The CEO’s Masked Secret Wife novel Chapter 6

6 The Unseen Assistant’s Allure

Liam’s POV

I stared at my phone, irritation still simmering beneath my skin. That voice–soft yet firm, with just a hint of defiance–had gotten under my skin in a way I couldn’t explain.

“Hazel Vance,” I muttered, tossing my phone onto the hotel bed.

The New York skyline glittered beyond my penthouse suite windows, but I couldn’t appreciate the view. My mind kept replaying that brief, annoying conversation with my new assistant.

Why the hell was I even thinking about her? I’d been unnecessarily harsh, but that wasn’t unusual for me. Employees came and went. Some lasted months, others days. Evelyn was the exception–twenty–five years of loyal service, and now she was abandoning me too.

My phone rang. Speak of the devil.

“Evelyn,” I answered, my tone clipped.

“You scared your new assistant half to death,” she said without preamble, amusement

evident in her voice.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I wasn’t expecting a stranger to answer your phone.”

“Her name is Hazel, not ‘stranger.‘ And need I remind you that you approved her hiring

last week?”

Had I? The stack of paperwork I’d signed before leaving for New York blurred together

in my memory.

“She sounds young,” I said, trying to sound disinterested.

Evelyn chuckled. “She’s twenty–four, highly qualified, and quite lovely. Oscar Dalton’s goddaughter personally recommended her.”

That caught my attention. Chloe Dalton was notoriously picky about the people in her circle. If she’d vouched for Hazel Vance, there must be something special about her.

“Send me her resume,” I ordered.

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6 The Unseen Assistant’s Allure

“Already done. Check your email.”

I grabbed my laptop and found Evelyn’s message. Opening the attachment, I scanned Hazel’s credentials. Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Minor in Computer Science. Previous experience as an executive assistant at Wallace Industries.

Impressive, but not extraordinary. Then I noticed what was missing.

“There’s no photo,” I pointed out.

“Does it matter what she looks like?” Evelyn countered.

“No,” I snapped too quickly. “But it’s standard practice.”

“Didn’t attach one. Said she wanted to be hired for her skills, not her appearance.”

That was… different. I couldn’t decide if it was admirable or arrogant.

“And you hired her anyway?”

“I interviewed seven candidates,” Evelyn replied. “Hazel was by far the most qualified. Besides, she’s got grit. You need someone who won’t wilt under your temper.”

I scoffed. “My temper is perfectly controlled.”

“Tell that to the board members you made

cry last

last quarter.”

“They deserved it,” I muttered. “Their proposal was garbage.”

“My point exactly. Hazel can handle you.”

The confidence in Evelyn’s voice piqued my interest further. What kind of woman had she found to replace herself?

“We’ll see,” I said noncommittally. “How’s the training going?”

“She’s catching on quickly. Much faster than I expected.”

My email notification chimed. I opened the new message, raising an eyebrow at the sender: Hazel Vance.

“She’s emailing me now,” I told Evelyn.

“Probably the Morgan proposal you asked for earlier. I mentioned it was urgent.”

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6 The Unseen Assistant’s Allure

I opened the email, feeling oddly eager to see what my mysterious new assistant had

written.

Mr. Sterling,

Please find attached the complete Morgan proposal with my notes on potential risk factors highlighted on pages 3, 7, and 12. I’ve also taken the liberty of creating a summary document outlining key financial projections and identified three alternative strategies should the primary approach fail to meet expectations.__

The board meeting schedule for next Wednesday has been updated to accommodate Mr. Yamamoto’s early departure. All participants have confirmed their attendance.

If you need any additional information before your return, please don’t hesitate to

contact me.___

_Regards,__

Hazel Vance_

Executive Assistant to the CEO

Sterling Group__

I stared at the screen, genuinely surprised. I’d expected a basic email forwarding the document–not a thorough analysis with alternative strategies already mapped out.

“Did you tell her to add notes to the proposal?” I asked Evelyn.

“Nope. That was all her initiative.”

I opened the attachments, scanning through her detailed comments. They were insightful, addressing issues I’d spotted myself and a few I hadn’t considered.

“She’s good,” I admitted reluctantly.

“Told you so,” Evelyn said, sounding smug. “Give her a chance, Liam. I wouldn’t leave you with just anyone.”

After hanging up, I returned to the email, re–reading Hazel’s message. Her writing style was concise and professional, yet there was something distinctly confident about it. She hadn’t apologized or groveled after my rude phone call. Instead, she’d simply done her job–exceptionally well.

20:35 C

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6 The Unsoen Assistant’s Allure

I checked my watch. My final meeting wasn’t for another two hours. With nothing else demanding immediate attention, I found myself unable to resist the pull of curiosity.

Opening my laptop again, I navigated to the company directory. New employees were always added to the system before their start date. There should be at least some basic information about Hazel Vance.

I found her entry quickly. Date of birtli, emergency contact information, department assignment–all standard details. But again, no photo. Her personnel file listed her previous employer, education, and skills, but offered nothing personal. No hints about who she really was.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard as a new idea formed. I could access the security cameras in the executive wing. Just one quick look to satisfy my curiosity.

