Tough As Gold: Powered Personnel Side Hustle, #3

By K. A. Maxwell

She Fought Her Way Out of Captivity, Now She Faces the High-Powered Boardroom.

 

Freshly liberated from a corporate kidnapping, Oriana leaps into the ruthless world of high-powered corporate culture.

 

Her first gig: the one-day executive assistant to the chief brand officer, Hilda Artemis. Being the right-hand woman to a powerful Nyxazon was better than moving boxes all day, right?

 

But as Oriana's day goes on, she enters a web of deceit, stubborn managers, and a showdown in the boardroom. To make matters worse, the one executive whose actions once jeopardized her very life will be there.

 

Will Oriana survive to work another day, or will her fiery spirit turn the boardroom into a battle zone?

 

Tough as Gold is a sci-fi fantasy novella teeming with electrifying corporate drama.

 

It contains scenes of violence, mature themes, and coarse language, which may make it unsuitable for younger and sensitive readers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: K. A. Maxwell
• Release date: Oct 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9781777658045

Book preview

Chapter 1

Five in the morning.

The buzz of the alarm clock roused the occupant from her underwater waterbed. 

Air bubbled up from her gills along the back of her neck before golden-colored eyes blinked and held open. With her scaly hands on the side of her bed, she pulled her body up and floated in the sea. Fists clenched, she rotated and struck a punching bag held by golden chains. She righted herself, arms up with her orange-golden, blue-tipped tail swinging side to side.

One, two, three, four, five. She sent each jab in quick succession, then, with a quick snap of her tail, moved to the next side of the bag and repeated her combo ten more times. She wore a seaweed sports bra that revealed her trim waist and muscular core. Once done, she swam around the bag, her tail propelling her with bursts of speed. She bobbed and weaved, then paused when her core and tail muscles burned. She steeled herself, charged, and slammed her shoulder into the bag.

Her wake-up routine left the young woman breathing heavily as she swam up towards the surface part of her townhome. As she approached a set of stairs, golden sparkles danced around and up her tail, transforming it into a pair of lean, finely scaled legs. Once she reached the surface, she approached another punching bag that hung from the main floor ceiling. She picked up a bottle of water, took a drink, and then repeated the routine, punching and kicking.

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Ever since she decided to learn how to fight, Oriana Chandroni has done this routine every morning before breakfast. Up to a few days ago, she was on track to prove her toughness as a security officer. Her first day didn’t go as planned, however, after being kidnapped by veteran GVU security officers. She did get her hands on one of the criminals, but her years of training didn’t even come close against Lieutenant Felina Gatti’s fighting prowess. 

When she emerged from the bathroom after taking a shower, she scowled at the punching bag and sent a roundhouse kick, wincing as the contact sent a buzz straight up her leg. 

It’s gonna be different this time, she declared to herself. One day, I’ll prove you all wrong. 

As Oriana entered her closet, she reached out to put on her GVU security recruit uniform—but then caught herself. Instead, she placed it in a plastic bag; she wouldn’t need it anymore. After everything that had happened, she couldn’t help herself and had jumped into that weird job battle royale thing without knowing what the prize was. She must have done something right, though, because she got a job interview and then the offer to become the new Junior Sales Executive at Macmor. 

Guess it’s back to high-maintenance mode, she muttered as she hunted through her wardrobe. 

Oriana slipped into an aqua-blue underdress with pumps to match, their cool hues reminiscent of the same tranquil waters in the sea. The underdress fabric clung to her form, accentuating her curves. Over this, she layered a sleeveless orange vest with a dark blue collar that added a burst of warmth and energy, contrasting beautifully with her pale-golden scale-skin and golden-orange hair with blue tips. The absence of sleeves revealed the toned muscles in her arms, a testament to her commitment to her training. 

When it came to her sudden switch from security to sales, she wasn’t sure what to say of the move. The possibilities of working with superheroes and kicking ass while selling and making money, how could she not turn that down? 

She tied her hair back and let its tail flow freely, then added a pair of earrings and some lipstick to complete the look. 

Oriana walked into the kitchen, where she pulled out oats, milk, frozen berries, and protein powder and mixed it all within a blender cup. 

