Opposite Attracts

CHAPTER 1

Senior Vice President, Lana Holt stomped angrily past the cubicles of her nosy employees, ignoring their probing stares and low snickers. They could barely contain their joy. The Ice Bitch was finally gone. They thought she didn't know what they whispered behind her back, but she did. She knew everything the close to one hundred employees she supervised said about her. They thought she was a sad, lonely, pathetic frigid bitch. And maybe they were right.

She'd worked for the Renault International Hotel Corporation ever since she'd graduated from college. And over the past twenty years, she'd steadily climbed the corporate ladder, sacrificing everything to achieve one goal-to become CEO of the largest hotel chain in the world. She had always remained professional and distant from her employees, running her division with cool efficiency and precision.

The marketing division was undoubtedly the most productive arm of the company. So when Tom Salkind retired earlier that year as CEO, she'd been sure the job was hers. She wrenched open the door to her corner office with the amazing view of downtown Atlanta, stepped inside and slammed it behind her.

She wasted no time in grabbing a Xerox box full of new stacks of paper. Dumping the unopened packets to the floor, she began to clean out her desk.

As she haphazardly stuffed her most personal belongings into the box, she replayed the words that had changed her life forever.

"...So, it is with great pride and enthusiasm that I introduce to you Renault's newest CEO, my grandson, Matthew Renault."

She had sat there stunned when the owner, Gerard Renault, had delivered the news to the twelve member Board of Directors, the new CEO, Matthew Renault, and to her.

She gritted her teeth at the thought of him. She was being usurped by a twenty-nine year old Harvard Business graduate who'd only been with the company for two years. He was barely out of grad school and now he was the CEO of a Fortune 500 Company.

The sound of her office door closing caught her attention and she whirled around to face the last person she wanted to see.

"Lana, I'm sorry. I didn't know-" She held up her hand to halt his next words.

"It's fine Matthew. I could tell from your shocked expression that it was news to you too. Still, congratulations," she said stiffly, before twisting back around to finish packing.

"I couldn't believe you stormed out of there- hey, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" she snapped as she continued to dump her things into the box.

She froze at the touch of his hand against her arm. Blowing out a long, jagged breath she turned around to face him. And as soon as she met his gaze, and glimpsed the hurt look on his handsome face, she instantly regretted her terse words. It wasn't his fault. Actually Matthew didn't deserve any of her anger. Ever since he'd joined the company two years ago as the CFO, he'd been nothing but kind toward her, even though she'd always kept him at arm's length.

"Don't quit," he said softly.

She shrugged his hand from her arm, flashing him a weak smile. "I have to."

"But, I need you-," he said, and she almost swore she saw something flash in his eyes that hinted at a more intimate need, but then it disappeared and she figured it had just been her imagination. He cleared his throat. "-to advise me. You have the most experience of any of the senior staff and I need your expertise."

"I'm sorry, Matthew, but you know I can't stay," she said quietly, holding his penetrating blue gaze.

"What will you do?"

She shrugged as she curled her lips into a wry smile. "I don't know and for the first time in my life, I don't care." It was true. She had lived her life for so long always striving to accomplish her next goal.

Well, for the first time ever she had no goal and it felt good.

The disappointment on his face tugged at her, and for just a moment she experienced a pang of guilt. Feeling compelled to do something she was sure she would later regret, she grabbed one of her business cards and scribbled on the back. "Here is my home number. If you find you have a question just call me." She shoved her card into his hand and whirled back around to finish with her task.

She heard him mumble "thanks" followed by the soft click of the door closing shut. Contrary to what her employees thought, she did have feelings and she felt bad for dumping her anger on Matthew when he'd had nothing to do with the events that had transpired earlier. But she couldn't help feeling a twinge of resentment. He now held the position that she'd coveted for the last five years. Still, that had been no excuse for her abrupt dismissal and downright rude behavior. She toyed with the thought of going after him to apologize, but quickly abandoned the idea.

He'd be fine. She on the other hand wouldn't.

The knowledge that she'd given up so much for a dream that had been snatched so cruelly from her was enough to send her spiraling head first to depression. Painful memories from the past twenty years of all the sacrifices she'd made replayed themselves in her head. The main one being from three years ago when her ex-fiancé walked out on her shortly after she'd miscarried their baby, all the while hurling accusations at her that her workaholic schedule had been the cause. She knew now that Toby was nothing but an asshole and a jerk, but at the time the pain and guilt had only driven her to work harder, making her even more determined to achieve the goal that had cost her the family she'd always wanted.

Tears burned the backs of her eyes and she drew in a deep breath, as she forced them not to fall. She needed to hurry up and finish packing so that she could get out of there before she did what she so desperately longed to do slump to the floor and indulge in a good cry. But her pride would not allow her to give into the impulse. The Ice Bitch did not crack, and she certainly didn't melt.