Page 3 of In Bed with the Ice Queen

Sarah jotted something down on her tablet, glancing between them. “We’ve done our fair share of homework over the years, though, right? She can’t catch us off guard if we know her tactics.”

Helena leaned against the table, gripping its edge. “That’s the thing. I’ve studied her tactics like they’re some kind of secret manual. I can’t stand giving in on some things.” Her voice dropped lower, and she added, “I’ve been CEO for five years, but I still have to prove myself every single day.”

Mark leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. “Helena, nobody thinks that but you. You’ve built this company up from the ground. Your dad might have started it, but you’ve turned it into something else entirely.”

Helena shook her head forcefully, her expression icy. “That’s just it, Mark. I don’t want anyone thinking my success is justbecause of my dad. If this merger goes south, everyone’s going to ask if I deserve to be here.” Her heart raced as she spoke. The fear of being anything less than the best was a constant in her life.

“Come on, think about it,” Mark pressed. “You’ve worked here since you were sixteen. You know this company better than anyone. You’ve fought for it and earned your spot. You’re not just riding on your dad’s coattails.”

“You’re right, but…” She hesitated. “If things go downhill, all those years of hard work will be questioned. My whole career will be reduced to ‘Oh, she’s just the founder’s daughter.’” She pushed her chair back with a soft scraping sound and stood, pacing a few steps.

“This is your shot, and you’ve prepared for it,” Sarah said. “Callahan might be intimidating, but you’re not some rookie in this game. You’re Helena-freaking-Wolfe.”

Helena came to a stop, her breath catching in her throat. Each word felt like it struck a chord deep inside her, the reminder of who she was pushing against her worries. “I appreciate that. But she knows how to rattle people. I’ve seen her do it. In the courtrooms, she’s like a shark. She’s fast and unyielding. Two sharks in a tank is a recipe for…a fight.”

Mark chuckled lightly. “True. But remember, you’re a Wolfe. You know how to navigate these waters too.”

The team sprang into action, flipping through papers and organizing their materials. The atmosphere was electric with anticipation, but beneath it all, Helena felt that familiar sense of pressure squeeze her chest. As she contemplated their strategy, she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that no matter how well they prepared, the weight of her inheritance and her father's expectations would always be there. If she ever had a chance to succeed, it would have to be on her own terms.

“Let’s get to work,then,” Sarah said.

Mark grinned. “Yeah! Let’s show Sloane what we can do!”

Helena nodded, filled with a newfound sense of purpose. “Alright, team. Let’s make this happen. We have a lot of preparation to do, but I believe we can turn this into something incredible.”

As she felt the weight of responsibility resting on her shoulders, Helena knew that despite any challenges with Sloane, the promise of a new horizon was more than worth the effort. Together, they were ready to take Wolfe Enterprises to the next level.

She continued barking orders for the rest of the day, feeling an eerie sense of anticipation for the meeting with Sloane. Just as she was about to dive into the latest merger documents, her phone buzzed insistently on the desk. Glancing at the caller ID, she sighed. It was her father: Malcolm Wolfe. As the largest stakeholder, he still held immense power over the company.

"Great," she muttered under her breath, straightening her posture before picking up the phone. "Hello, Dad."

"Helena! Why hasn’t the merger with Thompson Industries been finalized yet?" He sounded more shocked than concerned, but that was typical for him.

Helena's fingers drummed against the polished wood of her desk. She could hear the impatience crackling in his voice, even through the phone. "It’s in the final stages, Dad. Mergers take time." "Time? Time? When I was running the company, I would have had that signed and sealed before you could blink!" Malcolm's voice boomed through the receiver like thunder.

Helena rolled her eyes, feeling a familiar bubble of annoyance rising inside her. "Things are different now, Dad. There’s a lot more to consider with regulations and technology."

"Technology? Please! That is your greatest advantage! Back in my day, success came from hard work and determination. Now you have fancy computers and monitors to assist you inreading every bullet point. No wonder everyone is so unsure about making business decisions. It's all done through screens and acting like robots." His tone was dismissive, as if he was still the king of a kingdom that required no modern rules.

A small vein throbbed in Helena’s temple. "You make it sound like I’m just sitting around texting, Dad. I’m working hard here. You chose me to take over the company for a reason, remember?"

"Of course I remember! You are the eldest, and I trained you the hardest for this," he snapped back. Helena could picture him pacing in his home office, his hands gesturing dramatically. "I expect results, Helena. Don’t make me regret my decision," he continued with the chilling calmness of a looming storm.

A heavy silence hung between them. Helena glanced at the photos on her desk, many of them of her and her siblings smiling at family gatherings, her father wearing a proud look. "You should have more faith in me." She tried to keep her voice steady.

"Faith? I’m looking for results! Do you have any idea what your brother Kaleb is doing over in San Diego? He’s making waves. I won’t have any slackers in my family." His words cut like a knife, leaving her feeling smaller than she liked to admit, and Helena took a deep breath. The news about Kaleb thriving as a strategic assistant made her teeth clench. "I get it, Dad. I do. But you can’t compare what I’m doing with Kaleb. He’s in tech, and this is corporate. They’re two different worlds."

"Different worlds? Maybe. He is still a strategic assistant. At the end of the day, it’s business, Helena." He paused, as if weighing his next words. "If your numbers don’t continue to climb like they did when he left Wolfe Enterprises, I might need to call in better help."

"Help? You mean someone to take my place?" Helena felt the air grow thick, her heart racing. "You can’t be serious."

"I wouldn’t say it if I wasn’t." The finality in his voice pierced through the phone. "I need to see progress, and I need to see it soon."

Helena’s fists clenched tightly. She wanted to unleash a storm of replies, to defend herself, to tell him how hard she was working. But she knew that would only make him more irate. Instead, she forced herself to take a deep breath and exhale slowly.

"I’ll make it happen, Dad. Just give me some time."

"Time. Here we go again. You’re surrounded by this new-fangled technology, and yet you still need time. How quaint." His sarcasm hit her like ice water, but she held her ground.

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