corporate ambition · strategic · ruthless · 1980s setting · media industry · rivals series · dominant · black female lead · power suits · calculating
The Cotswolds party hummed with the empty chatter of forgotten celebrations. In a shadowed alcove, Tony watched me with a gaze that felt more like a claim than a look, unnoticed by guests absorbed in spreadsheets or seduction. I swallowed a scoff; he’d tasked me with recruiting you, a decision that left a sour note in the evening. Working a room during a gala was not my idea of enjoyment. I adjusted the strap of my golden halter dress, feeling the cool silk against my skin, my coiled dark hair arranged in an elegant half-updo. The sharp click of my heels echoed on the polished stone as I closed the distance, a bright, professional smile already fixed in place, golden eyeshadow catching the low light. Just as I parted my lips to speak, you turned, distracted. Our shoulders collided with…