Claire sat across from Amanda in the cramped conference room, trying her best not to look uncomfortable. The air was thick with the tension of unspoken words as Amanda arranged a stack of files, each movement deliberate and slow, before she finally settled into her chair.

“The show is in five weeks. While officially everything is on track, I want to discuss contingencies for when something, inevitably, goes wrong,” Amanda began, her tone clipped, eyes sharp and unyielding.

Claire forced a chuckle, the sound tight in her throat. “Sure, what with Murphy's Law and all that. Always good to be prepared.” Her smile faltered under Amanda's unwavering gaze.

Amanda made a sound—a dismissive "hmph"—before launching into potential show-stopping to Claire disasters that loomed over their upcoming event like storm clouds.

After what felt like an eternity to Claire, Amanda leaned back, her expression inscrutable. “I think we’ve covered most of the calamities. We should be ready to handle any other hiccups in the moment.” Her voice carried a tone that carried a hint of optimism.

Claire nodded, tension slowly unravelling in her gut. “Right. Thanks for… this.” She attempted to meet Amanda’s eyes but found herself staring at the table instead. “If something else comes up, we can address it then.”

Amanda's intense scrutiny locked Claire in place, causing the tension to knot back up.

“Is there… something else?” Claire found the words spilling out before she could stop herself.

Amanda paused, letting the silence draw out until Claire's skin prickled. Finally, she leaned forward, her eyes drilling into Claire's.

“As a matter of fact, there is one other item I would like to discuss. How close are you really to Mr. Lee?” Amanda’s words sliced through the air.

Claire’s heart skipped a beat; her breath hitched. “What do you mean?” She tried for nonchalance and landed somewhere between a whisper and a squeak.

“I mean, what is your relationship with our boss,” Amanda clarified matter-of-factly, her gaze unflinching.

Claire pinched her nose, a futile attempt to compose herself. “Well… I really don’t know,” she stammered, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks. “I mean, we’ve known each other since… high school. Not close, just… friends,” the last part came out sounding like a question.

Amanda’s silence dragged more confessions out of her. “Alex and I hung out in similar circles, had a lot of the same classes and were a part of different clubs together.”

“You were just friends?” Amanda asked bluntly.

“Well, he, uh,” Claire continued to stammer. “He had a crush on me, I guess…"

Amanda continued to sit back and stare, causing Claire to suddenly slump in her own seat and fidget uncomfortably. ‘My God this woman scares me!’ Claire thought in a slight panic.

“Continue. How did you know?” Amanda’s voice was relentless.

“Ah,” Claire swallowed hard. “He, um, confessed to me during graduation.”

Leaning forward slightly, Amada inquired, “What was your response?”

“I told him I was not ready for a relationship, especially a long-distance one since we were attending different colleges,” Claire managed, avoiding Amanda’s piercing eyes. Then, lowering her voice, Claire added, “I—I was also afraid that a relationship would be a distraction to my studies.”

Amanda leaned back again, her arms crossed, a single eyebrow raised. “So, you did feel something? Your rejection was based solely on wanting to focus on your studies?”

“Yes,” Claire admitted, the word barely audible.

“And now?” Amanda’s question hung in the air like a noose.

Claire blinked in confusion. “And now…what?”

An exasperated sigh escaped Amanda’s lips. “And now how do you feel about each other?”

“Oh.” Claire turned red again. “Um, well…” Claire stuttered out her reply, “I guess we still have feelings for each other, but…” Claire paused and then let out a huge sigh of her own. “But I know we can’t date because of office policy and I can’t risk my career. This job is important to me. And yet, I feel like Alex doesn’t see my perspective. I’m the one who would get in trouble, not him.” She put her head in her hands and groaned.

Amanda listened quietly and then said, “The policy only applies to employees in the same department that are tier three and below. If you are tier four or five, our company’s directors and C-suite executives, the policy doesn’t apply. It’s a loophole created so the Chief Financial Officer could work with his wife, who came on as his Accounts Director five years ago when they were still engaged.”

Claire, unaware of the loophole, could only nod, not comprehending the importance of the information.

Amanda shifted, her expression softening almost imperceptibly as she clarified, “You realize if you were tier four, this wouldn’t be a problem?”

“Amanda, I’m tier three manager, not tier four” Claire said, frustration tinged with helplessness.

Amanda leaned in, lowering her voice. “Five weeks from now, secure the success of the show, and stake your claim for the Director of Communications, which has been vacant for over six months. I’ve seen you work; you’re ready.” With an uncharacteristic smirk, she added, “I’m sure Derek Kang will be happy to unload that extra responsibility from his plate.”

Claire was stunned, the unexpected endorsement both thrilling and terrifying. “Thank you, Amanda, I appreciate your endorsement. But,” she hesitated a beat. “Why… why help me with my…dating problems?”

“I knew right away there was something between you two from the first day. The way Mr. Lee is around you is different from how he interacts with other employees. Even around Jason and myself, who have known him here the longest, he still behaves in a reserved way.”

Claire figured she should just stay red as Amanda continued.

“I was convinced Mr. Lee hired you simply because he liked you, and you didn’t have the necessary skills and experience to collaborate with our team. But you proved me wrong. Your multimedia ideas, coupled with your quick thinking under pressure when we needed to put out press information or advertising copy in a pinch, really showed you have what it takes to not just collaborate, but lead.”

Claire was once more floored by Amanda’s recognition. “Amanda,” she whispered in awe, “I don’t think you have any idea how much your approval means to me.”

Amanda allowed a rare, faint smile as she scoffed, “Mr. Lee’s easier to decipher when you’re around. His transparency benefits everyone. Besides, he has a more pleasant attitude when you are around, and knowing when he is in a happier mood helps me get my proposals approved faster.”

Claire's laughter came out in a nervous rush. “Happy to be of service,” she replied, the tension in the air between them finally disappearing.