by Mia Caldwell
“A swiss bank account with your name on it. I’ve already made the first deposit. Feel free to check the account if you must. It’s yours, but you won’t need it for the duration of our arrangement. I’ll have my assistant provide you with a company credit card that you may use for general purposes over the next few weeks.”
My hand shook almost imperceptibly as I held the little piece of paper. Seven and a half million dollars… More money than I’d ever dreamed of having in my entire life. It was in my hands.
“Before you think about taking that money and running before our arrangement is complete…”
“I’m not running, Cole,” I replied, casting him a glare. “I won’t touch the account until we’re finished here. You hired me to do a job, you’re going to pay me to do the job, and I’m going to do that job.”
“Until a higher bidder comes along?” he jabbed. “Your last employer might still be waiting on your little USB stick.”
“Something tells me you’re the only billionaire looking for a fifteen million dollar wife,” I said, letting myself relax just a bit. “Besides, this isn’t just about me.”
“You’re still interested in my employees getting their fair share?”
“Of course. I’m one of them. You think I’m going to turn down an extra million?”
Now it was Cole’s turn to smirk.
“Lets get back to business…you should probably count on us having these lunches every few days from now on, with the exception of tomorrow.”
“Is that so?” I wondered, glad to be off the topic of my personal life and quality of close friends. “What makes tomorrow different?”
His eyebrow rose. “It’s Friday.”
“What, you take half-days on Fridays?”
“Usually, but no. Tomorrow’s the quarterly party.”
“Oh.” With the excitement of the week, I’d completely forgotten about that. “Right. Yeah, that makes sense.”
“Speaking of, I have some preparations to make,” Cole suddenly spoke, rising up and tossing his napkin over his plate. I quickly rose with him, doing the same with my own.
“Make sure that you attend this party,” he added, guiding me back towards his office.
“I don’t have a policy of avoiding lavish parties thrown on the company dime,” I grinned mischievously. “Of course I’ll be there.”
“Good,” he answered, his hand sliding across my shoulder. I felt a small twinge of surprising pleasure at his touch, as his palm clasped the bare skin.
“Oh, and Key?” Cole whispered into my ear.
“Yeah?” My breath caught slightly in my throat.
“Wear something nice.”
(Back to Table of Contents)
Chapter 9
Kiona
The Next Day
It was almost impossible to get any work done – not only was it a typical, lazy Friday at the office, but it was the day of the Quarterly Party. Still, Larry called the marketing department into an early huddle, eager to keep productivity at a reasonable level.
“Now look, guys and gals, I know we’re all excited about this little throw-down tonight,” he chuckled as he glanced between all of us. “But that doesn’t mean we’re not here to do good work. Lauren, Alexis, talk to me about Grainesbury.”
Our immediate supervisor turned from marketer to marketer in our little group, discussing the various major clients and projects we were working on. Within a few minutes, we had a firm grasp of what everyone was doing, and what was specifically expected from us today.
He dismissed us at the end, but not before directly calling me into his office.
“You’ve been doing some excellent work here, Kiona,” Larry told me as he stepped behind his two displays. “I just wanted you to know that I’m happy to have you onboard, and that this isn’t going unnoticed – least of all not by me. And you really saved my hide back there with the conference room.”
“My pleasure as always, sir,” I answered humbly.
“I believe it, too. Listen…” he continued, jotting something down on a pocket notebook from behind the monitors, “there’s some talk that I might be moving up.” He glanced up, making eye contact. “Nothing definite yet. But word is that Coppersmith’s taking a leave from the company soon.”
“Coppersmith’s leaving?”
“Yeah, I’m lead to believe so,” he clarified. “Not of his own choice, either. There have been some private conversations between some of the execs and myself…the general impression is that he’s not working out. He’s starting to really clash with some of the others, and they’re thinking that promoting him was a mistake. The man’s on thin ice and he knows it, but I don’t think he realizes how badly off he really is.”
“Is it that bad?”
“It’s bad,” he confirmed. “Real bad. They want him out, and they want me to move up into his position…I won’t be a suit, not for a while. They’ve learned to be cautious about that. But the nature of our talks tell me, at the very least, that they want me as Director of Marketing.”
“That’s…incredible!” I grinned madly. I liked Larry. Sure, he was an easy target when I was plying my former trade, but he was a genuinely good guy. “You already know so much about this stuff, and you’re great with people. You’ll be a perfect fit for the role!”
