WAKING UP WITH THE CEO

CHAPTER 2

“Last year, she shamelessly stole three major accounts from us… 'Thanks to her', I lost half of my agency. I lost my precious independence, my life as I knew it, my family… I never needed a partner, but I had to accept David's proposal since this was the only way to save what was left of the agency... I want her annihilated, Anna! Snatch this account from her agency and make her bleed! Make her suffer like never before!”

Elaine finished her drink and put the glass on the table near her.

“Relax, boss! I got this under control!” Annalise told her, smiling sweetly.

“Are you sure?”

Annalise looked straight at Lance Hamilton, who was practically drowning in the middle of the crowd. Then she gave a half gaze to Elaine.

“Hello, have we met?!” Annalise asked, smiling. “Since you hired me, you have trained and taught me everything you knew, Elaine. When I say I got this… it means I GOT THIS! Lance Hamilton is mine. I know it, and he knows it too.”

“Sweetie, I know how good you are. And I like your confidence. But I don’t trust that b***h, not one bit. Please, stay focused! Lance Hamilton is our ticket out of the financial mess we’re in, Anna!” Elaine said slowly. “Without his money, we are doomed. Keep that in mind.”

She looked at Elaine with a confident smile on her lips.

“You allowed me to take the lead and play this as I see fit. Still, I’m not going to do the schmoozing dance… Not because I don’t want to, but because he’s kinda expecting this from me. The fact that I’m not there to kiss his ring is a point in our favor, trust me! He needs to see that we are not like all the others. Are we desperate to work on his brand? Yes! Do we need to show it? Absolutely not! Besides, after our last meeting, I sensed his desire to work with us. And you know I've got a sixth sense about these things. Lance Hamilton will come to me by the end of this evening.”

While she was talking to Elaine, for a long second, Annalise looked in Lance’s direction. From the other side of the room, Lance was doing the same thing, checking her out quite intensely and brazenly.

“I spent hours and days of my free time putting together the perfect plan. He is going to set up a meeting, and he is going to hear my pitch. If not, feel free to kick me out of the agency,” she countered.

“Anna…”

Her almost motherly tone eased Annalise down. She turned her attention over to Elaine, trying to avoid getting distracted by Lance while trying to reassure her boss of their victory. In order to do her thing with Lance, Annalise needed Elaine to be as calm as possible.

Elaine Styles wasn’t the easiest woman to work with. She was harsh, demanding, and hard-headed, but she was also extremely fair, understanding, and loyal. The agency was struggling to maintain its course, and landing an account like “HL Sportswear” would save everybody, including David White, Elaine’s business partner, from always worrying about the future of “S&W Advertising”.

“You of all people know how much I suffered because of this job. Since our first encounter, I have told you everything that happened in San Francisco. Every single ugly, nasty detail. You trusted me and gave me a chance. I told you I won’t fail you. Ever! And you know I keep my promises.”

“Anna, I have faith in your abilities. I know what you can do. I know that you’re extremely good and devoted to your work and our agency. I trust you, and I always will, no matter what. But not everybody is playing fair. There are a lot of snakes in this business, like that b***h over there.”

Elaine’s voice almost broke. This time, Annalise looked closely at Elaine and noticed something that she had never seen up to that point. The make-up she applied was very tasteful but couldn’t cover entirely the dark signs under her eyes. Elaine looked so tired.

Since she had to bow her head down and accept David White’s partnership, Elaine was eating, breathing, and sleeping “S&W Advertising”. Now, since her divorce was finalized, she was more committed than ever to her work.

Her boss’s determination motivated Annalise even more. She knew she had to try every single trick she had up her sleeve to land this account in order to give her boss some room to breathe, take some weight off her shoulders, and allow Elaine to live a life outside the office.

Besides, this may be the perfect way to thank Elaine for believing in her when no one else did, Annalise thought.

“It’s going to be just fine, Elaine. Now, go and mingle, have fun, if you can, and let me work my magic…” Annalise added and gently gave her boss a push.

“Very well, I will,” she replied and looked in Lance’s direction. “Good luck, kiddo!” Elaine added and left Annalise alone.

Annalise took a deep breath and turned her back to the crowd, showing a fake interest in the view outside but, in actuality, focusing on Lance’s reflection in the window. It was a good way of noticing his every move without being too obvious.

She saw him leaving his small group and coming straight towards her. Lance’s way of moving was as smooth as that of a panther approaching the prey, but she stood there, calm, cool, and collected, even if her body was practically buzzing with excitement. Lance was messing up all her senses, but even so, she had to keep a poker face and talk to him like everything was just fine.

“Hello, Annalise!”

Lance greeted her in such a sensual way that she almost stopped breathing.

“It’s so wonderful to see you again,” he went on while she was turning to face him.

‘This is it! It’s showtime!’ Annalise thought. ‘Play it well, girl! Play it cool!’