#MS. CEO

By Hazel Grey

What happens when a power-hungry woman and an eager-to-please man are gunning for the same promotion?

 

Stella has worked her ass off to get her master's to climb the corporate ladder at Gem Marketing. Her dream might come true when she finds the CEO is retiring and the board has recommended her to be in the running for the promotion.

 

The only problem she's not the only one. Her rival is the CEO's son, Max, a hunky, broad-shouldered dreamboat with an ego the size of Texas. She needs to keep her eyes on the prize and not on him.

 

Max has worked hard to live up to his father's legacy. Right when he's about to be handed the family business, he finds out a rival is also up for the role of CEO: the ambitious and gorgeous Stella, whose bombshell looks and business savviness make his knees weak.

 

All's fair in love and business, isn't it? But will attraction keep both from achieving their dreams?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hazel Grey
• Release date: Jan 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201176761

Book preview

Chapter 1

Stella

As the Vice President of Recruitment at almost thirty, it’s time to focus on my future. The job pays well, and presentations are my specialty, yet I still strive to be something more. Over the last few years, I’ve done everything I can to catch the eye of Ben, the CEO, because word around the office is he plans to retire soon. For the last eight years, everything I’ve done is to prove myself to upper management of my capability to handle more responsibility. When his retirement comes up, my name will be on the recommendation list. Fingers crossed.

Good morning, Kathy. I say, walking into the office with my cappuccino in one hand and scrolling through my phone with the other. Today seems to be a slow day as my calendar only shows one meeting, but after checking my emails, they have rescheduled it for tomorrow. Damn it. It looks like today might be a great opportunity to get out of the office and visit some businesses to drum up some new contracts. Slow isn’t really something I like, and instead of sitting around on my ass, I’d rather go out there and try to stay busy. I think this is why they like me so much. Many workers will take the slow day, sitting around in their office, but not me. If I ever want a chance at getting another promotion, then I have to stay constant with my contracts and recruitment. Nothing is going to hold me back when the time comes, which could be any day.

As I walk into my office, my nipples harden. Why is it always so damn cold in here? I place my coffee on my desk and go to see Kathy about raising the temperature before sitting down to boot up my computer. There are emails I need to reply to before leaving. That’s when I notice him. Max’s hazel eyes on me from across the way. His black hair appears to have too much gel in it. He and I have hated each other from afar since he joined shortly after me as the vice president of marketing. Just a couple of weeks ago, they moved him into the office across from mine, and he’s been driving me bananas ever since.

Can you seriously stop? I can’t focus when your eyes are boring into my soul. Not to mention it’s creepy as hell. My voice rises.

This isn’t the first time I’ve caught him staring, and to be honest, it’s starting to get borderline stalkerish if you ask me. Sometimes it’s four, maybe five times a day. It doesn’t help that the way the offices are laid out with our doors open, I’m in his direct line of sight, but that doesn’t give him any excuse.

He laughs and begins typing. No one’s staring at you. You’re imagining things again.

Max thinks he’s so funny and that he can get away with anything, but not with me. I’m serious. Stop or shut your door. Too much to do this morning.

Like what? he asks.

Can I talk to you and Max in my office, please? Ben asks, walking by, not even stopping.

I eyeball Max and get up fast, wanting to be the first one to his office. There’s one man I need to impress while here, and that’s Ben. He seemed to like my pitches the couple of times he was in the meetings. No way. Ladies first! I shove Max out of the way.

I don’t know if I’d consider you a lady, more like a piranha. His eyebrow heightens.

Once in his office, we have a seat, waiting to figure out why he called such an impromptu meeting. I signed a big corporation which will bring in almost $1.6 million dollars in revenue last week. Maybe it’s about that. But then why would he have Max in here? It has to be something else.

Listen, it’s been an interesting last couple of years. Things have gone smoothly, which only makes this easier for me. His hands fold on top of his massive mahogany wood desk, with pictures of his family displayed across the front, a picture of him and Max front and center. Sometimes I forget he’s the boss’ son.

Makes what easier, sir? I ask.

Yeah, Dad. What are you talking about?

It’s a good sign that even he seems to be in the dark on why he’s here. No one knows how much they talk about work outside of the office and if he knows more than he lets on sometimes.

