Chapter 9
824words
The arrogance and coldness that had defined him vanished overnight, replaced by awkward uncertainty and barely concealed panic.
He began, for the first time, truly learning to "see" Sylvia Sterling.
Early next morning, Garrett arrived at the office thirty minutes early. Instead of heading to his office, he stopped at Sylvia's favorite specialty coffee shop—the one with the notorious thirty-minute line. He bought her usual latte with double syrup.
He remembered reading that she preferred sweet drinks when stressed, though in his presence she always ordered sugar-free black coffee because he believed "sugar decreases productivity."
When he appeared awkwardly at Sylvia's temporary office door, coffee in hand, Vivian and several assistants stared in shock. Mr. Grayson personally buying coffee? For his soon-to-depart secretary?
Sylvia was organizing files on her computer. Hearing the commotion, she looked up to see Garrett with coffee in hand. A flicker of surprise crossed her face before her composed mask returned.
"Good morning, Mr. Grayson. Did you need something?" She stood, her greeting perfectly professional.
"This is for you." Garrett extended the coffee, his tone awkwardly stiff. "I remember you like this flavor."
Sylvia didn't take it. Her gaze swept over the logo and sugar label before she replied evenly: "Thank you for your thoughtfulness, but I'm watching my sugar intake these days. I prefer black coffee now." She gestured to the nearly empty company mug on her desk.
Garrett's hand froze awkwardly mid-air. He suddenly remembered her medical check-up had shown slightly elevated blood sugar last year, prompting her dietary changes. He'd completely forgotten. He knew she "liked" sweet things but hadn't realized her preferences had changed for health reasons.
A wave of helpless frustration washed over him. Even his knowledge of her preferences was outdated.
He awkwardly set the coffee on the desk corner. "If you don't want it… just leave it there." Searching for conversation, his eyes fell on her screen. "How's the handover manual progressing?"
"Nearly complete," Sylvia replied distantly. "The final section covers your personal schedule and preferences. It's quite detailed, but I'll finish today."
"My… preferences…" Garrett echoed, a bitter taste filling his mouth. She was "handing him over" like an appliance with an instruction manual.
"You don't need to be so detailed…" he began awkwardly. "Some things, I can…"
"Mr. Grayson," Sylvia interrupted firmly, "A thorough, professional handover demonstrates respect for this position and my successor. Please understand."
All his words died in his throat.
Looking into her clear, emotionless eyes, he understood she wasn't being difficult—she was methodically closing this chapter of her life.
Just then, Vivian knocked and entered: "Mr. Grayson, Secretary Sterling, the project review meeting starts in five minutes."
In the meeting room, tension lingered from the recently averted crisis. Garrett sat at the head of the table, half-listening to reports, his gaze repeatedly drifting to Sylvia at the far end. She kept her head down, focused on her tablet, her profile serene yet somehow separated by an invisible barrier.
When Garrett's turn came to deliver closing remarks, he displayed his PowerPoint. Reaching the critical data analysis, he instinctively glanced toward Sylvia, seeking her confirming nod as he always had.
But Sylvia wasn't looking at him. She frowned slightly, as if checking something.
Garrett's heart sank. He forced his attention back to his presentation and continued.
"Mr. Grayson," Sylvia's clear, calm voice suddenly cut through the room, "please pause. The Q3 growth projection for Southeast Asia appears incorrect. According to the latest industry reports and third-party data, this figure should be reduced by at least 1.5 percentage points."
The room fell instantly silent! All eyes darted between Garrett and his presentation!
Garrett glanced sharply at the screen, then frantically checked his materials—Sylvia was right! His assistant had used outdated data! He hadn't even noticed!
Blood rushed to his face, his cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Previously, Sylvia would never have allowed such an error. Even if something had slipped through, she would have quietly alerted him before the meeting, never embarrassing him publicly!
But now, she chose the most direct, professional, and humiliating approach—calling him out in front of everyone.
He looked at her, and she returned his gaze calmly, her eyes showing no triumph or smugness—only pure professional dedication.
"I apologize for my oversight," Garrett admitted through clenched teeth, painfully correcting the figures.
Throughout the remainder of the meeting, he sat uncomfortably, feeling like a schoolboy who'd been publicly corrected by his teacher.
After the meeting, Garrett was first out the door. Humiliation and a deeper realization threatened to tear him apart.
He realized he wasn't just trying to salvage a relationship—he was facing a formidable professional rival he'd never truly acknowledged.
Sylvia had delivered a devastating blow with her expertise in the very arena where he felt most confident.
And that inappropriate, overly sweet coffee still sat untouched in her office—a perfect symbol of his fundamental misunderstanding.
