR so I can write up the intern who was flirting with him this past Friday—he didn’t appreciate that. Oh, and can you call Einstein’s Bagels and tell them I’ll be there to pick up his breakfast ten minutes earlier than usual?”

“Right away, Miss Johnson!” She was always way too cheery in the morning. “I’ll see you soon, and congratulations on your two-year anniversary here! I hope you’re feeling proud today!”

Far from it. “Thank you. See you soon.” I ended the call and turned up the volume on the last few minutes of Market-Watch, listening for any last-minute changes. I clasped my favorite bracelet onto my wrist and walked over to my twin sister’s bedroom.

“I’m leaving now, Jenna!” I said, knocking. “Can you make sure you sign for my packages this afternoon?”

“What?” She immediately swung her door open and she raised her eyebrow. “I thought you were quitting today.”

“I am. I just have to make sure a few things are in place first, and I want to make sure that I—” I stopped talking once I spotted a naked guy sprawled across her mattress. “Who is that on your bed?”

“I don’t see anyone.” She smiled. “Who is that on your bed?”

“What? No one.”

“Exactly,” she said. “No one ... Ever.”

A horn suddenly honked outside our brownstone, and I stepped back before the two of us started another argument about her ridiculous sex life.

“We’re definitely talking about this when I get back.” I rushed to the living room and grabbed my briefcase. I buttoned my coat and headed outside, slipping into the backseat of my town car.

“Good morning, Miss Johnson.” The driver, Vinnie, looked at me through the rearview mirror. “Shall I congratulate you on your momentous achievement, or keep that praise to myself?”

“Keep it to yourself.” I laughed. “You’ve lasted for ten years. That’s far longer than I have.”

“Not exactly.” He smiled as he pulled onto the road. “I’ve never had to work directly under Mr. Wolf.”

Very true ... “I’m so jealous of your life right now.”

“I bet,” he said. “Where are we headed before I drop you off at headquarters this morning?”

“I need to pick up some files from Deutsche on Fifth, a report from an associate of the Lehman Brothers on Seventh, and I need to get his usual breakfast and coffee from Einstein’s.”

“Right away.” He shot me a look of sympathy before coasting through the streets.

By the time I arrived at the main building, it was seven thirty, which gave me five minutes to spare before Mr. Wolf arrived.

I set out the morning files on his desk, poured the coffee from the paper cup into one of his preferred mugs, and ordered one of the interns to organize his dry cleaning in the private closet.

As I was spreading cream cheese on his bagel, my phone repeatedly buzzed in my pocket.

Secret employee thread: The Wolf is here ...

I rolled my eyes. I was beyond annoyed that we were still calling him the name that further inflated his massive ego.

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Me: Can we switch his name to ‘The Douchebag’ or ‘The Asshole’? Just for one day?

Secret employee thread: Never.

Secret employee thread: Hell no.

Secret employee thread: THE WOLF!

I walked out of his office at the very moment he stepped off the elevator. Talking on his cell phone, he strolled through the hallway, looking sexy as ever in a three-piece grey suit. His monogrammed “W” cufflinks sparkled against the light, and his Italian-leather shoes shone so brightly that they practically said, “Yes, we’re new. And yes, he’s only wearing us once.”

Every woman in his path did an obvious double take—earning a cocky smirk from his full lips and a look of appreciation from his deep blue eyes.

“Good morning, Mr. Wolf.” The receptionist blushed and handed him a folder as he walked by.

“Good morning, Miss Smith.” He gave her a smile and ended his call, heading straight toward me. He looked me up and down as he approached, stopping when I didn’t move. “Miss Johnson.”

“Mr. Wolf.”

“Is there any reason why you’re currently out here and not waiting in my office to give me my morning updates?”

“There is.” I handed him a sheet of paper. “I’ve emailed you all the updates you need, and here’s the printout. I just remembered that I have an important doctor’s appointment this morning, so I need to be on my way. I should be back by lunch.”

“If you’re going to be gone that long, did you at least call the Petersons of—”

“Monte Verde?” I finished his sentence. “Yes, and they’ve agreed to reschedule. And before you ask, I’ve had Savannah prepare the conference room for your eight o’clock session with Van Corps and the interns—minus the one who was flirting with you—are prepping the boardroom for the afternoon meeting with your PR team.”

“What about my conference call with Mellon?”

“I rescheduled it for tomorrow,” I said. “I figured your PR meeting might go over.”

“Hmmm. How interesting.”

I bit my lip to prevent myself from saying something sarcastic. After all this time, this man was still incapable of giving me a fucking “thank you,” as if his lips were somehow allergic to the words.

“Well, in that case, I’ll see you after your doctor’s appointment,” he said, unlocking the door to his office. “I hope all is well with you.”

I’m sure you do ...