CHAPTER 1

KLAUS MIKAELSON

"I'm sorry to hear that, Clarisse." I told my personal secretary, who just announced that she and her husband are moving to Nebraska and because of that she had to resign. "It says here that you can't stay for more than 2 more weeks?"

"Yes, we are going in three weeks but I need to pack and sort other things out before I leave, because of that I wrote 2 weeks, but I can maybe stay on for nearly 3 weeks if it's necessary."

"Well, let's just see how quickly we can find the replacement. Do me a favour and send the ad out as soon as possible, of course I need to see the final version before that. Let's try to get it out by the end of the day, shall we." I smiled neutrally and finished with saying that she will be missed. "I wish you new challenges and adventures in your new home and new life, Clarisse."

"Thank you, Klaus."

And with that she left and I decided it was time for lunch.

The next day I had already a nice portion of applicants that I was going through. I decided that 5 interviews would suffice. I had them chosen. The Best of The Best who had graduated from Harvard and other top notch schools. But I still were for some reason browsing the applicants and then I noticed Caroline Forbes, pretty girl, but that wasn't all I noticed in 5 seconds. Graduated top of the class and yes, it was a community college, but still, a remarkable achievement.

Just then my phone rang, it was Clarisse, "Klaus, it's your wife calling."

I sighed heavily as I told her to put it through.

"Klaus, honey, Maria wants to know when to serve dinner. Meaning what time will you be at home?"

"I don't know, Aurelia, I really don't. I have a lot of work today. By 8 p.m. the latest. But you don't have to wait for me and you can eat earlier. I'm sure I will be able to warm up the food myself later."

"If that's your wish. But still, I won't go to bed before you come."

"It's up to you, Aurelia. But I got to go now." I ended the call and leaned back on the chair, thinking about my life. I was married but I hadn't been happy in it for a long time. I was just a kid when we got married, she was 10 years older and stinking rich, she paid for my way to get Harvard law school diploma and then I was able to start a small company that quickly grew into a multibillion-dollar enterprise. Then she had that accident that left her in a wheelchair for the rest of her life and every day I lived with that guilt, because the accident had been completely my fault. But truth be told, we weren't that happy even before the accent and we got into a huge fight when I got behind the wheel with a intoxication of alcohol far above the national limit. To save me from jail, she took the blame for driving night. So I owed her a lot. And I tried to be the best husband possible, as unhappy as I was. And then my eyes drifted to the applicant still open on my laptop.

CAROLINE FORBES

I was home and in my hands I had a bile of unpaid bills that kept coming, in addition to rent and phone and etc, there were a lot of medical bills. My mother's social support money didn't cover even half of this stuff. I knew I had to find a job as soon as possible, otherwise we would be kicked out of this apartment too. I graduated in the spring from community college, it was 6 months ago and I had been looking for a job ever since. I had sent hundreds of applications, the ones who replied said I had no recommendations, no experience and that many of their applicants had been to real universities.

I was so worried that I almost started crying again, when my phone rang. It was unknown caller and I answered the call.

"Caroline Forbes, is it?"

"Yes, it is." I replied with a smile. Even if it was phone call, they say that a smile Is heard on the other side of the call.

"I'm calling from Mikaelson Enterprises, you have applied for a job here. We're looking for a personal assistant for the CEO Klaus Mikaelson. Are you still interested?"

"Yes, yes, I'm still interested," My heart was literally pounding in my chest, hoping it meant that at least I got to the interview portion.

"Mr Mikaelson would like you to come in for an interview. How does tomorrow 10 a.m work for you?"

"Let me check my calendar," I didn't want to sound too desperate, then after 5 seconds I said, "Tomorrow 10 a.m. works for me."

"Great, I'll send you all the details on your e-mail and see you tomorrow, Miss Forbes."

"See you tomorrow." I replied and she hung up and so did I.

I jumped up from the couch and did a little happy dance. In six months, I have never gotten to the interview and I was so happy. Then I remembered that mom was home so I knocked on her door and she invited me in, She was in bed hooked on to the machine that supported her breathing. She had a throat cancer, luckily it was discovered quite early, but she still needed a lot of medical care and treatment. She didn't need to use the machine all the time, but it was becoming more and more necessary.

"Mom, good news, I was just called to come in for an interview."

"Oh, I'm so proud of you, sweetheart." She smiled profoundly.

"And listen to this, it's not some small firm, it's freaking Mikaelson Enterprises and its CEO is looking for a personal assistant."

"Oh, that's great. But are you sure it isn't a too big of a bite for an experienced young girl like yourself?"

"You don't think I can do it?" I was hurt that she could feel that way.

"No, it's not that. It's just that I'm afraid I won't see you much. You are going to have to travel with him on his work trips and so on."

"Yes, I'm going to be less home, much less. But I'll be able to pay the bills and offer you a comfortable life."

"Well, I'll be gone soon and I don't want you to overwork and make sacrifices a girl your age shouldn't have to make."

"Mom, I want you to be with me as long as possible and for that every sacrifice is worth it. Besides, I'm sure it will be awesome to work with someone so experienced and smart as he has to be."

