CHAPTER 152: UNSHAKABLE BOSS

An hour before the close of business, Nick Knight’s arrival at Pacific Manning Services sent a quiet ripple through the building. Josh was quick to hurry out, practically tripping over himself in eagerness to open the car door for their new investor.

But as Nick stepped inside, the first faces to greet him were Melanie from HR and Bella from Recruitment. Their polished smiles tried to conceal a spark of amusement when they caught his subtle frown—he was looking for someone else.

Of course he was.

"Georgia is in her office," Melanie supplied smoothly, her voice was painted with something between courtesy and knowing mischief. "She’s on a conference call together with Jenny, our sales manager. She said you’re welcome to wait inside. I’m Melanie, HR, and this is Bella from Recruitment."

Nick gave a short nod, his stride powerful as he fell in step behind them. His eyes, sharp and assessing, swept through the bustling office. Even so close to closing time, desks buzzed with chatter, the waiting area still packed with hopeful applicants clutching résumés.

"You keep this many applicants late in the day and this season?" Nick asked, tone clipped but genuinely curious.

Bella adjusted her glasses, her professional poise never faltering. "Yes, Mr. Knight. We’ve always been busy—even before we specialized. We used to handle job openings in other industries too, and offered training programs. But those contracts barely covered operations.

Mr. David Lewis eventually shifted the focus exclusively to maritime placements. Even now, applicants from other industries still walk in, hoping to get matched. Sometimes we find them positions in ports or cruise liners if their skills fit."

Nick’s gaze sharpened with interest. "So, companies outside maritime still approach you?"

"Constantly," Bella admitted with a polite smile. "But Georgia prefers we tell them we’re full. She’s strategic—focusing resources only on high-value contracts. It keeps the company stable, even if it means turning people away."

Nick hummed, the faintest trace of approval flickering in his expression. His mind was already weighing her decisions like an investor, but his heart, the restless part of him, was fixed elsewhere.

’This is why she’s stressed out. She doesn’t want this kind of work. But she has no choice,’ Nick thought.

They stopped at Georgia’s door. Melanie peeked inside, then glanced back. "They’re still on a call, but let’s head in. She won’t mind."

She pushed the door wide open, ushering Nick and Bella inside. The faint sound of Georgia’s voice drifted through the speakerphone, calm yet commanding, the kind of voice that made even boardroom negotiations sound intimate.

Nick’s chest tightened at the sound. ’There she is.’

The sharp beep when the call ended echoed through the office, followed by Georgia’s guttural groan of frustration.

"Ughhh!!!"

Jenny buried her face in her hands, elbows braced on the desk, while Melanie and Bella exchanged uneasy glances. They had seen Georgia under stress before, but never like this.

"Is... everything okay?" Melanie asked cautiously, her voice threading through the silence.

Georgia spun on her heel, her expression carved with fury. "No. Nothing is okay!" Her voice cracked like a whip as she began pacing the length of her office, one hand gripping her hip, the other slashing through the air as though she could cut down the very people who had crossed her.

"That was the legal department of East West Corporation," she spat, enunciating every syllable with venom. "And yes, you heard me right... East. West. Corporation... Not the East West Cruise Line of Raymond...The goddamn parent company itself."

Her words came like bullets, rapid, unrelenting.

"The mother fuckers just terminated their contract. Abruptly. No negotiation, no warning. Fucking assholes!!! They’ll pay the penalty, they said. As if their blood money makes it acceptable."

"Jefferson Davis, that jerk!" she nearly hissed the name, "—even offered to cover our legal fees. As a donation. Fucking bastard! He is the devil himself!" Her laugh was sharp, humorless. "That man has the audacity to cloak sabotage in generosity."

She stopped pacing, slamming her palm flat against the edge of her desk. The impact made Jenny flinch.

"Do you know what this means?" Georgia’s chest rose and fell rapidly, her eyes blazing as she scanned the room. "Every single contract tied to their mother company is as good as gone. What a piece of shit! Years of work, wiped out because one arrogant bastard decided to play power games."

Her breathing grew ragged, fury choking her words as she sank into her chair, gripping the armrests as though to anchor herself. "God, I hope lightning strikes that son of a bitch a million times over right now!"

The room froze with her rage. Jenny, Melanie, and Bella stood silent, their usual poised composure stripped away. None of them had ever seen Georgia this unhinged—this raw. Her anger filled every corner of the office, suffocating, undeniable.

"Wow." Nick’s low voice cut through the thick silence like a blade, his tone laced with amusement. "I’ve never heard you curse that much in one breath. It’s... sexy. Incredibly hot..."

Georgia spun around, startled, eyes widening when she finally noticed him standing just behind Melanie and Bella. Fury had blinded her to his presence until now.

"Oh—Nick... you’re here..." she stammered, her sharp edges suddenly dulled by shock.

Without hesitation, Nick strode forward, commanding the small office space with each step. He reached her desk, slipped an arm around her waist, and pulled her against him as though he had every right to. His hand cupped her face firmly, forcing her gaze up to his.

"Are you okay?" His voice softened, protective. "Do you want me to grab you some water? Juice? Something to calm you down?"

The fire in Georgia’s eyes broke, extinguished by the intensity of his concern. All at once, the wrath she’d been holding shattered in an instant.

Tears welled, spilling before she could contain them. She hadn’t realized how furious, how overwhelmed she truly was until Nick was standing there, steadying her.

Her body moved before her mind caught up. She clung to him, burying herself in his chest. "Nick... Waaaah!" Her cry tore from her throat, raw and unfiltered.

He wrapped her tighter, unbothered by the tears soaking through his shirt, one broad palm stroking the length of her back. His presence was a solid fortress.

"Let it out, babe," he whispered against her hair, low enough to be intimate but loud enough for the small office to hear. "I’ve got you. I won’t let them win. I’m in this with you."

The three women—Jenny, Melanie, and Bella—watched in silence, biting back smiles. Their fierce, unshakable boss had crumbled like glass in Nick’s arms, revealing a side they’d never thought existed.

They exchanged glances, hearts warmed not by the prospect of his investment alone but by something far rarer: a man stepping into their leader’s storm, not as a savior with money, but as someone willing to fight alongside her.

For years, they had survived the company’s rise and fall, clinging to the hope of revival. And in this moment—watching Georgia lean on Nick, vulnerable yet unbroken—they finally believed it wasn’t just survival anymore. Their second home might truly rise again because they know that what Georgia truly needs is not money itself. They could get that somewhere.

But this emotional support that Nick is giving her it’s the weapon and foundation that she needs to be able to walk through any storms.

********

Thank you for the Golden Ticket!

Bernice_Norman