Page 13 of Stuck with My Billionaire Protector

“Ms. Mitchell, your apology is noted. Before you go, let’s be clear about my expectations. I will not tolerate any form of sarcasm or insubordination. I demand nothing but the best from my employees. I expect you to arrive on time every day, be fully prepared for all meetings and presentations, and complete your work to the highest possible standard. If you can handle that, you’ll be successful here. Now, please return to your office until I call for you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Chase. I will make every possible effort to exceed your expectations.” She flashes me a brilliant smile before walking out of my office.

It strikes me again how beautiful she is, especially when she smiles. I also can’t help but admire the view as she walks away. Against my will, I’m also finding myself drawn to her personality. I think Parker is right about her. It took a lot of courage for her to stand before me and insist on apologizing again.

I haven’t paid much attention to the resume Parker shared earlier. Curious, I decide to open the file.

I see that she has recently departed from Digiprint Communications. Pulling up some of her past work online, it’s clear she’s a fantastic writer. Although the focus of my company is digital media, we have recently acquired a fashion magazine with a small print audience. With Jocelyn on board, our magazine could be serious competition for Digiprint in that space. I want to make sure they know that they made a mistake letting her go.

I pick up the phone and call Parker.

“Hey, Dylan.”

“Parker, let’s get a profile of Jocelyn up on our website as soon as possible and blast it out on our social media sites. Oh, and also include some pictures of me and her working closely together.”

“Will do. If I may ask, what brought about the change in attitude toward her?”

“Earlier you mentioned she had worked at a competitor but you didn’t tell me the competitor was Digiprint or that she was a top performer there. I see now just how useful she can be.”

“So, this isn’t about Jocelyn. This is about sticking it to Digiprint, right?”

“Can’t it be both? You know they’ve been a thorn in my side lately. We can take some pictures at the meeting this afternoon, then we’ll make sure they get released today. Maybe we can goad Digiprint or their spy into making a mistake.”

“Consider it done,” he says and I end the call.

Lately, Digiprint seems to be one step ahead of every move I make. It has gotten so bad that I am keeping all our big plans strictly confidential, only trusting Parker and a couple of other employees on a need-to-know basis. I can’t afford to have anything go wrong with the launch of my new streaming service and the relaunch of the fashion magazine. I am planning a full revitalization of the magazine with all new marketing and digital components. It is imperative that Digiprint not get the upper hand this time.

I lean back in my chair with a proud smile on my face. Nobody can beat me at my own game. I have built this company from the ground up with my own blood, sweat, and tears. Nothing has been handed to me and nothing has come easy. I am not about to let some has-been like Digiprint Communications get the better of me, especially now that I have a secret weapon to use against them. Not that I plan on keeping the secret for long…

Chapter 6

Jocelyn

AsIfollowDylaninto the boardroom for the meeting with Prism Advertising, my heart is pounding. This is my first big chance, and I’m determined to prove to him that he didn’t make a mistake hiring me. I want to prove that I can do this job and do it well.

Dylan takes his seat at the end of the table, and I feel his gaze intently on me. Before the meeting, I had set up all the equipment we would need. I even straightened the room and took the liberty of placing water bottles, notepads, and pens at each place around the table. I meet his gaze and he gives me the slightest approving nod as Parker arrives with the Prism Advertising team.

“Gentlemen, come in and take a seat. Nice to see you again,” Dylan says to the men entering the room. “Matt Fallon, Joe Walker, and Dave Bates, this is Jocelyn Mitchell, my new assistant.” He gestures to me.

“Good afternoon,” I say, shaking each of their hands in turn. “Please let me know if there’s anything you need while you’re here, and I’d be happy to get it for you.”

Once again, I feel Dylan’s eyes on me as I take a seat behind him and prepare to take notes.

“Jocelyn, please join us at the table.”

I’m a little surprised to be included, but I do as he asks and the meeting begins.

“Mr. Chase, thank you for taking the time to meet with us today,” Mr. Fallon starts. “We’re working diligently on the campaign for the launch of StreamScape. But unfortunately, we’re having trouble connecting with the target audience. Everything we’ve tried so far has fallen flat in focus groups and our market research is inconclusive. We’re simply at a loss on how to proceed.”

Dylan leans back in his chair, his expression grave. “I don’t need to tell you how important this campaign is to my business,” he says, his voice low. “We can’t afford to launch a service that doesn’t resonate with our audience. What are our options?”

“We could conduct more focus groups, try to narrow down our target audience, and tailor our messaging to them.”

“But we’ve already done that,” interjects Mr. Bates. “And it’s gotten us nowhere.”

The room falls silent for a moment as everyone mulls over the problem. I survey the blank faces around the table and finally decide to take a chance and speak up. “Mr. Chase, I hope I’m not overstepping my boundaries here, but what if we approach this from a different angle?”

I see a slight flash in his eyes, and I hope I’m not going to pay for this later. I cautiously continue, “Instead of focusing on our service, what if we looked at what our target audience is interested in? Like what kinds of shows they are watching and what types of content they are engaging with?”

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