6 The Unseen Assistant's Allure Liam's POV I stared at my phone , irritation still simmering beneath my skin . That voice - soft yet firm , with just a hint of defiance - had gotten under my skin in a way I couldn't explain . " Hazel Vance , " I muttered , tossing my phone onto the hotel bed . The New York skyline glittered beyond my penthouse suite windows , but I couldn't appreciate the view . My mind kept replaying that brief , annoying conversation with my new assistant . Why the hell was I even thinking about her ? I'd been unnecessarily harsh , but that wasn't unusual for me . Employees came and went . Some lasted months , others days . Evelyn was the exception - twenty - five years of loyal service , and now she was abandoning me too . My phone rang . Speak of the devil . " Evelyn ," I answered , my tone clipped . " You scared your new assistant half to death ," she said without preamble , amusement evident in her voice . I pinched the bridge of my nose . " I wasn't expecting a stranger to answer your phone ." " Her name is Hazel , not ' stranger . ' And need I remind you that you approved her hiring last week ? " Had I ? The stack of paperwork I'd signed before leaving for New York blurred together in my memory . " She sounds young ," I said , trying to sound disinterested . Evelyn chuckled . " She's twenty - four , highly qualified , and quite lovely . Oscar Dalton's goddaughter personally recommended her . " That caught my attention . Chloe Dalton was notoriously picky about the people in her circle . If she'd vouched for Hazel Vance , there must be something special about her . " Send me her resume ," I ordered . 20:35 1/6 6 The Unseen Assistant's Allure " Already done . Check your email ." I grabbed my laptop and found Evelyn's message . Opening the attachment , I scanned Hazel's credentials . Bachelor's degree in Business Administration . Minor in Computer Science . Previous experience as an executive assistant at Wallace Industries . Impressive , but not extraordinary . Then I noticed what was missing . " There's no photo ," I pointed out . " Does it matter what she looks like ? " Evelyn countered . " No ," I snapped too quickly . " But it's standard practice . " " Didn't attach one . Said she wanted to be hired for her skills , not her appearance . " That was … different . I couldn't decide if it was admirable or arrogant . " And you hired her anyway ? " " I interviewed seven candidates , " Evelyn replied . " Hazel was by far the most qualified . Besides , she's got grit . You need someone who won't wilt under your temper . " I scoffed . " My temper is perfectly controlled . " " Tell that to the board members you made cry last last quarter . " " They deserved it , " I muttered . " Their proposal was garbage . " " My point exactly . Hazel can handle you ." The confidence in Evelyn's voice piqued my interest further . What kind of woman had she found to replace herself ? " We'll see , " I said noncommittally . " How's the training going? " " She's catching on quickly . Much faster than I expected . " My email notification chimed . I opened the new message , raising an eyebrow at the sender : Hazel Vance . " She's emailing me now ," I told Evelyn . " Probably the Morgan proposal you asked for earlier . I mentioned it was urgent . " 20:35 2/6 6 The Unseen Assistant's Allure I opened the email , feeling oddly eager to see what my mysterious new assistant had written . Mr. Sterling , Please find attached the complete Morgan proposal with my notes on potential risk factors highlighted on pages 3 , 7 , and 12. I've also taken the liberty of creating a summary document outlining key financial projections and identified three alternative strategies should the primary approach fail to meet expectations .__ The board meeting schedule for next Wednesday has been updated to accommodate Mr. Yamamoto's early departure . All participants have confirmed their attendance . If you need any additional information before your return , please don't hesitate to contact me .___ _Regards , __ Hazel Vance_ Executive Assistant to the CEO Sterling Group__ I stared at the screen , genuinely surprised . I'd expected a basic email forwarding the document - not a thorough analysis with alternative strategies already mapped out . " Did you tell her to add notes to the proposal ? " I asked Evelyn . " Nope . That was all her initiative . " I opened the attachments , scanning through her detailed comments . They were insightful , addressing issues I'd spotted myself and a few I hadn't considered . " She's good ," I admitted reluctantly . " Told you so , " Evelyn said , sounding smug . " Give her a chance , Liam . I wouldn't leave you with just anyone . " After hanging up , I returned to the email, re - reading Hazel's message . Her writing style was concise and professional , yet there was something distinctly confident about it . She hadn't apologized or groveled after my rude phone call . Instead , she'd simply done her job - exceptionally well . 