A phone on the counter rang and vibrated. One glance at the caller ID made Oriana roll her eyes before answering it. 

Hi, Mom, said Oriana. 

Ori-Ori, how have you been? Are you okay? 

Mom, I’m doing fine, the same way I was yesterday, the day before, and the day before. 

I know, but we were so worried after what happened. You’re not sad or lonely, are you? We can come over and keep you company. 

Oriana tried to smile at this. No, I’m fine. I still have hundreds of text messages I have to read and reply to. 

Your aunt, your nephews, your cousins, family you didn’t even know asked for you, my little golden fry.

Ugh, Mom, groaned Oriana. I’m a fucking twenty-six-year-old girl now. I can take care of myself. 

Language, Oriana’s mom scolded. Ori-Ori, you used to never swear at your parents when you were younger. 

I swear with love, Mom, always. 

I shouldn’t be surprised you became this wild. Being in so many hotels gives you a lot of opportunities to meet all types. 

Mom! 

Her mother chuckled. Well, you’ll settle down soon enough.  Your brothers are already married. Sooner or later, you’ll be an aunt with little ones swimming all around you. Your father is always seeking to mentor people to keep our business going. I’m sorry you couldn’t be part of that like your brothers.

Don’t be, really. 

But you do get around, don’t you? 

Oriana snorted and took a long draw of her protein smoothie, giving her a much-needed pause. I’ll let you know if something happens, okay? 

Okay, but be careful. You used to love traveling with us so much. But you would always get yourself lost and— 

Mom, I have a phone with a map and sonar, not to mention I have a place of my own with a mortgage.

You didn’t have to do that, said Oriana’s mom. We own some condos in Brahma as part of the family investment.  

I know. 

Valuable condos that grow in value year-by-year. 

Give them to my brothers. 

Don’t be silly. They already have enough. It will be there whenever you need it. 

Oriana shrugged and took another long drink. No point in arguing about family assets. 

Your father said hi, continued Oriana’s mom. He’s worried they are still making you do all that dangerous work, and that kidnapping kept him up late for the past week. 

But I came out fine, didn’t I? Just a few scrapes. 

Ori-Ori, you don’t have to take on dangerous jobs to prove yourself to us. You are always welcome, and your father would make you a vice-president. He would be so happy. 

Oriana growled. I’ll think about it. Love you, Mom. 

Love you too, my Ori-Ori. 

She honestly didn’t know what her parents would put her in charge of. But at their first chance to get close, she knew her parents would stick to her like glue. Trying to feed her with silver spoons she never wanted nor needed. She finished her protein breakfast smoothie and picked up her shoulder bag, then struck the punching bag one more time—hard—on her way out.

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Along the eastern river of Brahma City, the beach neighborhood of Tisfield Tides was a sought-after haven for young urban professionals. As the sun kissed the horizon, some of these fresh professionals jogged along the sandy shores in stylish workout suits, their footfalls mixed with the gentle lapping of the waves.

Oriana’s modern townhouse stood as a testament to contemporary design, seamlessly integrated with the natural beauty of its riverside location. With a striking blend of architectural prowess and aquatic harmony, the townhouse’s unique layout was perfect for her. The lower level was an extension of the river itself, as it submerged into the water. 

As Oriana gave her home one last look, she hoped the mix of function and fashion spoke more of Oriana’s own style than her family’s. 

An array of cars lined the curbs, their polished exteriors reflecting the sun’s rays. Some of these vehicles boasted flamboyant designs with too many bells and whistles for Oriana’s liking. 

She passed by one car with an ugly lime color. The yellow pom-poms on the front and purple stripes on the side made Oriana shudder. It probably belonged to some kind of experimental artist who cooked the same way they designed. 

Just a few paces ahead, a sleek silver sedan caught her attention, its streamlined contours and elegant finish contrasting sharply with the flamboyance of its lime-colored counterpart. Definitely a corporate creator-type.

Oriana herself never really considered getting a car, preferring to rough it, taking public transit and being around people.  

She reached the bus stop where a group of people were waiting, some glued to their phones but others chatting