Affair With My Stepdaddy

HAZEL I sat in the waiting room, going through my presentation for what felt like the hundredth time. My palms were sweaty, and I kept adjusting the sleeves of my blazer. Across from me, my colleague glanced up from his laptop. “Are you sure you’re ready?” Jacinta asked. I looked at her. “Do I look like I have a choice?” She chuckled. “You know what I mean. You’ ve prepared for this for weeks. ” “I know, but preparing in my office is different from standing in front of people who can tear my entire proposal apart with three questions. ” “Then answer those three questions. ” I gave her a look. “Very funny. ” Before she could reply, the meeting room door opened, and a woman in a black suit stepped out. “Miss Hazel?” she called. I immediately stood up. “Yes?” “They ’re ready for you. Please come in. ” I took a deep breath, gathered my documents, and followed her into the room. I was so tense that I could barely look at the people sitting around the table. I kept my eyes on my presentation, occasionally glancing up to make sure I was still speaking to an audience and not to my laptop. I took a deep breath, introduced myself and I started my proposal, trying my best to sound confident even though my heart was beating like it wanted to escape my chest. “So, based on our market research, we believe this investment will allow us to expand our operations and reach a wider audience within the next two years. ” “And what happens if your projections are wrong?” one of the men asked. I swallowed. “We’ ve considered that possibility, sir. That’s why our plan includes measures to reduce potential losses and adjust our strategy if the market doesn’t respond as expected. ” He nodded slowly, making a note on the document in front of him. Another person asked about our competitors, while someone else wanted to know how soon they could expect returns on their investment. I answered each question as best I could, grateful that my preparation was finally paying off. Gradually, my nervousness began to ease. I was even starting to enjoy myself a little. Then a deep, masculine baritone interrupted my thoughts. “Miss Williams, can you explain why we should invest in your company when one of your competitors is already offering a similar service at a lower cost?” I froze. There was something about his voice that made me turn before I could even process the question. And the moment my eyes landed on him, I forgot every single word I had prepared. Oh. My. God. Who was that man? He looked a little over thirty, with a sharp jawline, broad shoulders, and the kind of face that could make a woman forget why she had entered a room in the first place. His dark suit fitted him perfectly, and the expensive watch on his wrist did nothing to make him look any less intimidating. But it was his eyes that got me. They were fixed on me, waiting for an answer, and there wasn’t even the slightest hint of a smile on his ridiculously handsome face. I stared. He stared back. And just like that, my brain decided to abandon me at the worst possible moment. Good Lord, the man was a whole meal. Not just a meal, actually. He was the kind of snack I could happily munch on every day without getting tired of it. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and midnight cravings. I wanted the full package. “HAZEL!” Jacinta’s sharp scream snapped me out of my thoughts. I blinked several times, finally remembering where I was and why everyone was staring at me. Oh, God. “I…I’m sorry, ” I apologized quickly, turning toward him. question?” “Could you please repeat your The man stared at me for a moment before shaking his head. “Forget it. ” He picked up his phone and stood, buttoning his suit jacket as he walked toward the door without sparing me another glance. I stood there, completely mortified. “Mr… ” I began, but the door had already closed behind him. The silence that followed was worse than any insult he could have thrown at me. I forced myself to continue the presentation, but the confidence I’d struggled to build earlier had disappeared. The remaining questions felt like an interrogation, and I could barely concentrate on my answers. By the time I finished, the disappointment in the room was almost impossible to ignore. One after another, the CEOs gathered their belongings and left without making any promises. A few offered polite nods, but none showed the slightest interest in discussing the proposal further. I stood beside the presentation screen, clutching my documents against my chest. The moment the last person left, Jacinta marched toward me. “What the hell was that, Hazel?” I winced. “Good afternoon to you too. ” “Don’t even start with me. ” She threw her hands up. “What happened in there? You were doing so well, and then you suddenly started acting like you’d forgotten how to speak English!” “I wasn’t feeling too well, ” I lied. Jacinta narrowed her eyes. “You weren’t feeling well?” I nodded quickly. “Yes. I think the stress is getting to me. ” She stared at me for another moment before letting out a frustrated breath. “You do realize you’ ve just ruined your chance of getting those investors, right?” My stomach tightened. “Jacinta, please don’t say that. ” “Then what do you want me to say?” she demanded. “Do you even know who that man was?” I shook my head slowly. “That was Shane Johnston. ” The name meant nothing to me at first, but the seriousness on Jacinta’s face told me it should. “Shane Johnston?” I repeated. “Yes, Hazel! The Shane Johnston. He’s one of the most influential business tycoons in the country. His investments alone could take our company to an entirely different level. ” My mouth fell open. Jacinta continued before I could say anything. “Do you know how many companies are practically begging for his attention? Getting him to attend this meeting was difficult enough. If you’d managed to impress him, the other CEOs would have taken our proposal more seriously. Some of them might even have been fighting to invest. ” I felt my stomach drop. Oh, no. No, no, no. I had just ruined what could have been the biggest opportunity of my career because I’d been too busy admiring a man’s face. A man whose name I hadn’t even known until a few minutes ago. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. “What am I supposed to do now?” I whispered. Jacinta rubbed her forehead before checking her phone. “Actually, you might still have a chance. ” I immediately looked up. “What do you mean?” “Someone just told me he’s heading to the parking lot. His car is hard to miss. A white Bugatti Mistral. ” I didn’t wait for her to finish. “Thank you!” “Hazel, wait!” she called as I hurried toward the door. remember why you’re going after him this time!” “And please, for the love of God, “I know!” I shouted over my shoulder. At least, I hoped I did, because I’ ve realized keeping my eyes off Shane Johnston was a much bigger problem than getting him to invest in our company.