Taming the CEO Who Washed My Feet"

The press conference to introduce the new CEOs wife is tomorrow, and Im the main event. No one at the office knows yet.

I can hear the snickers of my female colleagues from the breakroom. They're gossiping about the new secretary who was just fired for trying to seduce Mr. Knight.

She should have taken a good look in the mirror. Does she really think a man like Mr. Knight would ever fall for her? Seriously. Talk about punching above your weight. I hear every word as I stand just outside the door.

I turn with my coffee and walk back to my tiny, windowless cubicle.

Sitting down, I open my messaging app and send a text to the contact pinned at the top, "Mr. Knight."

You're sleeping on the couch tonight.

After all, no one knows that the untouchable Vincent Knight theyre all talking about was washing my feet just last night.

Did you hear? The new secretary tried to make a move on Mr. Knight and got kicked out.

In the breakroom, a few of my colleagues were cackling.

I stood in the doorway, mug in hand, hearing everything with perfect clarity.

As if hed ever look at someone like her.

I know, right? Some people are just delusional.

I turned and walked back to my little cubicle, the one without even a window.

I sat, opened my phone, and tapped out a message to the contact at the top of my list, Mr. Knight.

Youre sleeping on the couch tonight.

No one knew that the man they considered a god, the great Vincent Knight, had been washing my feet the night before.

And no one knew that the press conference tomorrow, the one to introduce the mysterious Mrs. Knight, was all about me.

My name is Ava, the hidden majority shareholder of this company and Vincent Knights legal wife.

I took this secretarial job because Vincent said the office culture had gotten toxic lately, and he wanted me to go "undercover" to see what was really going on.

I thought Id be catching a few employees slacking off. I didnt expect to find a nest of vipers all trying to claw their way to the top.

Jessica, the prettiest girl in the administration department, was now swaying into my cubicle. She slammed a thick stack of documents onto my desk.

Ava, get these printed and distributed to every department before you leave.

I looked up at her. Thats an administrative task.

Jessica sneered. Right now, Im your superior. You do what I say. Got it?

I glanced at the stack. The top sheet was the itinerary for tomorrows Mrs. Knight Introduction Gala.

I heard you got thrown out after trying to deliver coffee to the top floor today, Jessica leaned in, her voice a low hiss. Ava, a person needs to know their place. A man like Mr. Knight is not someone a piece of trash like you can even dream about.

I just smiled, saying nothing.

I was, in fact, thrown out, but only because Vincent had tried to kiss me in his office, and Id pushed him away. Hed walked me to the door with a pout on his face, and Jessica, who was passing by, must have caught a glimpse and assumed the worst.

Still smiling? Get to work! Jessica rolled her eyes and stomped away on her stilettos.

I picked up the documents and ambled over to the printer.

Passing the breakroom, I saw the same group of women was still there.

Hey, what do you think the bosss wife will be like?

Definitely some supermodel, or an heiress from a powerful family.

One things for sure, it wont be a plain Jane like Ava.

I listened to their chatter, feeling nothing at all. I was just wondering what their faces would look like if they knew the plain Jane they were mocking held 40% of the companys stock.

My phone vibrated.

Mr. Knight: Honey, I was wrong. Ill never try anything in the office again.

Mr. Knight: The water for your foot bath is ready. Can I please not sleep on the couch?

I replied with a single word: No.

Putting my phone away, I saw Jessica furtively stepping into Vincents private elevator.

It required a fingerprint and a passcode.

How did she have the passcode?

I narrowed my eyes. This undercover mission was getting more interesting by the minute.

Jessica entered the elevator with a look of feverish determination.

I stood around the corner, watching the numbers climb and stop at the top floor.

Besides Vincent, I was the only person who knew the passcode to his office.

Unless someone had leaked it.

I went back to my desk, in no hurry to catch her in the act. Instead, I opened my laptop and logged into the companys backend security system. As the majority shareholder, my clearance was even higher than Vincents.

On the monitor, I watched Jessica stand before the CEOs office and enter the passcode with practiced ease.

The door opened.

Vincent was at his desk, frowning at a financial report.

Jessica glided in, her voice dripping with honey. Mr. Knight, heres the coffee you asked for.

Vincent didnt even look up. Put it down and get out.

Jessica didnt move. Instead, she circled the desk and placed a hand on his shoulder. Mr. Knight, youve been working so hard. Let me give you a massage?

I could feel Vincents body tense up even through the screen. He shot to his feet with such force that Jessica stumbled back.

Who gave you the passcode? His voice was pure ice.

Jessica froze, her eyes instantly welling with tears. It it was Mr. Richard, the Vice President. He said youve been under a lot of stress

Richard.

My fingers tapped a light rhythm on my desk.

That would be Richard Knight, Vincents cousin, the one who had always coveted the CEO position.

Get out, Vincent pointed to the door. And dont ever set foot on this floor again.

Jessica ran out, sobbing.

