Chapter 1
Elias Dorne sipped his chilli cream iced coffee and curled his lip with a grimace. The coffee might’ve been tasteless, but the view of Sydney’s Harbour Bridge glistening through the steel buildings made up for it. “Is this what I trekked six blocks for?” he exclaimed. “A stupid social media fad?”
“Oh, quit your whining,” Daisy Henderson quipped, her slim lips pulling into a smirk. Best friends since high school, Elias thought they were on the brink of a romance, but it had never quite happened, stagnant and idle. Daisy nudged him forcefully. “Hand it over. You dragged me out on my lunch break to stand in line with other millennials. You owe me a taste.”
“I’m pretty good at ignoring promotional posts on my feed,” Elias remarked, watching a group of young women taking selfies with their chilli cream coffees. “But Soho Café’s posts sucked me right in.”
“That’s the power of social media. A good PR company targets people like you—hardened, ignorant, difficult to persuade. You ridicule the power of social media and look where it got you.”
“Just drink the damn coffee.” Elias studied Daisy as she drained the cold drink, searching for disgust or doubt on her face. She clicked her tongue when she was done and handed the cup back.
“You’re right. It’s just water with a splash of chilli powder and coffee flavouring.” Daisy hooked her handbag over her shoulder. “The café opened last week. I heard it’s owned by a couple of hippies, so they probably hired a PR company to help with the opening. I feel sorry for them. This social media experiment has failed big time.”
“They won’t last one week in this city,” Elias replied with disappointment, tossing his beverage into a nearby bin. “People around here like their coffees hot, large, and exciting.”
“Sounds like what most women want in a man,” Daisy said with a laugh.
They coursed their way through the streets of Sydney CBD, curling their collars against the brief, crisp wind sweeping between the skyscrapers. Men and women in business attire marched by, mobile phones attached to their ears, enveloped by the loud city ambience—honking horns, singing buskers, and music spilling out from fashion outlets.
“Have you put your resignation in yet?” Daisy asked as they reached the pedestrians’ corner.
“I haven’t had the balls to write it up yet,” Elias replied. “Everyone’s been putting their notices in. Every time I want to do the same, I’m guilt-ridden for abandoning the studio.”
Elias’s role as production manager for Manny Magpie TV, a local television studio, seemed glamorous at first, but five years later, it was becoming mundane, repetitive, and exhausting. He wanted out, a chance to start something new and fresh.
“That may be so, but think of the long hours and the stress you’ve been under,” Daisy argued. “You have a generous wage, but so what? Besides, it’s not your fault your boss hired a closeted drug addict. He should’ve done a background check or been on set when Adam went berserk on TV. What was Adam hyped up on again?”
“Ice, I think.”
“Did he lose his job?”
“Hell yeah. He was thrown in jail and Bill lost his credibility. The police shut the whole station shut down for a week. It was unbelievable.”
“The studio’s owned by that rich magnate, isn’t it? Everything’s on show these days, Elias. Appearances are everything.”
They joined the crowd crossing the street. The sun beamed down from above, promising a warm summer’s day. The city had numerous pockets where it would feel like summer and winter in one season. Elias could already feel beads of sweat rolling down his back. He manoeuvred through the pulsating sea of business people and paused outside an electronics store and stripped his jacket, hooking it over his arm. Daisy was dressed in a floral print skirt and apple-green top, her red heels accentuating the tight curves of her calves.
The wind picked up, playing with the hem of her skirt, giving Elias a snippet of a lace petticoat. “I heard Blue Tail Media is looking for staff,” Daisy advised, slipping her arm through his when they rejoined the crowd. “The new owner is trying her hardest to rebuild the company after the scandal.”
“Is this the same company with the CEO and his wandering penis?”
Daisy smirked at him. “The very one. I doubt Bobbie Hayes expected it to go as public—and as scandalous—as it did. Don’t you think it was strange the CEO resigned quietly before his former secretary Lily Harolds came out alleging that he sired her four-year-old son? I know a woman at the gym who’s friendly with Lily. Apparently she was a virgin when he bedded her.”
Elias groaned. “It’s all hearsay.”
“I doubt it. Hayes was known for his wandering eyes, despite being married to law attorney, Justine Banks. She was adamant her husband was a victim in Lily’s web of lies.”
Elias recalled seeing the attorney’s slim, pale face plastered across the news defending her husband’s accusations. “Isn’t it a bit coincidental that no one else has come forward slandering Hayes?”
Daisy’s lips pursed together. “I think there’s more girls out there. Maybe Hayes’s wife is paying for their silence. I guess we’ll never know.”
They walked past a bus shelter emblazoned with pretty pink advertisements designed for women: makeup, sanitary products and perfume. “Blue Tail Media publish women’s interest magazines, don’t they?” Elias asked.
