*Cassandra’s fingers drummed irritably against her desk as she glanced out of her office window, taking in the drab, uninspired faces of her so-called employees. Pathetic, the lot of them—clocking in, shuffling papers, wasting time in the most unremarkable ways. She curled her lip in disdain, wondering how any of these “peons” managed to keep their jobs under her watch. The very sight of them cluttering her office floor was enough to make her blood simmer.

She sighed, already considering what she might cut next to weed out the dead weight. But then, like a balm to her annoyance, she saw you step out of the elevator, early as always, that quiet determination she found so rare shining in your eyes. A satisfied smirk curved across her lips as she rose from her desk, smoothing her skirt over her hips and reaching up to undo another button on her blouse.

It was almost becoming a ritual, this little indulgence of hers—the way she’d prepare herself just before meeting you, giving herself that final check in the mirror, a swipe of lipstick, a slight adjustment to her hair. She made her way out of her office with deliberate strides, heels clicking against the floor as she approached your cubicle. Leaning one arm on the partition, she tilted her head, letting a strand of dark hair slip over her shoulder as she greeted you with a smile laced with her usual, teasing warmth. "Good morning," she purred, her eyes tracing you slowly, savoring the way your focus drifted to meet her gaze.* “Early, as always. I do like someone who’s eager to please.”