Chapter 1
No matter what I did, my boss, Thomas Simmons, always thought I was hitting on him.
When I dressed in professional clothes to give a report, he said I was using my outfit to seduce him.
When I drank with clients at business dinners, he said I was planning to get drunk and sleep with him.
When I called him late at night about signing a deal, he called me shameless and said I was trying to sleep my way up.
I snorted, told the client that I couldn't reach my boss, and gave up a 3-million-dollar deal. Then I quit and joined a Fortune 500 company.
I wondered what other nonsense Thomas could pull.
*****
It was two in the morning. I'd just finished dealing with a funeral and was about to say goodbye to Sean Grant.
Sean thought for a while and then finally said, "I'll sign the contract, but the offer only stands tonight."
My eyes sparkled, and I had to cover my mouth to keep myself from squealing with excitement.
For three months, I'd been trying to talk Sean into signing this multi-million dollar deal.
Sean went from shutting me out to watching how I worked and thinking things through.
He was finally willing to let our small company take on the project.
Seeing me trying to keep my excitement in check because of the timing, Sean's expression softened.
He said, "Honestly, your company didn't even make the cut, but after seeing your persistence and how you brought so much joy to my mother in her final days, I changed my mind.
"This is what you've earned through your hard work. As long as you can get your boss's signature tonight, we've got a deal."
He lifted his chin, and his secretary stepped forward to hand me the paperwork.
Everything was spelled out in black and white. It was obvious this had been prepped in advance.
I bowed deeply and rushed out into the hallway with my phone in hand, ready to call Thomas.
I stood and shivered in the icy wind, and my fingers were turning numb and purple, but there was still no reply on WhatsApp.
Thomas was a night owl. He'd just changed his WhatsApp status a minute ago, but now he was completely ignoring me.
I was worried. Sean stepped out, holding a coat.
"Can't get through?" he asked.
"No. I-I think my boss is asleep," I stammered. "It's just so late, Mr. Grant. Maybe I could come by the office tomorrow morning and bring the official stamp, and then we can—"
"Ms. Sherman," he suddenly said seriously, "we need a partner who's ready to handle any emergencies that might hit Grant Group. Every Fortune 500 company protects its reputation at all costs.
"Nighttime is when public opinion blows up the fastest. If Grant Group faces a PR disaster in the middle of the night, are you saying your team would be sleeping?"
I fell silent. This whole partnership was only happening because Sean was making an exception for us.
If I hadn't been taking care of Sean's mom to land the contract, I wouldn't even be allowed to enter the Grant Group's office building right now.
MCN companies were everywhere, and people would kill for a chance to work with the Grant Group.
My voice was hoarse as I begged for one last chance to call.
The phone rang for what felt like forever, and just when I was about to give up, the call finally connected.
"Mr. Simmons, about the contract..." I said.
"Thomas, that hurts," a woman teased.
Their flirty laughter hit me like a slap, leaving me completely speechless.
Their voices, loud and clear on the speaker, echoed through the freezing night.
Sean and his secretary stood next to me, both frowning and looking serious.
I looked embarrassed and was about to interrupt Thomas, but Thomas lazily drawled, "Claire, it's two in the morning. Are you so eager to trade favors for a promotion?
"I've met enough gold-diggers who think they can climb the ladder without doing any real work. Give it up. I'll never fall for you."
I took a deep breath and knew, once again, that he was seeing everyone through a sexual lens.
Once, I was in my business suit, giving him my work report at the office.
He went off on me right in front of his secretary, calling me shameless and accusing me of trying to pull some sexy office girl act.
He called me out in public, and he pretended to be immune to women.
At business dinners, though I had stomach issues, I still stepped in and drank with the clients in his place, so he could remain sober while talking business.
But he'd always twist it, claiming I was trying to get drunk, sleep with him, trap him with a baby, and land myself a spot in his wealthy family.
Just thinking about all the times he'd twisted things made my cheeks flush with anger.
But with Sean and his secretary right there, I had to hold it back.
Trying to keep my cool, I explained, "Mr. Simmons, you've got it all wrong. Mr. Grant's mother just passed away, and I'm here handling the funeral stuff. It happened suddenly, so I had to call you now."
"Why do you have to tell me Sean's mother's dead? Do you expect me to summon her ghost or something? Can't you come up with a better excuse?" Thomas snapped.
He sounded extra impatient, and Sean's face was grim.
I kept murmuring apologies under my breath, desperately trying to steer the conversation back on track.
"I swear I'm not making this up. Mr. Grant's mother passed away, and because I was there for her, he finally agreed to the deal. You need to come sign the contract now. There's hope for our company now," I pleaded.