FALLING FOR HIS CHARM

Anna. I stomped angrily past the cubicles of all the nosy employees, trying to ignore their probing stares and low snickers. My legs felt heavy, my whole body felt as if i was going to collapse. This clearly was counting as one of my worst days ever. I could hear the whispers, most of the employees could not contain their joy. The ice queen was finally gone. They thought i didn't know that they all whispered behind my back and called me the ice queen because of my tough work ethics. But i did know. I knew everything the close to one hundred and fifty employees i supervised talked about me. But i never really paid any attention because i was too busy focusing on my goal of becoming the CEO of Dreamscape. They all thought i was a lonely pathetic sad b***h and maybe they were right. I have given all my time to this company that i had no personal life whatsoever and now i had nothing. I have worked for Dreamscape Enterprises for over four years now since i graduated from college. I have slowly worked my way up and earned my respect from almost all the shareholders, i have sacrificed pretty much everything to get here, especially as a woman. My only one goal was to finally become the CEO and it looked like i was going to get it for a very long time. I have always remained professional and distant from my employees running my division with cool efficiency and precision. I was the head of the marketing department and it was undoubtedly the most successful and productive department of the company. So when Jerry Springfield retired earlier this year as CEO, i was so sure my time had finally come to shine and get what i have worked so hard for. The job was definitely mine. I opened the door with a thud, my hands still shaking with anger and dissapointment, my office was at the corner with the most amazing view of Newyork City. I stepped inside and slammed the door behind me as i grabbed an empty box and started throwing all my personal effects in there. As i hurriedly stuffed my personal items into the box, tears streamed down my face as i replayed what had just happened in my mind. Changing my whole life and making me need a whole new plan with my life. "It's with great pride that i introduce to you Dreamscape's newest CEO, my one and only grandson Asher Adams" At that moment, my whole body was weak as i sat there stunned when the owner, Asher Senior delivered the news to the ten members of the board of directors, and to me the new CEO. I gritted my teeth at the thought of him. Asher was a twenty nine eight year old fresh graduate months out of grad school and he had just gotten the job. I get that the company belonged to his grandfather but i never thought he would actually hand over the company to an inexperienced person. Sure Asher Went to harvard and graduated with first honors. But all he was famous for especially recently was the different women he bedded every night. He had no interest in the company, the few times i had spotted him here, he was drank and mostly with his groupies. And apparently they chose him to ran the company. Just perfect. Daamn! It must be nice being born into the world of money. The sound of my office door closing caught my attention and i immediately whirled around to face the last person i wanted see. My day couldn't possibly get any worse than it already was. At least that's what i thought until i laid eyes on the last person i wanted to see. "Anna, i am really sorry. I didn't know...." I held up my hand to halt his next words. "It's fine Asher. I could tell from your shocked expression it was news to you too. But still congratulations." i said stiffly and turned back around to finish packing avoiding his eye contact. I didn't want to start crying like a little girl especially not infront of him. "Hey, Anna, what are you doing?" he asked surprised. "What does it look like am doing to you Asher?" i snapped unable stop myself as i continued dumping stuff into my box. My whole body suddenly tensed at the touch of his hand against mine. Blowing out a long breath i turned around to face him face to face and as soon as i met his gaze, and i saw the hurt in his handsome face, i instantly regretted my words. It wasn’t his fault. Actually Asher didn’t deserve any of my anger. Ever since he’d joined the company two months ago as the CFO, he had been nothing but kind towards me, even though i had always kept him at arm’s length. “Don’t quit,” he said softly. I shrugged his hand from my arm, flashing him a weak smile. “I have to. I need to go back to the drawing board. There's nothing left for me here.” “But, I need you,” he said, and i almost swore i saw something flash in his eyes that hinted at a more intimate need, but then it disappeared and i figured it had just been my imagination. He cleared his throat and added. “to advise me. You have the most experience of any of the senior staff and I need your expertise.” “I’m sorry, Asher, but you know I can’t stay,” i said quietly, holding his penetrating blue gaze. “What will you do?” he asked me. I shrugged as a i curled my lips into a wry smile. “I don’t know and for the first time in my life, I don’t care.” It was true. I had lived my life for so long always striving to accomplish my next goal. Well, for the first time ever i had no goal and it felt good. The disappointment on his face tugged at me, and for just a moment i experienced a pang of guilt. Feeling compelled to do something i was sure i would later regret, i grabbed one of my business cards and scribbled on the back. “Here is my home number. If you have a question or need any help just call me.” i shoved my card into his hand and whirled back around to finish with my task of packing. I heard him mumble “thanks” followed by the soft click of the door closing shut. Contrary to what my employees thought, i did have feelings and i felt bad for dumping my anger on Asher when he had nothing to do with the events that had transpired earlier. But i couldn’t help feeling a twinge of resentment. He now held the position that i had coveted for the last five years. Still, that had been no excuse for my abrupt dismissal and downright rude behavior. I toyed with the thought of going after him to apologize, but quickly abandoned the idea. He’d be fine. I on the other hand wouldn’t. The knowledge that i had given up so much for a dream that had been snatched so cruelly from me was enough to send me spiraling head first to depression. Painful memories from the past four years of all the sacrifices i had made replayed themselves in my head. The main one being from three years ago when my ex-fiancé walked out on me shortly after i had miscarried our baby, all the while hurling accusations at me that my workaholic schedule had been the cause. I knew now that Toby was nothing but an asshole and a jerk, but at the time the pain and guilt had only driven me to work harder, making me even more determined to achieve the goal that had cost me the family i had always wanted. Tears burned the backs of my eyes and i drew in a deep breath, as i forced them not to fall. I needed to hurry up and finish packing so that i could get out of there before i did what i so desperately longed to do, slump to the floor and indulge in a good cry. But my pride would not allow me to give into the impulse. The Ice b***h did not c***k, and certainly didn’t melt.