My retirement date is coming up, and they recommended you two for the promotion.

My eyes bulge, hearing the news. This is my chance to be something more and make my parents, Linda and Steve, proud. I work lots of long nights and early mornings. If I didn’t get paid a salary, my paycheck would be twice the size from all the hours I put in. This promotion would show them that all those years in school and all that debt is worth something in the end. They still, to this day, complain about the amount of money they spent on my college tuition. They have little room to talk about amounting to something. Steve is a drunk and Linda is nothing special. She is more worried about her husband than about me. Even in my adulthood, it’s like I’m an outsider, craving to be a part of the family, but it just never seems that way.

I’m honored, sir, I reply, even though the surprise of him not just giving it to Max is lingering. Everyone worries he’ll become their new boss someday, and few people like him. He doesn’t know how to keep to himself. I’ve heard about all the women he’s slept with in the building, and his dad knows about it too. Gem Marketing doesn’t have a policy against dating fellow co-workers or employees, so it isn’t like he can get in trouble with the company, but still. I wouldn’t ever want to date someone I work with. I’m here enough, and I wouldn’t want to deal with the man I’m seeing being here every day, too.

But it will not be a typical interview process… I’ve got something better in mind. Gem Marketing needs to be taken to the next level. We need to show the other employees that closing deals is important and is what keeps the company thriving.

And? Max asks, shaking his head. So, what did you have in mind? Or dare we even ask?

We’re going to have a little contest. Whoever brings in more client contracts gets the promotion. How about that? Ben looks at us to gauge our reaction.

It’s fun to watch Max squirm, but this contest is beneficial. The right person will recognize that and not have a problem with it. He needs someone who wants the best for Gem, someone who won’t mind working a crazy amount of hours like Ben did when he first started. That person is me and I’ve proved it. Max rarely works late and sometimes even takes off early. There’s a reason I have the highest numbers in the company.

So, it’s not about who you think would be better at the job… It’s all about who wins a stinking contest… Dad, you can’t be serious. Don’t you want to hand it down to your son, keep it a family business? Max’s demeanor changes. He’s trying to guilt-trip his own father into just giving him the promotion. How pathetic.

Now, just because you’re my son, that doesn’t mean you’re the best thing for the company. Prove yourself just like Stella here. Right now, you deserve it no more than she does.

I understand why he made it a contest. Ben has worked alongside us for eight years and knows our work ethic and numbers. Max doesn’t stand a chance. Mine have always been better, and in fact, every year they award me for having the most clients. It’s all about motivation, and I have plenty of it. Max just doesn’t seem to work as hard. Maybe he thinks because he’s the CEO’s son, they would hand him the role.

How long do we have? he asks, getting a little pissy. I mean it’s not like she’ll beat me, anyway.

June first. Seven days. That’ll allow me two weeks after helping integrate whoever wins into the new position before leaving to travel with your mother.

He might worry, but I don’t even have an ounce. I’ve been preparing for this opportunity since my first day, and my thirst to win is huge. Even if it means living at the office until June. That promotion will be mine. Hell, I’m already going over ideas in my head on some clients I can reach out to today.

You can get back to work, but remember, it starts now. Make sure you send me an email with each new contract, so my assistant can keep track of your progress. Good luck to both of you, Ben says, shooing us out of his office.

You’ll never win… I’m sure he’s only doing this contest so it doesn’t look like he’s playing favorites by just giving it to me. Max’s sly smile comes to fruition.

Maybe he did it so you’re feelings wouldn’t get hurt when he gives it to me, I reply, tossing my hair and walking back to my office.

Things are going to get competitive as hell. I’ve never been one to let a contest scare me, especially with signing clients. I do it every day in my sleep, so this will be nothing. He’s crazy if he thinks he’ll get it. This is everything I’ve dreamed about since starting here, and no one is going to take that from me. Especially Max.

Chapter 2

Max

See, I didn’t initially want to be a part of the business, but my father insisted. While in school, the more I learned, plans built on growing Gem Marketing into a multimillion-dollar business someday. Afterward, if I have kids, I could hand it over to them and keep it going for generations. All those years of business school and I might not even get to take it over? What kind of bullshit is that? He must be doing this to make it look like he isn’t just handing it to me.

I only went to school to appease Ben, but that has never been