Chapter 0 The CFO’s Curiosity
6 Chapter 6 The CEO’s Curiosity
“She’s persistent, I’ll give her that, Damian laughed.
“Good morning, Mr. Sterling” Evelyn’s familiar voice answered.
I leaned back in my chair, tapping my fingers against the desk. Who exactly was Hazel Vance? And why was I so fixated on finding out?
“Just curious,” I replied, too quickly.
I grabbed my phone again and dialed Evelyn.
Sure. Whatever you say, came Adrian’s skeptical reply.
“None at all,” Evelyn confirmed. “But sometimes raw talent trumps experience. You should have seen how she handled your little test yesterday.”
“Morning, Evelyn. How’s the new girl working out?” I tried to sound casual.
The memory of her calm, melodious voice answering my deliberate challenge made me uneasy. Most people cowered when I used that tone. She hadn’t. Instead, she’d stood her ground with perfect professionalism.
“And she has no previous experience as an executive assistant?”
“That was brutal, Damian commented as we walked back to our hotel. “But worth it. Henderson’s encryption software will give us the edge over Clairemont Industries.” “Born ready,” I replied, pushing thoughts of my mysterious new assistant aside. “Meet you in the lobby in twenty.”
Who the hell was this woman? And why couldn’t I stop thinking about her voice?
Walking to the window, I gazed out at the city lights. This was ridiculous. I was the CEO of one of the most successful companies in the country. I made billion–dollar decisions without blinking. Yet here I was, rearranging my schedule just to meet a woman whose voice had gotten under my skin.
Mr. Sterling,
And she’d accomplished it on her first day.
6 Chapter 6–The CEO’s Curiosity
“Ms. Vance, I repeated, finally having a last name to attach to the voice. “Where did you find her again?”
Back in my suite, I checked my emails. Most were routine business matters, easily delegated. But one caught my eye – from [email protected].
Attached please find the detailed analysis of the Chen proposal you requested yesterday. I’ve taken the liberty of including comparative data from our previous negotiations with similar companies, as well as a breakdown of potential profit margins based on three different contract scenarios.
“This is just professional curiosity,” I told myself firmly. “I need to know who’s handling my business affairs.”
Evelyn’s laugh was knowing. “I’ve worked for you since you were in diapers, Liam. You most certainly do bark. But Ms. Vance didn’t even flinch.”
After all, if she was going to be my right hand, she needed to learn to handle the beast everyone claimed I was.
I hesitated, then replied: Change of plans. Coming back tomorrow. Business here is wrapped up.
“Ms. Vance is doing wonderfully,” she replied, and I could hear the smile in her voice. “Sharp as a tack. Already mastered the filing system.”
Liam’s POV
I stared at the email, genuinely impressed. I hadn’t actually requested this analysis – I’d just mentioned the Chen proposal to see how she’d react. Not only had she taken the initiative to prepare it, but she’d gone above and beyond with comparative data I hadn’t even considered.
“Get it together, Sterling” I muttered to myself.
Sterling Group
I ran a hand through my hair, irritated at my own distraction. I had a billion–dollar company to run, meetings scheduled all day, and here I was, fixated on my new assistant whom I’d never even met.
Opening the attached file confirmed my impression. The work was flawless –
organized, thorough, and insightful. This wasn’t just competence; this was excellence.
6 Chapter 6 The CEO’s Curiosity
Checking up on my hiring decision?” she teased.
Respectfully,
“You ready for the Henderson meeting?” he asked without preamble.
The meeting has been rescheduled as noted, and all relevant materials have been forwarded to your tablet for easy access during your flight tomorrow.
“Yes, sir,” she replied, and I could practically see her smirking. “Anything else?”
My finger hovered over it for a moment before clicking.
“Curiosity about staff? That’s new for you.”
I ignored his follow–up message and opened my calendar. If I took the early morning flight, I could be back at Sterling Group by tomorrow afternoon. Just in time to catch the mysterious Ms. Vance before she left for the day.
Adrian’s response was immediate: Since when do you cut business trips short? Got a hot date waiting?
That caught my attention. Adrian was my closest friend and a notoriously demanding -CEO himself. And Oscar Dalton was one of our biggest investors. If both men vouched
for her, she must be exceptional.
I booked the flight, then sent a quick email to Evelyn informing her of my changed plans. I didn’t mention I’d be coming into the office. Let that be a surprise.
“Speaking of which, Damian said, glancing at me sideways, “heard anything from Isabella lately?”
And I’d hung up on her. Like a damn teenager.
I scowled, though she couldn’t see it. “Just send it, Evelyn.”
That fact bothered and intrigued me in equal measure. “Send me her resume.”
How’s the New York trip? Still planning to be back Friday?
I scowled at the mention of Julian’s daughter. “Thankfully, no. Though I’m sure she’ll turn up at some charity event soon, pretending we had something more than one regrettable date.”
Chapter 0 The CEO’s Camiosity
Minutes later, my email pinged. I opened Hazel Vance’s resume immediately, scanning it with interest. Business degree with honors. Previous employment at Dalton Enterprises. Excellent references. But no photo. Every resume I’d ever seen included at photo.
I smiled to myself as I packed my suitcase. Tomorrow, I’d finally meet the woman behind the voice. And maybe, just maybe, I’d play around with her a bit. Test her limits. See what Ms. Hazel Vance was really made of.
“She came highly recommended by both Adrian West and Oscar Dalton.”
“That’s all for now,” I said and ended the call.
Chapter 6 – The CEO’s Curiosity
My phone buzzed with a text from Adrian.
Executive Assistant to Liam Sterling
But even as I said it, I knew it wasn’t entirely true. There was something about Hazel Vance that called to me. Something in the quiet confidence of her voice, the precision of her work, the way she’d stood up to me without backing down.
The Henderson meeting dragged on for hours. The old man was brilliant but long–winded, and by the time we finished negotiating terms for acquiring his tech startup, it was late afternoon.
“I don’t bark,” I protested, though I knew it was a lie.
Just eager to get back to the office, I typed back, not quite understanding my own urgency.
My phone rang, disrupting my thoughts. It was Damian Knight, my VP and best friend since college.
“What do you look like, Hazel Vance?” I murmured, scrolling through the document again.
“Eric can kiss my ass,” I replied, thinking of my chief rival with distaste. “His company’s been trying to poach our clients for years.”
I tossed my phone onto the hotel bed and stared out at the New York skyline. The early morning light cast long shadows across the luxury suite, but I barely noticed the view.
6 Chapter 6–The CEO’s Curiosity
My mind was stuck on that phone call from yesterday.
Please let me know if you require any additional information.
“Of course not,” Evelyn replied, her tone making it clear she didn’t believe me for a second. “You always bark at strange women answering your private line.”
Hazel Vance
I grimaced. “I wasn’t testing her
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