“It’s not guaranteed – I’m having lunch with half the table after the weekend,” he told me, “but if these talks go well, and as long as I pick a successor, they’re prepared to evict Coppersmith from the company and give me his role. I mean, don’t get me wrong, the man’s great at his job–”
“No, he’s not,” I cut in. “I barely see him around, he’s a nightmare to work for, and he has ridiculous ideas and sets blatantly unrealistic deadlines.”
“–Be that all as it may,” he chuckled nervously, “he’s my boss for now. He came into the company early on with a pocketful of important contacts that seriously put us on the map. Andrews always had a soft spot for him. He was instrumental in the early years, and he earned his keep. I’m only taking the position if the rest of them give me some solid proof that he’s a liability now…and if you give me a yes.”
“A yes to what?”
Larry grinned. “Be my successor.”
“You’re…wait, what?” I was stunned.
“Think about it, Kiona! You’re a natural at this stuff. The first week you were here, I wasn’t so sure about you, but you really pulled through and showed your stuff. The rest of the team gets along with you, you’ve got a record for getting things done and you have a keen eye for detail. On paper, you’re better at this job than I ever was.”
“That’s very kind of you to say,” I graciously replied, quickly processing this news, “but there’s no way that I–”
“You’ve got until early Monday morning. That leaves you the whole weekend to think it over. Just spend some time and consider it for me, would ya? I can’t think of anyone more qualified to take the reins of the team…in fact, if we’re going to be totally honest, you’re the only qualified candidate for it. I’ve seen your resume. Your coworkers do great work and all, but I shudder at thinking any of them could honestly be up to the task.”
“Yes sir,” I answered, blindsided by his trust and compassion. “Thank you, sir. It means the world that you think so highly of me.”
Larry smiled warmly. “You’ve proven your mettle, kid. I haven’t been oblivious to your talents, and when your little stunt in the conference room checked out, it told the board that you’re qualified for leadership material. Anyone else, I’d really have to try and sell…and it would be an inevitable trial by fire if the board even agreed. But with Coppersmith out of the way I can already guarantee that they’ll accept you in my role. Now, this all stays just between you and me, you hear?”
I agreed with a curt nod.
“Good. Now that I’ve distracted you even more from your work today, get out there and make me proud.”
Politely dismissing myself
from his office, a large grin crossed my lips. I had started the week off afraid that my little ruse could be discovered at any point…and now, so many opportunities had crossed my path.
I guess maybe I wasn’t just good at faking it. I could do this for real… I couldn’t wait to see what the future would bring.
And for a few hours at least, everything was right in the world.
* * *
The Quarterly Party was at a swanky venue downtown. Cole Andrews had spared no expense in renting the entire upper floor of an in-demand restaurant, complete with half a dozen servers to handle our needs.
Even with a billionaire footing the bill, inevitably a third of the company didn’t show or couldn’t make it to the event, but it was their loss. The servers, however, were visibly relieved that they were serving fewer than fifty guests, as opposed to around seven hundred. Complete with maroon chef’s shirts and long, flowing, ankle-length aprons, they whizzed expertly around and refilled our drinks, took dinner orders, dropped off libations, and remained on call for our every whim.
The party was a little more formal than last time – no karaoke machine or margarita in everyone’s hand. At the same time, the music was kept low from the loft speakers, and we were able to get a little rowdy with our celebrations.
Most of the board members weren’t there, leaving Coppersmith mostly alone as he scowled from the round table near the stage. The older woman from the conference room was at his side, although she looked relatively disinterested in anything he had to say.
Larry, on the other hand, was a lot more popular. He passed between the tables, shaking hands and welcoming people to the celebration – even those well outside his department. I never got to see him interact outside of the Marketing group, so it was pleasing to see how friendly he really was, and how well-liked he was by the entire staff.
He’d make an excellent Director of Marketing, I thought to myself as I glanced over at Coppersmith again. The older man had his eyes angrily on Larry, before turning to gaze furiously at me.
I didn’t have time to consider how much he really knew before Cole Andrews took the stage. We hadn’t made any eye contact, as he’d been preoccupied with the restaurant manager, taking private phone calls, and doing whatever else he did to keep himself out of the spotlight.
“Good evening, everyone,” Cole called out over the crowd, as everyone began to calm down and return to their seats. “I’m happy to have all of you here, and delighted that you would join me in celebrating another four months with Andrews Enterprises…”
He continued on, trying to force an extroverted, friendly grin. It didn’t really work, at least not for me, but the staff was hanging on his every word and eating it all up. He explained some of the changes made since the previous Quarterly Party, how positively the revenue percentages were looking, and called direct attention to a few of his employees for above-and-beyond contributions beyond the scope of their roles. Timothy got a nod for his late hours producing brilliant graphic design, and so did someone in accounting, the international sales rep, and the private chef.
