The CEO'S RULEBOOK

Start of the Year

Mila’s POV

People say, “A new year marks a new beginning, and new beginnings bring happiness.” Well, that wasn’t my case as I walked into the company this morning.

A storm of emotions churned inside me: anxiety, anticipation, and uncertainty. I drew in a shaky breath, trying to steady myself, but the weight of it all was suffocating.

Mr. Harris Sr. had retired, leaving behind a void in the office, and I was left wondering what would become of me now. His departure had created a ripple, and his successor?

Maybe his son won’t be so bad, I thought, trying to find solace in the unknown. Maybe he’ll be just like his father. The company could use a fresh, young face anyway.

I whispered the words to myself, hoping they would bring me some peace as I greeted Jolie in the lobby and made my way up to the top floor. Today was the day. The day the new CEO started, I wasn’t about to let him beat me to the office.

When I reached the door to the CEO’s office, curiosity pricked at me. Without thinking, I found myself peeking through the glass. Had he already arrived? Relief washed over me when I saw it was empty.

But before I could leave, a deep, commanding voice jolted me back to reality.

“So, are you done invading my personal space?”

The words were low and thick, like dark velvet, and they startled me so much that I nearly stumbled. I whipped around, my heart hammering in my chest.

Standing there, framed in the doorway, was the man I’d been dreading to meet. He was impossibly tall, with broad shoulders that filled the space, and a presence that made the air around him seem to crackle. His face was chiselled, his jaw sharp, and his eyes a shade of silver-grey so intense they felt like they could burn right through me.

And those eyes… they were breathtaking.

I couldn’t help myself. My gaze drifted lower, drawn to his perfectly tailored suit that stretched across his broad chest. He was effortlessly handsome in a way that made my breath catch.

“Are you done staring?” he asked, his tone edged with impatience.

I blinked, trying to steady myself, but composure slipped right through my fingers as recognition struck like a bolt of lightning.

I had seen him before.

He was the stranger who had almost run me over on the road, the same man whose voice had cut through the chaos that day. And now he was standing in front of me.

“Miss, I don’t appreciate being stared at,” he said, snapping me out of my daze.

I quickly stepped aside, my legs suddenly unsteady. “Sorry. I’m Mila Brown, your assistant. And you must be Angel Harris, the new boss,” I muttered, barely above a whisper.

He nods and then walks past me without a second glance, his every movement exuding power and authority. My heart raced as I followed him into the office.

“Do you want coffee? I can get you coffee, or you can just tell me what you prefer. Or maybe you can just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it,” I blurted out nervously.

He looked up at me, his eyes threatening to swallow me whole. “I need you to go. I don’t need you hovering around me. I hate ass-kissers.” His voice was cold and dismissive.

I wanted to protest, but his eyes stopped me. With a slight gesture toward the door, he made it clear the conversation was over.

So I slowly walked out and went back to my desk.

I tried to focus, to make myself useful, but my mind kept drifting back to him, the man now occupying both my thoughts and the office I had worked so hard to maintain.

The phone rang, shattering the silence. I rushed to grab it, but before I could even speak, his voice rang out from behind me, sharp and commanding.

“In my office. Now.”

I froze. The tension in the air was heavy as I turned to face him. My knees threatened to buckle as I walked toward his office like a woman on the edge of a cliff.

As soon as I stepped inside, the atmosphere seemed to thicken. I felt small, almost invisible under his gaze.

“You asked to see me?” I asked, my voice shaking as I twisted the hem of my blouse.

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, his eyes raked over me, cold and calculating, as though he were trying to uncover every secret I had ever kept. The silence stretched long and uncomfortable.

“What’s your name again?” His voice cut through the stillness, commanding yet somehow alluring.

“Mila Brown,” I stammered, my heart pounding.

He stared at me for a long moment, his eyes narrowing slightly, his lips pulling into the faintest smirk like he knew exactly the effect he was having on me. Then, just as quickly, his expression hardened again.

I could feel his gaze pressing down on me, stripping me bare. I opened my mouth to speak, to fill the silence with anything at all, but before I could, he spoke again.

“I need you to call a meeting for the entire company,” he said, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

I hesitated. “I don’t think that’s the right move, sir. You just arrived, and everyone is on edge. I think you should give the company a few more days before calling a meeting.” The words slipped out before I could stop them.

The next moment happened so quickly that I barely had time to react. He was on me, his hand gripping my arm with such force that I gasped, my breath catching in my throat.

“How dare you?” His grip tightened, iron on my skin. “I am your boss, I give orders. You follow. No questions. No hesitation?” His voice was ice-cold, a threat laced in every syllable.

I stood frozen, rooted to the spot, my heart racing in fear as I looked into his eyes, which burned with a cold fury I had never seen before.

“I’m sorry, sir,” I whispered, tears threatening to spill as my chest tightened with panic.

He didn’t release me immediately. Instead, he stared at me, almost as if he were savouring my discomfort. Then, with a suddenness that left me breathless, he let go, his hand dropping away as though I were nothing more than a passing inconvenience.

“Set the meeting. I don’t want to have to repeat myself,” he muttered, his voice low and clipped.

I couldn’t move. I was still shaking from the intensity of the moment. I just nodded, my mind reeling as I stumbled back out of his office, my heart still pounding in my chest.