I closed the monitor, one piece of the puzzle falling into place. Richard was trying to set a honey trap for Vincent, hoping to catch him in a compromising position. If Vincent had touched Jessica today, Richard would be using the footage to blackmail him tomorrow.

Too bad hed underestimated Vincent. And hed underestimated me.

When Jessica returned to the admin department, her eyes were swollen. She shot me a venomous glare as she passed my desk.

What are you looking at? Ill gouge your eyes out!

I took a calm sip of my coffee. Ms. Miller, is your work done?

She trembled with rage, pointing a finger at my nose. Ava, dont you get cocky. If Im going down, Im taking you with me! Youre uninvited from the gala tomorrow. Go to logistics and help move boxes!

I raised an eyebrow. Whose decision is that?

My decision! Jessica shouted. Im in charge of this department!

Our colleagues glanced over, their eyes filled with a mixture of pity and scorn.

Poor Ava, she picked the wrong person to mess with.

Well, Jessica has VP Richard backing her up.

I nodded. Fine. Ill go move boxes.

I was actually curious to see how theyd handle tomorrows meticulously planned gala without the main character.

After work, a Rolls-Royce pulled up right as I stepped out of the building. The window rolled down to reveal Vincents handsome face, now etched with a pleading expression.

Honey, get in.

I ignored him and kept walking.

He scrambled out of the car and ran after me, grabbing my hand. I was wrong, I was really wrong. Richard planted her here, I swear I didnt even get a good look at her face.

I stopped and looked at him. She had the passcode to your office.

Vincents expression hardened. Richard must have spied on me to get it. Ive already had the locks changed.

I pulled my hand away. Tonight, youre sleeping on the balcony.

Honey

He trailed after me like a giant, dejected puppy. The setting sun stretched our shadows long on the pavement. Who would have thought that the ice-cold CEO of Knight Industries was such a clinger in private?

The next morning, the atmosphere in the company was a strange mix of tense and electric. The lobby was lined with a red carpet, and the air was thick with the scent of Bulgarian roses flown in overnight. Everyone was whispering about the mysterious Mrs. Knight.

And me? I was in the logistics warehouse, dressed in a gray janitors uniform, counting bottles of mineral water.

Jessica appeared at the warehouse door, dressed in an expensive custom gown and towering heels, preening like a peacock. She pinched her nose in disgust.

Ava, all this water needs to be moved to the banquet hall by 10 AM. If even one bottle is missing, you can pack your things and leave.

I looked at the mountain of boxes. This is a movers job, I said calmly.

In here, you are whatever I tell you to be, Jessica smirked. Oh, and I forgot to tell you, VP Richard said hes recommending me to give the employee representative speech at the gala today. Im going to have Mr. Knight fire you in front of the entire company.

I smiled and loaded a case of water onto a dolly. Well, Ms. Miller, I wish you the best of luck.

At ten oclock sharp, the gala began. The banquet hall was a sea of glittering lights and flashing cameras.

Vincent stood on the stage, his expression thunderous. He kept checking his phone, his eyes frantically scanning the crowd.

I knew he was looking for me. Id told him I had a surprise for him.

Richard sat in the front row, a calculating smile on his face. He leaned over and whispered something to Vincent, which only made his face darken further.

Jessica stood nervously in the wings, clutching her speech and fluffing her hair.

I pushed a cart of water through a service entrance at the back of the hall and found a spot in a dark corner to watch the show.

Thank you all for coming, Richard stood up, taking the microphone as if he were the host. Today, in addition to revealing the identity of Mrs. Knight, we have another important matter to address.

He shot Vincent a venomous look. We need to rectify some unwholesome elements within our company culture. For instance, certain secretaries who try to sleep their way to the top.

A wave of murmurs swept through the audience. The reporters aimed their cameras squarely at Vincent.

Vincents voice was cold steel. Richard, do you have any idea what youre saying?

Of course, I do. Richard clapped his hands.

A video flickered to life on the large screen behind the stage. It was the security footage of Jessica entering Vincents office yesterday. From the cameras angle, it looked as though Jessica was throwing herself at him, and Vincent wasnt pushing her away.

Jessica let out a small shriek from the side of the stage, lowering her head in a brilliant performance of shame.

Mr. Knight, Ms. Miller here has told me everything, Richard said, his voice full of feigned disappointment. As the CEO, how could you engage in such an affair with a subordinate? What will your future wife think?

Vincent actually laughed, a humorless, angry sound.

Just as he was about to erupt, I stepped out from the shadows.

I shed the gray janitors coat, revealing the priceless red silk gown I wore underneath. As I walked, I reached up and pulled the tie from my hair, letting it fall in waves over my shoulders.

What will his wife think?

My voice wasnt loud, but the wireless microphone clipped to my collar, a special one Vincent had prepared for me, carried it to every corner of the hall.

In that one, stunning moment, every single head in the room turned to look at me.