All Chapters of HIRED BY THE RUTHLESS CEO : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Damien's POVVictoria storms into my office without knocking, her composure shattered as if she’s carrying all the fury of the morning with her."That little bitch made me look like a fool!" Her voice is sharp, higher than her usual controlled tone. "In front of my entire team. She humiliated me." Her chest heaves, the kind of rage that smells like humiliation and desperate frustration."You humiliated yourself." I don’t look up from my phone, my tone clipped and cold. "Trying to pin Contract failure on her when she wasn’t even on the project? Sloppy, Victoria. Amateurish." "I was following your plan!" She storms around the desk and plants her hands down, fingers splaying, as though by force alone she can erase the humiliation. "Break her down. Make her fail. Make her suffer. That’s what you wanted."I finally set my phone aside and meet her blazing eyes. "I wanted competent sabotage, Victoria. What I got was kindergarten level. She had documentation, emails, and time logs. She made

Aria’s POV"The key to sustainable growth," a silver-haired investor says, carefully not looking at me, "is building trust with consumers. One mistake can destroy years of brand equity." "Precisely." Damien cuts his steak with precision. "Take the Holt Technologies incident eight years ago. A thriving company was destroyed overnight because corners were cut. Lives lost. Families ruined." He says it casually, like discussing the weather. Like my father isn't dying. Like Emily Cross didn't burn. I write it down. Every word. My hand stays steady even though rage trembles through me. "That's why Cross Technologies prioritizes safety above profit." Damien continues his pitch while I endure his cruelty. "We learned from others' mistakes." The irony is suffocating. Dinner drags on. Two hours of thinly veiled references to my father, my family, our fall from grace. The investors grow increasingly uncomfortable, shifting in their seats, trying to steer conversation elsewhere. One

Damien’s POVI'm watching security footage when Henry walks into my office without knocking. Again."You need a hobby," he says, dropping into the chair across from my desk. "Preferably one that doesn't involve surveillance of your employees."I close the laptop. "What do you want, Henry?""To understand what the hell you're doing." He leans forward, elbows on his knees. "You dragged Aria into a glass-walled conference room in front of the entire marketing department. People are talking.""Let them talk.""Victoria's talking too." Henry's voice hardens. "She came to me an hour ago, asking about your 'interest' in the Holt girl. Wanted to know if I'd noticed anything inappropriate."My jaw clenches involuntarily. "What did you tell her?""That you're my boss and I don't gossip about you to your ambitious cousin." He studies me with those too-sharp eyes. "But she's right, Damien. This has gone way beyond revenge. You're obsessed.""I'm monitoring a situation.""You're monitoring her." H

Damien's pov Victoria thinks she can threaten me, but she's forgetting who actually controls this company.She stands in my office doorway like she owns the place, arms crossed, expression carved from fury. "We need to talk about your little pet project.""Close the door," I say without looking up from my laptop. "And watch your tone."She does, but the slam echoes through the room—deliberate insubordination. "I just spent two hours with Patricia being interrogated like a criminal. Because of her. Because you won't get your obsession under control.""Your treatment of Ms. Holt is being investigated because you were sloppy." I finally look up, letting my voice drop to that quiet register that makes board members nervous. "You created documented evidence of targeted harassment. That's a failure of judgment, Victoria. Not mine—yours.""I was following your plan!" Her composure cracks, her voice rising. "Break her down. Make her fail. Make the Holt family suffer. Those were your exact wo

Aria’s POVAll week, Margaret’s warning echoes relentlessly in my head : He’ll take you down with him if you let him.I wrestle with those words, unable to shake the unease they summon.Wednesday morning, everything shifts.“Aria.” Victoria’s voice cuts through the office hum as she appears at my cubicle. “Conference room C. Now.”My stomach twists. “I’m not on the strategy team.”"You are today." She's already walking away.Conference room C is on the thirty-eighth floor. Eight senior executives sit around the table. And at the head, Damien.He doesn't look at me. "Ms. Holt, you're presenting the Richard Industries proposal. Take a seat."My hands sweat against my tablet. "I wasn't told I'd be presenting.""You worked on Richard industry for three weeks." His eyes finally meet mine. "Surely you can summarize your own work."A test. Another trap.But I’m ready.I stand as I step to the front, pulling the proposal from memory. For twenty minutes, I speak clearly and confidently, navigati