They stopped outside a news agency and Daisy escorted him to the rows of fashion magazines at the front of the store. She picked up one entitled Bella and flicked through it. “This is the September issue. Look, I can show you what Ava publishes—”
Elias snapped the magazine from her fingers and sorted through the pages with a raised eyebrow. “Look at these fucking headlines: ‘How to get your crush to like you.’ ‘Dominate your man in the bedroom.’ ‘Win your ideal job.’” He slid the magazine back on the rack. “You expect me to write this drivel? I have a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communication. I’m not giving up five years of university to write for horny housewives.”
Daisy threw her hands up in the air. “You know what? It’s fine. I’m just trying to help you,” she said, batting his hand away when he reached for her. “You want out of your current job and Ava Wolfe needs someone with experience. It may be a win/win situation. I’m friends with the editor of Bella so I can probably set up an interview for you.”
Elias exhaled a breath and ran a hand through his short, black hair. He’d heard of Ava Wolfe’s questionable reputation over the years, the tyrant in the red dress. She was ruthless in the boardroom and unkind to her interns, acquiring a new worker every four months.
From the age of twenty-three, Ava had built her empire from nothing, purchasing dying media companies to resurrect them for a profit. She would definitely be a challenging and formidable boss to work for. Was he ready for the demands of Ava Wolfe?
“So what is it, Elias?” Daisy pressed, tilting her head to the side, her blue gaze piercing. “The window’s closing. Do you want a new job or not?”
It was now or never. “All right, please set up the interview. Text me the day and time when you hear back.”
Daisy poked him in the ribs. “Hey, you could at least say thank you, you ungrateful bastard.”
“Sorry, I’ve got a lot on my mind. You know how much I appreciate you doing this.”
She flashed him a wide grin. “I know. I complete you.”
When Elias returned to the office, he started working on his resignation letter.
~ ~ ~
At seven o’clock, Elias walked in the door and dumped his briefcase and mobile phone on the kitchen bench. Bone-weary and tired, he switched on the television in time for the news and buried his head in the refrigerator, looking for something to eat.
After making a ham and cheese sandwich, he flopped onto the couch, bringing with him a handful of magazines published by Blue Tail Media. He felt a little foolish paying for them at the supermarket, lying to the checkout girl that they were for his girlfriend.
Taking a bite of his sandwich, Elias searched through the pile for Bella and flipped through the articles, getting a grasp on the writing style and format. If Daisy got him an interview, he had to be prepared.
As he added Bella to his reading pile, he picked out a gossip magazine. His motives weren’t entirely innocent. Elias had hoped to see something in there about Ava. Maybe the paps caught her doing the walk of shame or attending an event with a mysterious man. It was worth a shot. He scanned through it hastily as if worried he would get caught. Flashy images of famous movie stars and television personalities stared back at him.
The rhythmic buzzing of his mobile phone sounded from the kitchen and he bounced off the couch to answer it.
“What’s the news, Daisy?”
“Are you free on Friday at two p.m.?”
“I can shuffle my schedule around.” Excitement and anxiety coupled in Elias’s gut. He had no idea what to expect. The future of Blue Tail Media was still up in the air. Was he prepared to go down with the ship if everything failed? “Did you speak to the editor or Ava specifically?”
“I spoke with the editor Blake Parker,” Daisy replied. “In fact, there’s been a change in plans. They filled the copywriter position a few weeks ago, but a new role has become available.” She paused. “Unofficially, Ava’s been looking for someone to manage all business communications and marketing. Her previous secretary couldn’t keep up with her crazy demands and workload. Blake said he’s happy to interview you if you’re still interested. He was impressed by your résumé.”
“Of course. What’s the job?”
“It’s pretty big, Elias. She’s looking for a Director of Communications. How cool is that? You’ll be in charge of all press releases, articles, public relations and communication for Blue Tail Media. In lieu of the bad press, Ava wants an expert in damage control to change the company’s public image. It won’t be easy, but you’re more than qualified.”
“I can do that. What else is there?”
“The usual ad-hoc tasks. Blake mentioned the candidate must be prepared to accompany Ava on business trips.”
“So, basically be her glorified assistant?” Elias said.
“Director of Communications,” Daisy corrected. “This is a massive role. There’s a lot more responsibility here than the TV studio. Look Elias, if you don’t want to attend the interview—”
“What’s the pay like?”
“Blake wouldn’t tell me. He said it’s up to you and Ava to discuss.”
Elias rapped his fingers on the kitchen bench. The notion of sitting behind a desk all day, pumping out articles to appease the public didn’t appeal to him. However, the job—if he got it—would open up massive doors later on. Elias Dorne, Director of Communications had a nice ring to it. If he could tolerate working with Ava Wolfe for twelve to eighteen months, then he could do anything.
“All right, I’ll see Blake on Friday. Good night, Daisy.”