Loving the Ice Queen

Chapter 1

Barbara

"The ice queen is here!"

I ignored the hissed whisper. Continuing on my way, heels clicking on the white marble flooring.

The secretariat staff occupied an open plan space that I walked past every morning in my journey to my office. Either the staff thought I was going deaf or they had no idea how loud they usually spoke, I didn't know. I also didn't care. I was here to run the company. The fact that my staff amused themselves with calling me uninspired nicknames did not matter as long as they did their job properly. And they did.

But I couldn't blame my nickname's lack of originality on my staff, since everyone called me the Ice Queen ever since I started working here. 'Everyone' included the company employees, business acquaintances and the social circle in which I ran.

Even my half brother called me the Ice Queen. Though, he often replaced queen by a more vulgar term.

I reached my office. The white monochrome decor of the room probably helped cement my nickname in the employees' minds.

I took off my blazer, placed it on the white leather chair then took my seat. The glass desk was neat. No family pictures adorned its surface, no useless decoration or travel souvenirs. Stark. Minimal. Cold.

Three of my room's walls were entirely made of glass. Two overlooked the bustling city below, offering a panoramic view. Through the other, the secretarial staff moved around or sat in their desks, beginning a new work day. A button on my desk allowed me to fog up that wall and have some privacy, but I only used it when I had a guest.

Pushing the button connecting me to my assistant, I spoke, "Amanda, the report, please."

Amanda, my assistant of three years, nodded through the glass. Her desk was larger than the others', and closer to my glass wall. I didn't need to specify which report, Amanda understood. She was smart and quick-witted. That was why she'd managed to keep her job for the past three years. Her predecessors hadn't fared so well.

In total, I had fired three assistants before Amanda. The company hadn't been in a good place when I took over the CEO position, so I needed someone experienced, quick and sharp. I didn't have the time nor luxury to train anyone. So I let go of three assistants before Amanda came along.

Maybe that was one of the reasons for my nickname. When I first started fixing the mess the last management had made of the company, I had to let go of many people. It was a necessary process in order to breathe new life into the company. I had been called ruthless, cold, and my favorite, a bitch.

Had I been a man, people would have called me 'strict' or 'tough'. But since I was a woman making those decisions, I was a bitch.

"Good morning, Barbara," Amanda said as she walked in, model-tall with striking mahogany skin, the yellow of her suit looked bright against the white tones of the office. "Here's the report."

She deposited the file on the desk and looked at her tablet. "Jack Brills from B&K called again."

"And?"

"I directed him to Leslie," Amanda said, making me glad I had her as an assistant. Amanda then went over the day's schedule.

"Your meeting with HR will end early. You'll have enough time to get ready for the event. Marcus will drive you there. Should I tell him to pick you up from your house?"

I suppressed a sigh. "No, I'll get ready here."

Amanda nodded and jotted down something with the thin stylus. "Very well. I'll have your dress and make up waiting for you here after the meeting."