20:35 C 3/6 6 The Unsoen Assistant's Allure I checked my watch . My final meeting wasn't for another two hours . With nothing else demanding immediate attention , I found myself unable to resist the pull of curiosity . Opening my laptop again , I navigated to the company directory . New employees were always added to the system before their start date . There should be at least some basic information about Hazel Vance . I found her entry quickly . Date of birtli , emergency contact information , department assignment - all standard details . But again , no photo . Her personnel file listed her previous employer , education , and skills , but offered nothing personal . No hints about who she really was . My fingers hovered over the keyboard as a new idea formed . I could access the security cameras in the executive wing . Just one quick look to satisfy my curiosity . I hesitated , recognizing how inappropriate this was . Looking up her file was one thing -standard background check procedure . Spying on her through security cameras was something else entirely . I closed the laptop abruptly . What the hell was wrong with me ? I never obsessed over employees like this . The Morgan proposal needed my attention anyway . As I worked through the document , I found myself repeatedly impressed by Hazel's annotations . Her mind worked in a way that complemented my own - pragmatic but creative when necessary . Against my better judgment , I opened a new email reply . Ms. Vance , _ Your analysis of the Morgan proposal is thorough and your initiative appreciated . The alternative strategies you've outlined will be useful during tomorrow's negotiation .__ Please prepare a follow - up document expanding on scenario three , particularly regarding the international market implications .__ _L . Sterling_ I hit send before I could reconsider . This wasn't about personal interest , I told myself . I was simply acknowledging good work and making efficient use of company resources . My phone buzzed with an incoming email notification less than ten minutes later . R No network available now . Please check your network . 20:35 4/6 6 The Unseen Assistant's Allure She'd already responded . Mr. Sterling , Thank you for your feedback . I've begun work on the expanded analysis of scenario three and will have it completed within the hour . In the meantime , I've attached a preliminary outline for your review . Regards , Hazel Vance_ Fast . Efficient . No wasted words . I opened the attached outline , finding it concise yet comprehensive . She'd anticipated my next questions before I'd even formulated them . An unfamiliar feeling settled in my chest - something between curiosity and anticipation . For the first time in years , I found myself genuinely looking forward to returning to the office tomorrow . My unseen assistant had managed to captivate my attention with nothing but her competence and a voice that somehow refused to leave my mind . And I still had no idea what she looked like . I glanced at my watch again . I had time before my meeting - time I could use to play a little game with this intriguing new employee . After all, if she was going to be my right hand , I needed to test her limits . I smiled to myself as I drafted another email , this one deliberately more demanding . Let's see just how good Hazel Vance really was . 20:35 6 The Unseen Assistant's Allure 6 The Unseen Assistant's Allure Liam's POV I stared at my phone , irritation still simmering beneath my skin . That voice - soft yet firm , with just a hint of defiance - had gotten under my skin in a way I couldn't explain . " Hazel Vance , " I muttered , tossing my phone onto the hotel bed . The New York skyline glittered beyond my penthouse suite windows , but I couldn't appreciate the view . My mind kept replaying that brief , annoying conversation with my new assistant . Why the hell was I even thinking about her ? I'd been unnecessarily harsh , but that wasn't unusual for me . Employees came and went . Some lasted months , others days . Evelyn was the exception - twenty - five years of loyal service , and now she was abandoning me too . My phone rang . Speak of the devil . " Evelyn ," I answered , my tone clipped . " You scared your new assistant half to death ," she said without preamble , amusement evident in her voice . I pinched the bridge of my nose . " I wasn't expecting a stranger to answer your phone ." " Her name is Hazel , not ' stranger . ' And need I remind you that you approved her hiring last week ? " Had I ? The stack of paperwork I'd signed before leaving for New York blurred together in my memory . " She sounds young ," I said , trying to sound disinterested . Evelyn chuckled . " She's twenty - four , highly qualified , and quite lovely . Oscar Dalton's goddaughter personally recommended her . " That caught my attention . Chloe Dalton was notoriously picky about the people in her circle . If she'd vouched for Hazel Vance , there must be something special about her . " Send me her resume ," I ordered . 