The next day it was Friday and I was already there on the 12th floor 9.45 a.m. I had her best clothes on, a light blue office suit, with a white blouse underneath. My hair was up in a sophisticated ponytail and I thought I looked rather professional. When the elevator doors opened I found myself in a state of the art, sleek office that was buzzing around with different people walking around and others sitting behind desks with laptops on it.

"Excuse me, can I help you?" a young woman, I think early 20-s, had spoken to be behind the first desk that was just nearest to the elevator.

I took a few steps closer to her and said, "I have an job interview with the CEO Klaus Mikaelson scheduled for 10 a.m. I made it a little earlier."

"That's no problem, I'm sure. I have to ask his personal secretary though."

I was taken a little further into the back and there I saw huge doors that had his sign on. "Klaus Mikaelson, CEO of The Mikaelson Enterprises," it read. In front of it was a desk and behind it sat a woman of her 40-s and the young woman told her, "Clarissa, Mr Mikaelson's 10 a.m just arrived".

"Thanks, Kelly, I'll take it over." She said to the woman and turned to me then, "Hello, my name is Clarissa, I believe we talked on the phone yesterday."

"Yes, right, I'm Caroline Forbes, you can call me Caroline."

We shook hands and then she called her boss, "Klaus, your 10 a.m is already here, do you have time now or should I let her wait?"

"Let her in," come his manly, but sweet voice with British accent.

"Right this way, Caroline." And Clarissa led me into his office and as I stepped in, I first noticed that he was nowhere to be seen, the office was huge with adjoining conference area and what I thought was a little casual resting area with sofas.

Then I noticed that his chair was turned so that the back was towards me. "Miss Forbes," He said and only then turned around in his chair and we were face to face. I had seen his official photo but ,god, he was even more gorgeous in person and when he stood up I saw that he wasn't much taller than me. But I didn't think that was bad. It was good to talk to someone if they were on the same eye level. He walked towards me and I said, "You can call me Caroline." I smiled.

Then he was in front of me and smiled and I noticed he had cute dimples when he smiled. He extended his hand and I took it and we shook hands as he said, "Well, Caroline, it's nice to meet you finally. I'm Klaus Mikaelson, but you can call me Klaus."

I smiled and then he led me to sit on one of the chairs put opposite his large wooden desk. Even the guest chairs were so comfortable. He himself sat back in his chair on the other side of the desk and then when he's hands touched it, I noticed that he had my application on his desk already.

"Caroline, let me start by saying that all my previous secretaries have graduated universities like Harvard as have myself. And although I'm impressed that you managed to graduate top of the class, I have to ask you point plank. With your inexperience, are you ready to tackle something as intensive as working as my personal secretary? Because I work hard and I expect the same from you. It's late hours, not every day, but often. Then work trips where you have to be away with me for weeks at a time. I mean what does your family or boyfriend say about you going away with your boss for such a long period of time?"

"It wouldn't be a problem, Mr- I mean Klaus." He almost laughed at that, "My family supports my decision to work intensive jobs, and I don't currently have a boyfriend or anything like that who would impede any such necessary trips. What relates to you other concerns, then I actually got into many top notch business schools, but my mother and father couldn't pay for them, not even close, so I had to choose community college. And the answer to your main question is that I am completely ready to tackle all the challenges that my rise with doing this job, including late hours." I ended my answer with my best smile.

And he smiled back and said to my complete surprise, "Then you are hired, Caroline. When can you start?"

As I looked at him in shock and couldn't get a word out, I must have looked like a complete imbecile, but if his sweet laugh was anything to go by, he didn't seem to notice or care.

"Just like that?" I finally choked out.

He laughed again and said, "Yes, just like that. Caroline, I myself started out with pretty much nothing and If I hadn't had a little luck in life, I might not be sitting here right now, on this side of the desk with you. So what these other applicants don't always have, is the enthusiasm to work hard. They are often entitled and think that the diploma will do work for them. So I just relate to your situation right now, but you will be hired with a probationary period of 3 months and the salary I can offer for that period is 5000 dollars per month and then after 3 months we would re-negotiate. How does all that sound to you?"

I was at a loss for words for a few seconds but then I pulled myself together and said confidently, "I can start on Monday."

He laughed again and said, "Alright, Caroline, Clarissa will train you for nearly two weeks, then she has to leave, but I'll train you myself later if necessary."

Then he stood up and waiting by the door, he opened it for me and led me out, whishing me "Get safely home and I'll see you on Monday morning 9 a.m."

KLAUS MIKAELSON

It was already 7.30 p.m when I was still at the office, there was nothing to do, everyone had gone home but I dreaded to go to my home, now more than ever, because today I think I fell in love or I was starting to fall in love with my new personal secretary. It was the worst, for both of us, because if we decided to go down that route, someone could literally get hurt in the process because my wife Aurelia was dangerous, especially when she was jealous and jealous for a reason.

But I couldn't get the thoughts of our first meeting out of my head, the way she dressed, the way she walked, the way her ponytail moved in sync, the way she chewed her lips, the way she smiled, the way her eyes scanned me the first time she saw me, it was completely intoxicating and I saw that she like me too. I don't know if as much as I liked her and hiring could have been a big mistake. But I had to risk, it was too late to turn back now. Still, I decided to use my apartment in this building to take a cold shower before I headed home, because Aurelia couldn't even suspect that I had fallen in love with someone else. Again. So I collected my essentials and I left to take that cold shower.