just a Project Hail Mary corporate AU, don't mind me
[Stratt as the CEO and Grace as her super competent yet weirdly emotional secretary]
Stratt flipped her red hair over her shoulder where it fell in perfect waves down her back.
"Ready, Secretary Grace?"
It sounded more like a statement than a question, yet Ryland found himself nodding anyway.
"Let's go, then."
He squared his shoulders in an effort to squash the gaping hole in his stomach. This was only the most important meeting in the history of the company. Nothing much.
Stratt glanced back at him; he felt her gaze cataloguing his nervous swallow and the sweat gathering on his forehead. "Secretary Grace, you are the most competent person I know. Don't let down my trust by believing otherwise."
Ryland breathed in deeply to calm himself and was rewarded by a small nod of her head.
"Good. Now, let's show these assholes why they shouldn't have played with us."
The door opened; Stratt marched in like she owned the place already, Ryland following in her footsteps.
The fight had already been won.
