The CEO nobody could please
The first thing Lena Hart learned about Vale's corporation was simple:
Nobody lasted long under Adrian Vale.
By 8:30am on Monday, three assistants had already burst out of the executive floor looking close to tears. One intern nearly tripped over himself carrying files out of the conference room while muttering prayers under his breath.
Lena tightened her grip on her tablet and tried not to panic.
“Relax,” whispered Mia from Human Resources as they stepped out of the elevator. “If he yells, don’t cry. He hates crying.”
“That’s supposed to help me?” Lena whispered back.
Mia gave her a sympathetic smile before hurrying away.
The executive floor was unnaturally quiet, polished marble stretching endlessly beneath Lena’s heels. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city, but nobody seemed to admire the view here. Employees moved quickly, carefully, as if one mistake could destroy their careers.
Maybe it could.
Lena had spent weeks preparing for this job. Vale's corporation paid better than anywhere else in the city, and after her father’s hospital bills nearly emptied their savings, she couldn’t afford to fail.
Even if her boss was rumored to be impossible.
“Miss Hart.”
Lena nearly jumped.
A tall man in a gray suit stood beside the reception desk. His expression was unreadable.
“The CEO is waiting.”
Already?
She swallowed nervously and followed him down the hallway toward enormous black double doors.
The assistant stopped. “Good luck.”
That sounded less like encouragement and more like a warning.
Lena pushed the doors open.
The office was breathtaking—modern, cold, and silent. Dark shelves lined the walls, and sunlight poured across the massive desk near the windows.
Behind it sat Adrian Vale.
He didn’t look up immediately, continuing to sign documents with calm precision. Everything about him screamed control—from his perfectly tailored black suit to the expensive watch resting against his wrist.
Lena had seen photos of him before, but none captured the intimidating presence he carried in person.
Finally, his sharp gray eyes lifted to hers.
“You’re late.”
Lena blinked. “I—”
“It’s eight fifty-nine,” he said smoothly. “Your schedule said eight fifty-five.”
Four minutes.
Four minutes late.
“I apologize, sir.”
He studied her for a moment that felt far too long.
Then he leaned back slightly. “Most people defend themselves first.”
Lena forced herself not to fidget. “Would that make me less late?”
Something unreadable flickered briefly across his face.
Interesting.
“Sit.”
The meeting lasted exactly twelve minutes.
In those twelve minutes, Adrian reviewed her qualifications, corrected the way she organized his files, pointed out two spelling errors in a report she hadn’t even written, and somehow made Lena feel like she was constantly being examined.
By the time she stepped out of the office, her heart was pounding.
“How bad was it?” another employee asked immediately.
Lena exhaled shakily. “I think I survived.”
The employee stared at her in surprise. “You’re still employed, so that’s a good sign.”
Unfortunately, surviving Adrian Vale only became harder as the week continued.
Tuesday morning, Lena watched him reduce an entire marketing team into terrified silence during a presentation.
Wednesday afternoon, he rejected a million-dollar proposal with a single sentence.
Thursday, he fired two senior employees.
The entire office fell silent as the couple stood in front of Adrian’s desk.
“We’re sorry,” the woman whispered tearfully. “We didn’t think—”
“You knew company policy,” Adrian interrupted coldly.
The man stepped forward desperately. “Sir, our relationship never affected our work.”
“That is irrelevant.”
Lena stood frozen beside the office door, clutching her notes.
Westbridge Holdings’ no-dating policy was infamous. Employees weren’t allowed to date coworkers under any circumstances. Rumors claimed Adrian created the rule himself years ago.
Looking at his expression now, Lena believed it.
“Collect your things,” Adrian said calmly. “Security will escort you out.”
The woman began crying harder as they left the office.
Silence lingered afterward.
Heavy silence.
Lena carefully placed the signed documents onto Adrian’s desk. “Your four o’clock meeting has been rescheduled.”
Adrian didn’t respond immediately.
Instead, he stared out the window overlooking the city skyline.
For the first time all week, he looked tired.
Not angry.
Not cold.
Just exhausted.
Something about that realization made Lena unexpectedly uneasy.
“You disapprove,” he said suddenly.
Lena froze. “Sir?”
“The policy.” His gaze remained fixed on the window. “You think I was harsh.”
She hesitated carefully. “I think… people don’t always choose who they fall in love with.”
The second the words left her mouth, she regretted them.
Nobody questioned Adrian Vale.
Slowly, he turned toward her.
The air in the office felt dangerously still.
“And that,” he said quietly, “is exactly why rules exist.”
Lena lowered her eyes quickly. “I should return to work.”
She turned toward the door.
“Miss Hart.”
Her hand paused on the handle.
“Yes, sir?”
Adrian closed the file in front of him and met her gaze directly.
“Cancel your evening plans.”
Lena frowned slightly.
“You’ll be staying late tonight,” he said evenly. “Alone with me.”
