I accidentally called my boss while helping my brother try on a new sweater. “Oh god, it’s too tight. I can’t get it in,” he complained with a groan. “That’s impossible. I measured you myself before buying it.” “Mmph–it’s stuck! Ouch! Easy, that hurts!” “Stop squirming! Just… let me… work it in…”
babe. Perfect.
I gave it one final, forceful tug and purred, “Mmm, there w Now let me stroke it down for you… feels better, doesn’t it?” “Seriously?” He tugged at the neck that was squeezing his throat, panting heavily. “I can barely breathe in this thing.”
Later, I found out my boss had answered a mysterious call during a meeting, and his face grew darker by the second.
He said nothing, but proceeded to make 28 department heads cry before the day
was over.
Chapter 1
My brother pointed at my phone.
That’s when I noticed it was in the middle of a call, the screen glowing with the
name “REED HARLOW.”
Just as I picked up the phone to explain, I heard the dial tone. He’d hung up.
Seconds later, a message came through:
[Now that you’re feeling better get your ass back to work tomorrow you’re not the CEO’s wife yet]
The abrupt, terse message without a single comma or period perfectly matched his cold, clipped way of speaking when he was annoyed.
He must have heard me talking to my brother, sounding perfectly healthy, and
assumed I was faking my illness to skip work.
Ruthless capitalist.
I quickly replied: [Understood, Mr. Harlow. I’ll be back tomorrow.]
I could see he was typing, but nothing came through for a while.
He was probably about to curse me out but thought better of it.
That mouth of his never hesitates when he wants to chew someone out.
But I’ve been with him for four years and this is my first time taking sick leave—
medical leave, at that.
The next day, my colleague Melissa warned me as soon as I walked in: “Watch
yourself. He’s on a rampage. Made all the senior managers cry during yesterday’s
meeting.”
I timed it perfectly, prepared his coffee, and knocked on his office door.
I handed him his daily schedule. “Good morning, Mr. Harlow. Here’s today’s
agenda. Two routine meetings during the day and a dinner with Sutton Group
tonight.”
He didn’t touch the coffee. His long fingers rested casually on the desk as he spoke coldly.
“Have Grace come with me to the dinner tonight. You don’t need to attend.” “Why–I mean, yes, Mr. Harlow. I’ll let her know to prepare.”
I swallowed my questions and quietly left his office.
He hates when subordinates question his decisions, and he hates people prying
even more.
I calmed my slightly frazzled nerves and walked over to Grace’s desk.
When I told her the news, Grace dramatically covered her mouth, her eyes welling
up with tears.
“Really, Olivia? I’m so sorry, I’m just so excited…”
Melissa, always enjoying drama, came over to stir the pot.
“Well done, Grace! Only a few days covering for Olivia and already stealing her job.”
“That’s not it at all! I still have so much to learn from my mentor. But Mr. Harlow is So sweet, isn’t he?”
Sweet?
I turned around and caught Melissa’s equally confused expression.