I hesitated, recognizing how inappropriate this was. Looking up her file was one thing -standard background check procedure. Spying on her through security cameras was something else entirely.

I closed the laptop abruptly. What the hell was wrong with me? I never obsessed over employees like this. The Morgan proposal needed my attention anyway.

As I worked through the document, I found myself repeatedly impressed by Hazel’s annotations. Her mind worked in a way that complemented my own–pragmatic but creative when necessary.

Against my better judgment, I opened a new email reply.

Ms. Vance,_

Your analysis of the Morgan proposal is thorough and your initiative appreciated. The alternative strategies you’ve outlined will be useful during tomorrow’s

negotiation.__

Please prepare a follow–up document expanding on scenario three, particularly regarding the international market implications.__

_L. Sterling_

I hit send before I could reconsider. This wasn’t about personal interest, I told myself. I was simply acknowledging good work and making efficient use of company resources.

My phone buzzed with an incoming email notification less than ten minutes later.

R No network available now. Please check your network.

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6 The Unseen Assistant’s Allure

She’d already responded.

Mr. Sterling,

Thank you for your feedback. I’ve begun work on the expanded analysis of scenario three and will have it completed within the hour. In the meantime, I’ve attached a preliminary outline for your review.

Regards,

Hazel Vance_

Fast. Efficient. No wasted words.

I opened the attached outline, finding it concise yet comprehensive. She’d anticipated my next questions before I’d even formulated them.

An unfamiliar feeling settled in my chest–something between curiosity and anticipation. For the first time in years, I found myself genuinely looking forward to returning to the office tomorrow.

My unseen assistant had managed to captivate my attention with nothing but her competence and a voice that somehow refused to leave my mind. And I still had no

idea what she looked like.

I glanced at my watch again. I had time before my meeting–time I could use to play a little game with this intriguing new employee. After all, if she was going to be my right hand, I needed to test her limits.

I smiled to myself as I drafted another email, this one deliberately more demanding. Let’s see just how good Hazel Vance really was.

20:35

6 The Unseen Assistant’s Allure

6 The Unseen Assistant’s Allure

Liam’s POV

I stared at my phone, irritation still simmering beneath my skin. That voice–soft yet firm, with just a hint of defiance–had gotten under my skin in a way I couldn’t explain.

“Hazel Vance,” I muttered, tossing my phone onto the hotel bed.

The New York skyline glittered beyond my penthouse suite windows, but I couldn’t appreciate the view. My mind kept replaying that brief, annoying conversation with my new assistant.

Why the hell was I even thinking about her? I’d been unnecessarily harsh, but that wasn’t unusual for me. Employees came and went. Some lasted months, others days. Evelyn was the exception–twenty–five years of loyal service, and now she was abandoning me too.

My phone rang. Speak of the devil.

“Evelyn,” I answered, my tone clipped.

“You scared your new assistant half to death,” she said without preamble, amusement

evident in her voice.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I wasn’t expecting a stranger to answer your phone.”

“Her name is Hazel, not ‘stranger.‘ And need I remind you that you approved her hiring

last week?”

Had I? The stack of paperwork I’d signed before leaving for New York blurred together

in my memory.

“She sounds young,” I said, trying to sound disinterested.

Evelyn chuckled. “She’s twenty–four, highly qualified, and quite lovely. Oscar Dalton’s goddaughter personally recommended her.”

That caught my attention. Chloe Dalton was notoriously picky about the people in her circle. If she’d vouched for Hazel Vance, there must be something special about her.

“Send me her resume,” I ordered.

20:35

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6 The Unseen Assistant’s Allure

“Already done. Check your email.”

I grabbed my laptop and found Evelyn’s message. Opening the attachment, I scanned Hazel’s credentials. Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Minor in Computer Science. Previous experience as an executive assistant at Wallace Industries.

Impressive, but not extraordinary. Then I noticed what was missing.

“There’s no photo,” I pointed out.

“Does it matter what she looks like?” Evelyn countered.

“No,” I snapped too quickly. “But it’s standard practice.”

“Didn’t attach one. Said she wanted to be hired for her skills, not her appearance.”

That was… different. I couldn’t decide if it was admirable or arrogant.

“And you hired her anyway?”

“I interviewed seven candidates,” Evelyn replied. “Hazel was by far the most qualified. Besides, she’s got grit. You need someone who won’t wilt under your temper.”

I scoffed. “My temper is perfectly controlled.”

“Tell that to the board members you made

cry last

last quarter.”

“They deserved it,” I muttered. “Their proposal was garbage.”

“My point exactly. Hazel can handle you.”

The confidence in Evelyn’s voice piqued my interest further. What kind of woman had she found to replace herself?

“We’ll see,” I said noncommittally. “How’s the training going?”

“She’s catching on quickly. Much faster than I expected.”

My email notification chimed. I opened the new message, raising an eyebrow at the sender: Hazel Vance.

“She’s emailing me now,” I told Evelyn.

“Probably the Morgan proposal you asked for earlier. I mentioned it was urgent.”

20:35

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6 The Unseen Assistant’s Allure