20:35 1/6 6 The Unseen Assistant's Allure " Already done . Check your email ." I grabbed my laptop and found Evelyn's message . Opening the attachment , I scanned Hazel's credentials . Bachelor's degree in Business Administration . Minor in Computer Science . Previous experience as an executive assistant at Wallace Industries . Impressive , but not extraordinary . Then I noticed what was missing . " There's no photo ," I pointed out . " Does it matter what she looks like ? " Evelyn countered . " No ," I snapped too quickly . " But it's standard practice . " " Didn't attach one . Said she wanted to be hired for her skills , not her appearance . " That was … different . I couldn't decide if it was admirable or arrogant . " And you hired her anyway ? " " I interviewed seven candidates , " Evelyn replied . " Hazel was by far the most qualified . Besides , she's got grit . You need someone who won't wilt under your temper . " I scoffed . " My temper is perfectly controlled . " " Tell that to the board members you made cry last last quarter . " " They deserved it , " I muttered . " Their proposal was garbage . " " My point exactly . Hazel can handle you ." The confidence in Evelyn's voice piqued my interest further . What kind of woman had she found to replace herself ? " We'll see , " I said noncommittally . " How's the training going? " " She's catching on quickly . Much faster than I expected . " My email notification chimed . I opened the new message , raising an eyebrow at the sender : Hazel Vance . " She's emailing me now ," I told Evelyn . " Probably the Morgan proposal you asked for earlier . I mentioned it was urgent . " 20:35 2/6 6 The Unseen Assistant's Allure I opened the email , feeling oddly eager to see what my mysterious new assistant had written . Mr. Sterling , Please find attached the complete Morgan proposal with my notes on potential risk factors highlighted on pages 3 , 7 , and 12. I've also taken the liberty of creating a summary document outlining key financial projections and identified three alternative strategies should the primary approach fail to meet expectations .__ The board meeting schedule for next Wednesday has been updated to accommodate Mr. Yamamoto's early departure . All participants have confirmed their attendance . If you need any additional information before your return , please don't hesitate to contact me .___ _Regards , __ Hazel Vance_ Executive Assistant to the CEO Sterling Group__ I stared at the screen , genuinely surprised . I'd expected a basic email forwarding the document - not a thorough analysis with alternative strategies already mapped out . " Did you tell her to add notes to the proposal ? " I asked Evelyn . " Nope . That was all her initiative . " I opened the attachments , scanning through her detailed comments . They were insightful , addressing issues I'd spotted myself and a few I hadn't considered . " She's good ," I admitted reluctantly . " Told you so , " Evelyn said , sounding smug . " Give her a chance , Liam . I wouldn't leave you with just anyone . " After hanging up , I returned to the email, re - reading Hazel's message . Her writing style was concise and professional , yet there was something distinctly confident about it . She hadn't apologized or groveled after my rude phone call . Instead , she'd simply done her job - exceptionally well . 20:35 C 3/6 6 The Unsoen Assistant's Allure I checked my watch . My final meeting wasn't for another two hours . With nothing else demanding immediate attention , I found myself unable to resist the pull of curiosity . Opening my laptop again , I navigated to the company directory . New employees were always added to the system before their start date . There should be at least some basic information about Hazel Vance . I found her entry quickly . Date of birtli , emergency contact information , department assignment - all standard details . But again , no photo . Her personnel file listed her previous employer , education , and skills , but offered nothing personal . No hints about who she really was . My fingers hovered over the keyboard as a new idea formed . I could access the security cameras in the executive wing . Just one quick look to satisfy my curiosity . I hesitated , recognizing how inappropriate this was . Looking up her file was one thing -standard background check procedure . Spying on her through security cameras was something else entirely . I closed the laptop abruptly . What the hell was wrong with me ? I never obsessed over employees like this . The Morgan proposal needed my attention anyway . As I worked through the document , I found myself repeatedly impressed by Hazel's annotations . Her mind worked in a way that complemented my own - pragmatic but creative when necessary . Against my better judgment , I opened a new email reply . Ms. Vance , _ Your analysis of the Morgan proposal is thorough and your initiative appreciated . The alternative strategies you've outlined will be useful during tomorrow's negotiation .__ Please prepare a follow - up document expanding on scenario three , particularly regarding the international market implications .__ _L . Sterling_ I hit send before I could reconsider . This wasn't about personal interest , I told myself . I was simply acknowledging good work and making efficient use of company resources . My phone buzzed with an incoming email notification less than ten minutes later . R No network available now . Please check your network . 20:35 4/6 6 The Unseen Assistant's Allure She'd already responded . Mr. Sterling , Thank you for your feedback . I've begun work on the expanded analysis of scenario three and will have it completed within the hour . In the meantime , I've attached a preliminary outline for your review . Regards , Hazel Vance_ Fast . Efficient . No wasted words . I opened the attached outline , finding it concise yet comprehensive . She'd anticipated my next questions before I'd even formulated them . An unfamiliar feeling settled in my chest - something between curiosity and anticipation . For the first time in years , I found myself genuinely looking forward to returning to the office tomorrow . My u