“However, there is also someone else I must call attention to,” he changed direction. “A young woman who has proven herself highly capable in the last few months…”
Oh, for Gods’ sake, please don’t call me up there.
“Kiona Walker, join me for a moment.”
Goddammit.
Nervously, I slipped out of my chair and did my own, private walk of shame between the tables. There was some scattered applause, and I spotted Larry grinning up at me as I passed by. Within a moment, I was standing conspicuously next to Cole Andrews on stage, facing out over the people I worked with on a daily basis.
“Kiona Walker has demonstrated remarkable skill in her role, and the tenacity to stand up to my executive staff when the time is proper,” he continued.
I gritted my teeth uncomfortably; why is everyone still making a big deal out of that?
“I have also come to realize that she is a rather intelligent woman, highly ambitious, and very, very clever when she puts her mind to it, able to slip into any role that’s necessary…”
Wait…where is he going with this? I smiled awkwardly to nobody in particular.
“…Which is how she managed to fool all of you,” he added, pausing with a quick cough.
My heart sank in my chest.
“Kiona Walker interviewed with several of my most competent, trusted employees; she effortlessly duped people I trusted, people who have worked with me since almost the very beginning…she also won over my personal assistant, and has fabricated just about every relevant detail of her work history to accept this role. Every talent that she exercises in her position, she learned covertly on the job…but the truth stands. Her entire background was false. She made everything up.”
Why? I asked myself, gazing hopelessly over a sea of disillusioned, confused faces. Why is this happening? What the hell?
“…Which is why, effective immediately, Kiona Walker is terminated from employment at Andrews Enterprises.”
No, I pleaded in my head, clutching at my chest. My gaze immediately turned to a horrified Larry. I couldn’t stand the look in his eyes, and averted my vision…
Big mistake. Coppersmith was grinning triumphantly, his vile face contorted into a wicked, devilish smile. He knows, I thought desperately to myself. He knows just how fucked he was. He knows that he’s safe now.
“But,” Cole filled the silence, “this is not a moment of disappointment for me. I’ve known all of this from the very start. Maybe it was cruel to put my signature on her hiring form, but I was fascinated by her ambition, her blind commitment to pulling herself up by her own bootstraps. I expected her to fail. But she did not.”
My shame must have been plainly written across my face. I realized that a camera was flashing, and that the event photographer was probably snapping all sorts of visual reminders of this moment. I’d never been so humiliated in my entire life, and I was growing ever more furious by the moment.
“We’ve spent time together in the past two months,” he lied to them. “At first, I was quietly angry, expecting to find a self-serving snake who dared to infiltrate my agency and make a fool of me…but that’s not the Kiona I came to understand. She is one of the most compassionate, loving souls I have ever met – someone who’s always looking out for others. By total accident, she showed me that she cares for all of you as much as I do. I can see from the shocked faces in this room that you’d come to appreciate her. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that I’ve grown to admire her as well. I admire this woman, I respect her…and I’ve grown to love her.”
At first I was wondering where any of that was coming from – Compassionate? Loving? – but then it all suddenly dawned on me, in a burning blaze of anger.
Wait…no. You can’t be serious. This is the goddamned moment you’re going to make our little ruse public? You’re going to embarrass me in front of the senior staff, fire me, and now… What are you– God damnit...
“Kiona – Key, my dear,” Cole Andrews turned to me, reaching into his pocket and dropping to one knee in front of me, “Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
Part Two
(Back to Table of Contents)
Chapter 10
Cole
One Week Later
It wasn’t customary for billionaire business partners to sit alone in the waiting room of a powerful corporation, so I elected to stand instead. At least it’s presentable, I thought to myself, admiring the various customary Japanese portraits and the stellar view of the city.
The flight to Tokyo was always a long one. Fortunately, I didn’t have to make the trip too often – and it was usually under fairly warm circumstances.
I was somewhat lacking in confidence this time.
My cold gaze flicked over to the receptionist, a calm and collected Japanese woman of considerable stoicism. She looked up from her screen, meeting my gaze with an apathetic glan
ce, then returned to her work.
Straightening my posture, I slid my hands into the pockets of my suit slacks. It had already been twenty minutes since my arrival had been announced, and I wondered what the delay portended. It wasn’t like my host to put on such a display of irritation.
I didn’t like it at all.
It’s not as if I didn’t already have a lot to think about. The last week had been quite the upset. While I expected some aftermath and a few hitches here and there, in my apathy and force of will I had failed to understand the weight of a few deceptively important details within my agency. The fallout, resultantly, had been relatively catastrophic.