Part 2My Younger Boss Still Wants In

When I returned to the Finance department, my two youngest subordinates were practically vibrating with gossip about the new boss.

"He’s ridiculously gorgeous. If you didn't know better, you'd think he was an A-list actor! If I knew the new CEO looked like that, I wouldn't have stressed about the buyout at all."

"I heard he’s only twenty-eight. Built his own tech startup, sold it, and now he’s taking over his family's corporate empire. It’s literally a romance novel come to life. I’m updating my Instagram story right now."

"Oh my god, calm down..."

"Hey, if Maddie—the most strictly-business, stone-faced finance director alive—can be so starstruck she literally blocks his path in the hallway, why can't I? Ow, why did you kick me—"

I walked to my desk, my face an emotionless mask.

"Keep the gossip off company time, ladies."

They fell silent instantly, their heads ducking behind their monitors.

The sharp clack-clack of heels echoed from the hallway, growing louder. Viola marched into the room. As always, the marketing assistant was perfectly contoured, poured into a skin-tight tailored suit.

She slammed a stack of receipts onto one of the junior accountants' desks.

"Why were the Marketing department's expense reports rejected?"

The recent grad flinched, stammering, "V-Viola, this doesn't comply with the new corporate policy. Anything exceeding the per diem by fifty percent requires the General Manager's signature—"

Viola cut her off with an impatient eye roll. "Our department is out there on the front lines, fighting for market share. You guys just sit comfortably in your cubicles trying to find ways to drag us down, is that it?"

I looked up slowly. My voice was ice.

"Viola. The new expense protocols were distributed company-wide a month ago. We even held a mandatory training session. If you don't understand it, go back and read the manual. If you have a problem with it, take it up with executive leadership. Do you think raising your voice in my department makes you look competent?"

Viola turned to me. She blinked slowly, feigning a look of sudden realization.

"Maddie. You wouldn't happen to be... letting your personal grudges affect your professional judgment, would you?"

I pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose and met her stare head-on.

"And what personal grudge would that be, exactly?"

She let out a breathy, condescending little laugh.

"Well. I suppose Cameron will just have to come down here and explain it to you himself. After all, you two used to be married."