The Billionaire’s Assistant

Ruolan's alarm blared at exactly 5:00 AM.

She groaned, reaching for her phone with half-lidded eyes. She had barely slept—how could she, when her life had changed overnight?

Li Yichen was a devil in a tailored suit, and she had signed a contract with him.

Her head ached as she dragged herself out of bed. A 6 AM start? Was he insane?

No, he wasn't. He was just cruel.

She hurried through a shower, slipped into a simple white blouse and black pencil skirt, and tied her long, chestnut-brown hair into a loose ponytail. Her face was bare—she had no time for makeup, not that she ever wore much.

By the time she arrived at Li Corporation's headquarters, she was already five minutes late.

And she paid for it immediately.

"You're late."

Ruolan froze at the sound of Yichen's deep, authoritative voice.

He stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows of his massive office, hands tucked into the pockets of his perfectly tailored suit. The early morning sunlight bathed him in a golden glow, highlighting his sharp jawline and piercing dark eyes.

He was tall—easily over six feet—with an air of cold refinement. Everything about him was polished, untouchable, dangerous.

Ruolan swallowed. "I'm sorry, President Li—"

"You're my assistant now," he cut her off, his tone as sharp as a blade. "Your job is to be here before me, not after."

Ruolan's fists clenched. He was treating her like a lazy intern when she had barely adjusted to this job.

Patience, Ruolan. Don't lose your temper on the first day.

"I understand," she forced out. "It won't happen again."

Yichen gave her a lazy glance. "It better not."

Then, he tossed a stack of files onto his desk.

"Schedule my meetings, organize the documents, and get me a coffee." He sat down, leaning back like a king on his throne. "No sugar."

Ruolan's eye twitched.

This man…!

She took a deep breath and grabbed the files. "I'll get started right away."

As she turned to leave, Yichen's voice stopped her.

"Oh, and one more thing."

She turned back. "Yes?"

His lips curved into something that almost looked like a smirk.

"If you make a mistake…" His voice dropped, slow and deliberate. "You'll regret it."

Ruolan bit back a retort.

She hated him.

_____

By noon, Ruolan had managed to complete all of Yichen's ridiculous tasks, without mistakes.

But she barely had time to breathe before Xu Tian—Yichen's assistant—handed her a new order.

"The President will be attending a business luncheon at the Imperial Club," Xu Tian informed her. "You're to accompany him."

Ruolan blinked. "Me? But—"

Xu Tian adjusted his glasses, his expression unreadable. "As his assistant, you are required to attend all formal meetings."

Ruolan sighed. Of course.

Thirty minutes later, she found herself in a black Rolls-Royce, sitting beside Yichen as they headed to the Imperial Club—a private dining hall reserved for the richest of the rich.

When they arrived, Ruolan felt completely out of place.

The restaurant was a masterpiece of luxury, with crystal chandeliers, gold-trimmed walls, and velvet seating.

At a long table sat five men and two women, all dressed in impeccable designer outfits.

One man, tall with sleek silver hair, leaned back with an amused smile. "Li Yichen, you're late."

Yichen gave a disinterested glance. "I'm never late. You're all just early."

The silver-haired man chuckled.

Ruolan felt the weight of multiple pairs of eyes land on her.

A woman with wavy chestnut hair and a ruby necklace raised a perfectly arched brow. "And who is this?"

Before Ruolan could introduce herself, Yichen spoke first.

"My assistant," he said, his tone dismissive. "Don't waste time on her."

Ruolan's fingernails dug into her palm.

Don't waste time on me?

The others exchanged knowing smirks.

"I see," the silver-haired man mused. "She's new, isn't she? I wonder how long she'll last."

Ruolan bit her tongue.

She could already tell—these people saw her as insignificant.

But she wasn't here to impress them. She was here to survive.

_____

The meeting started, and Ruolan quietly took notes, doing her best to ignore the dismissive glances thrown her way.

But just as she thought she could endure the humiliation, disaster struck.

A waiter approached, holding a bottle of expensive wine. He moved to pour some into Yichen's glass, but Ruolan, still focused on her notes, accidentally shifted her hand—

Crash!

The glass tipped over, spilling deep red liquid all over Yichen's sleeve.

The entire room fell silent.

Ruolan's blood ran cold.

Yichen slowly turned his head toward her, his dark eyes unreadable.

Ruolan shot up from her seat, panic settling in. "I—It was an accident—"

Before she could finish, one of the businessmen snickered.

"How bold," a sharp voice cut in. It was the woman with the ruby necklace. "She's already trying to get President Li's attention."

Ruolan's eyes widened.

Wait… what?

The woman smirked. "There are easier ways to seduce your boss, you know. You don't have to throw wine on him just to make him notice you."

Ruolan's face burned. "I wasn't—"

Before she could defend herself, another businessman laughed.

"I wonder how long it'll take before he fires her," someone else murmured.

Ruolan felt suffocated.

She turned to Yichen, expecting him to correct them. To tell them it was an accident, that she wasn't trying to seduce him.

But he didn't.

Instead, he simply pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his sleeve, completely unbothered.

Then, his eyes flickered to her.

"You're dismissed," he said flatly.

Ruolan's heart clenched.

She stood there, humiliated, before quickly grabbing her bag and storming out.

Outside the Imperial Club,

Ruolan stepped out into the cold air, her chest heaving.

How dare he?

She had worked so hard all morning, only to be humiliated in front of everyone.

And the worst part? He let it happen.

She gritted her teeth. Li Yichen was worse than she thought.

If he wanted a perfect assistant, fine.

She'd prove that she wasn't weak.

But one thing was certain—

She hated him.