The Billionaire's Path: A second chance at Love.

Chapter One; Fired

Andrew Hayes, famous for his indifferent and cool front, stood on the balcony of the penthouse so far above the ground, he watched the city beneath him pulse with life. A ghost of a smile on his lips, knowing in mere hours, he'd add this town to the list of ones he'd conquered.

He'd rented the house for the work trip away from home, here to sign a deal that would definitely grow his empire. He watched the skyline of Rome, marveling at how different it was from the one in New York.

"Mr. Hayes, Please... it was an honest mistake. I swear..."

His assistant Iris begged behind him, pulling him out of the admiration and reverie he'd locked himself in. He sighed, no hint of empathy in his next words.

"Iris, you signed the contract. You know the drill. I don't allow mistakes." He brushed past her, his expensive cologne wafting through the air, everything about him screaming 'rich and wealthy', from the dark navy blue suit to the crisp black shoes he wore to match. Even the Ray Ban glasses that rested on his breast pocket seemed like gold.

He faced her, his eyes mocking as he pointed to his neck. "You chose a green tie for my suit? Did you want me to look like a joke? Not to mention the two meetings I almost missed because you couldn't keep up. I should have fired you sooner, but I needed to get a replacement first."

Andrew stood to his full height, already used to this by now. His schedule has to be impeccable, he can't tolerate mistakes. Making mistakes didn't help him build his Empire brick by brick... this kingdom was built from the pain he still wasn't able to fully bury with all the money, success and fame. He looked at Iris, she was the fourth assistant he'd had in two months. His assistant turnover had been higher than normal, a lot of them quitting in tears when they couldn't handle his schedules, plans and needs, or in cases like these, they wouldn't meet his specific expectations.

He had standards — perfection. He refused to settle.

"Janet will send you your severance pay. Your flight home has been booked. Your services are no longer needed," Andrew finished. His eyes cold and indifferent while he turned away, showing easily enough that the conversation was over.

He sat on the couch in the penthouse, getting out his phone and called Janet, his eyes asking Iris why she was still there. The young woman seemed stunned.

"Do I need to call security Miss?" His tone was clear that it wasn't a bluff.

"Hello Janet, the new assistant, when will she get here? She needs to go through the files for the event tonight as well as choose the catalog to show investors. I'm sure you've briefed her." His hands flipped through the files in front of him while he spoke, ignoring the presence of the other party in the room.

Iris got the message, nodded..." Thank you for everything... Mr Hayes" She stuttered out, but he didn't bother looking up at her. She sniffled and finally left the penthouse.

Janet was his main secretary, so she needed to stay at the main branch back home. She was the only staff member he found competent. The only staff member he trusted. "Yes, Mr Hayes, I've briefed her. She's signed the contracts and all that, she should be with you shortly. I added the clause like you asked. Unless you fire her, she can't quit for 3 months, so you should be stable."

"Did she seem competent?" His voice was boring. The next few months for him were extremely busy. He couldn't afford a cry baby that couldn't keep up, especially when he had to travel everywhere with her.

"Her resume was impressive. She graduated from Stanford with honors, she's worked with other companies but stopped all together 3 years ago, so this is her first time back."

"I don't want a novice Janet." Andrew sat up, his tone sharp.

"She isn't, sir. You can always interview her again when she gets there. But..." Janet stopped, clearing her throat...

"What is it, Janet?"

"You have to try being... nicer, or at least more tolerant... the market for finding people that want to be your assistant is almost closed entirely. Your candidate pool for assistants is basically exhausted," Janet hinted at how long it took to find Iris's replacement, and Andrew just groaned.

"I don't and won't tolerate mistakes."

With that, he ended the call. Standing up and decided that taking a shower would probably be the best, stopping in front of the mirror while he undressed. His memory goes back to his days at Crest Field High, he was the typical nerd, chubby and round. Back then, he'd been the quiet kid with thick glasses and an awkward smile, nursing unrequited feelings and dreams he’d never dared to share. But now? He was Andrew Hayes, CEO of Hayes Industries, with wealth, power, and a reputation that made people’s eyes widen when he walked into a room. Trading the previous fat for lean muscle and the perfect washboard abs. His emerald green eyes no longer hidden behind lenses. His blonde curly hair was no longer messy.

He was a refined diamond, he knew it but didn't care much. His sole focus and drive was his career and, going deeper than just the company he built, was being a model for certain brands, his special scheme of building his name beyond Hayes industries.

He made it this far because he didn't allow mistakes. He wasn't going to change now. He smiled at his reflection... proud that he finally had a reflection he could smile at.

Eventually, getting into the shower to allow the cool water to wash away the stress of the day and prepare him for the stress of the night.

~

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" The usual worry of a mother's voice carried through the phone as she struggled to hail a taxi at the airport. "You'll be following a strange man to so many different countries dear, what if he's a psychopath?"

She chuckled at her mother's words... "Mom, I doubt someone as rich and famous as Andrew Hayes would be a psychopath without the world knowing. This is a great opportunity... the pay is triple what I earned before 'the incident', it's a miracle I even got this job."

"Maybe this miracle is a little too good to be true..."

"I have to go mom, I see a cab."

She hurriedly ended the call, hopping into the cab, her one-handed luggage sliding in with her. She'd packed in a hurry, just being handed the job that morning and rushing to meet up. "The presidential hotel por favor..."

The older man nodded, starting their journey with professionalism... "Please could you be a bit faster?"

She couldn't be late, she'd heard the rumors about the great Andrew Hayes. Her mind flashed the face of someone she knew once with a similar name. She couldn't afford to be fired on the first day. She had to be great. She planned to be great.