CHAPTER 247: CHAPTER 247 NEW ASSISTANT AND THE GODDESS

Joseph’s POV

I’d been swamped ever since my last executive assistant, Miss Camila, quit last week. I really needed to get my shit together. Screwing my assistant on my desk after hours was definitely not a good idea.

The next day she came on to me, and I had to shut it down, telling her we should keep things strictly professional. She flew into a rage, trashed some stuff in my office, then quit.

Blood Moon Pack’s Alpha Gerald called me. He was my father’s friend and later became mine. When I took over the Nightbane Pack, his advice guided me through pack management and the business world, keeping me from falling into trouble. I was only eighteen then, just starting college.

"I’m doing great, son. I’ll be in Harbor Bay soon. We should play golf together." He laughed. He was always polite and humorous. Unlike my father, he was an exemplary husband.

"I heard Draven hired that woman you recommended. According to Clara, she’s very capable and highly qualified," I said.

I remembered Alpha Gerald asking me about finding her a position last time we met. I still had an assistant then, so I contacted Clara at Thorne Enterprises.

"I’m sure Draven won’t regret it. Caroline is very determined and professional," Alpha Gerald confirmed.

"Please tell me she’s ugly," I joked.

"Actually quite the opposite, son. She’s one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen!" Alpha Gerald laughed heartily. "But she’s not right for you. She’s a very serious person."

"Alpha Gerald, why didn’t you tell me she was beautiful when you asked me to help her find a job?" I asked, laughing.

"Because I know you, Joseph. And Caroline needs a job that lasts longer than six months. Even if I’m sure she wouldn’t fall for your tricks, she’d put you in your place and then quit."

"So she and Draven are perfect for each other. We’re basically setting up two workaholics who think about nothing but work." I chuckled. "But now you need to help me find an assistant. Mine just quit."

"Are you serious? For the reason I think?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think I need to hire someone..."

"Joseph, I called to ask you for a favor, but I think we can help each other. My daughter is Caroline’s best friend. They’re like sisters. My daughter decided to move in with her friend, so she needs a job there."

"Is your daughter ugly?" I didn’t know much about Alpha Gerald’s daughter. Last time I saw her was about ten years ago when she was still a little girl with braces. But Gerald burst out laughing.

"She looks exactly like her mother!" I was screwed, because Gerald’s wife was gorgeous.

"Friend, I don’t want to lose your friendship," I said, laughing.

"Fat chance! My daughter would never go for a guy like you. Eleanor is too special." Gerald was confident about his daughter. "She has a boyfriend, a good guy, and she’s head over heels for him. You don’t stand a chance. She says her boyfriend is a prince. But she’ll keep you in line, I guarantee it."

I paused to think. Running one of the biggest tech companies in the industry was already overwhelming me. Since I took over, my company Puma Global had grown significantly. My Beta Jared was a very responsible man who helped me manage the pack very well. But I really needed an assistant to help with work and keep me in line.

"Can she stay in this job for more than six months?" I asked, still doubtful.

"I will never interfere with your working relationship!" Gerald assured me.

"Have her email me. You have her address. I’ll interview her."

A few days later, it was time to interview Eleanor Larson, so I called her. When she picked up and appeared on screen, I was stunned. She was gorgeous. I flashed my brightest smile and got immediately shut down.

"Joseph, wipe that smile off your face! Let me warn you first. If you’re thinking of seducing me, dream on. Don’t even think about it. If you try, I’ll pull your fingernails out with pliers. Got it?" Eleanor’s words made my smile disappear instantly. I just stared at the woman on screen.

"Crystal clear..." I said quietly.

"Great! For God’s sake, pull yourself together, you look terrible! Fix your tie and mess up your hair a bit." Eleanor was already giving orders, and I unconsciously started adjusting my tie and running my hands through my hair, trying to straighten it. "Also, clean up your desk while you’re at it. I can see it’s a mess."

"You know I’m interviewing you, and if I hire you, I’m your boss, right?" I felt the need to remind her of this detail.

"Joseph, wake up! The reason you want to hire me is because I’m exceptional, and you need someone like me to manage you. That’s why I’m in charge of this relationship. You’re my little pet. Well-trained, well-behaved, and you get rewards when you perform well!" Eleanor spoke with confidence I’d rarely seen in my lifetime.

"Are you always like this? So narcissistic?" I asked, laughing.

"Joseph, I know my worth! I know my place in this world! No one can shake that. Not my boss, not my father, not my boyfriend!" Eleanor was incredibly confident.

"Your father was right about you being peculiar," I commented. "You start tomorrow."

I gave Eleanor the information and hung up. I felt like I’d found the right assistant. I texted Gerald that I’d hired her and was impressed.

I decided to stop worrying about it. My new assistant would start tomorrow, and I’d let her handle these stresses.

I called Julia, my HR manager, to tell her about the new hire.

Then I needed to buy my mother a birthday gift.

I figured the most practical approach was to go to the mall, where I could find everything I needed.

I walked into a gift shop with my phone in hand. When I entered, there was only one saleswoman chatting with a young woman. I walked over to talk to them while texting Julia about work arrangements.

I was straightforward with the saleswoman. I didn’t want to waste time. She could chat with the other woman later. But she got smart with me, and we started arguing about who the saleswoman should serve first. She was infuriating.

When I looked up from my phone screen, I was already somewhat impatient. But when I saw the woman in front of me, I had to restrain myself from asking for her phone number.

She was breathtakingly beautiful. Stunning brown hair, a perfectly proportioned and sexy figure. Her lips were absolutely tempting, like a plump, juicy little apple that made me want to take a bite. And here I was, in a store, with nothing but indecent thoughts in my head. What kind of deviant was I? Thank God I was wearing a suit. The jacket could hide the increasingly obvious bulge in my pants.

Dean was going absolutely crazy in my mind, pacing and growling. I’d never felt anything this intense before.

I was nervous as hell at the time. This beautiful, feisty woman had me completely unsettled. I just wanted to get away from her! When she told the saleswoman she’d take her item and walked away with that sway in her hips, I nearly lost it. Then she told me not to throw a tantrum and said she’d leave a card for my mother. I wanted to pin her down and give that perfect ass a good squeeze.

"Go after her," Dean demanded. "Don’t let her leave!" But I couldn’t move, couldn’t think straight. What the hell was wrong with me?

Finally, the saleswoman came back to help me. I was still shaken from encountering that arrogant goddess. Eventually, the saleswoman convinced me to buy a new edition of the Moon Goddess scripture with beautiful illustrations and a silver rosary with rose-shaped beads. Mom would love it. At the counter, she wrapped everything up, put it in a black paper bag, then handed me an envelope.

"Alpha, the customer who was in the store earlier asked me to give this to you." The saleswoman looked somewhat frightened.

I curiously took the envelope. Written in beautiful handwriting, "For the mother of the tantrum-throwing child"