Power Play: A Novel (Random House Large Print) - Softcover

Steel, Danielle

 
9780804121125: Power Play: A Novel (Random House Large Print)
Softcover
ISBN 10: 0804121125 ISBN 13: 9780804121125
Verlag: Diversified Publishing, 2014

Inhaltsangabe

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

In Northern California two successful CEOs are both indispensable to their growing companies’ futures. Both are brilliant at the power game. But the difference between them is huge. One is a man, the other a woman. In this riveting novel, Danielle Steel explores what that means as she takes readers into the rarefied world of those at the pinnacle of international business and reveals the irrevocable choices they make, what drives them, and how others perceive them. The heady drug of power impacts everything they do.
 
POWER PLAY
 
Even though Harvard-educated Fiona Carson has proven herself under fire as CEO of National Technology Advancement, a multibillion-dollar high-tech company based in Palo Alto, California, she still has to meet the challenges of her world every day. Devoted single mother, world-class strategist, and tough negotiator, Fiona weighs every move she makes, and reserves any personal time for her children. Isolation and constant pressure are givens for her as a woman in a man’s world.
 
Miles away in Marin County, Marshall Weston basks in the fruits of his achievements. At his side is his wife, Liz, the perfect corporate spouse, who has gladly sacrificed her own law career to raise their three children and support Marshall at every step. Smooth, shrewd, and irreproachable, Marshall is a model chief executive, and the power he wields only enhances his charisma and is his drug of choice. And to maintain his position, he harbors secrets that could destroy his life at any moment. His world is one of high risks.
 
Like many women in her position, Fiona has sacrificed her personal life for her career, while Marshall dances dangerously close to the edge and flirts with scandal every day. Both must face their own demons, and fight off those who are jealous of their success. Their lives as CEOs of major companies come at a high price. And just how high a price are they willing to pay? Who are they willing to sacrifice to stay on top? Those they love, or themselves?
 
Danielle Steel’s gripping, emotionally layered novel explores the seductive and damaging nature of power. Success and greed, trust and deception, love and loss—all come to a head in this compelling drama of family, careers, infidelity, and the sacrifices some people make to hold on to power . . . or to let it go.

Praise for Power Play
 
“In peak form, Steel examines the effects of power on the lives of male and female CEOs in this insightful, all-too realistic novel . . . to dramatize just how differently men and women handle corporate power and personal responsibility.”—Booklist
 
“Connecting two powerful CEOs through their children’s romantic involvement, the author uses her signature low-key . . . style to examine personal and professional morality. . . . Appealing fare from Steel.”—Kirkus Reviews

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world’s most popular authors, with over 600 million copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include Winners, First Sight, Until the End of Time, The Sins of the Mother, Friends Forever, Betrayal, and other highly acclaimed novels. She is also the author of His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina, A Gift of Hope: Helping the Homeless, and Pure Joy: The Dogs We Love.

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Chapter 1

Fiona Carson left her office with the perfect amount of time to get to the boardroom for an important meeting. She was wearing a businesslike suit, her blond hair pulled back, almost no makeup. She was the CEO of one of the largest and most successful corporations in the country. She hated being late and almost never was. To anyone who ­didn’t know her, and many who did, she appeared to be in total control, and one could easily imagine her handling any situation. And whatever personal problems or issues she had, it was inconceivable that she would let them interfere with her work. A woman like Fiona would never let that happen.

As she approached the boardroom, her BlackBerry rang. She was about to let it go to voice mail, and then decided to check who it was, just to be sure. She pulled it out of her pocket. It was Alyssa, her daughter, who was currently a sophomore at Stanford. She hesitated, and then decided to answer it. She had time. The board meeting ­wouldn’t start for a few minutes, and as a single parent, it always made her uneasy not to answer calls from her children. What if it was the one time that something was seriously wrong? Alyssa had always been an easy child, and handled her life responsibly as a young adult, but still . . . what if she’d had an accident . . . was sick . . . was in an emergency room somewhere . . . had a crisis at school . . . her dog got run over by a car (which had happened once and Alyssa had been heartbroken for months). Fiona could never just let the phone ring and ignore it if it was one of her kids. She had always felt that part of being a parent was being on call at all times. And she felt that way about being CEO too. If there was an emergency, she expected someone to call her, at any hour, wherever she was. Fiona was accessible, to the corporation and her kids. She answered on the second ring.

“Mom?” Alyssa used the voice she only used for important events. A fantastic grade, or a disastrous one, something seriously wrong at the doctor, like a positive test for mono. Fiona could tell that whatever this was, it was important, so she was glad she had taken the call. She hoped it was nothing serious and sounded concerned.

“Yes. What’s up?” she answered in a subdued voice, so no one would hear her on a personal call as she walked down the hall. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, of course.” Alyssa sounded annoyed. “Why would you say that?” It never dawned on her what it was like being a mother, and the kind of things you worried about, or imagined, or how many things could go wrong, ­really bad ones. It was Fiona’s job to be aware of all those things, and be ready to spring into action when necessary, like the Red Cross or the fire department. Being a mother was like working for the office of emergency services, with a lifetime commitment. “Where are you? Why are you talking like that?” Alyssa could hardly hear her. She hated it when her mother whispered into the phone.

“I’m on my way to a board meeting,” Fiona answered, still speaking in a stage whisper. “What do you need?”

“I don’t ‘need’ anything. I just wanted to ask you something.” Alyssa sounded mildly insulted at the way her mother phrased it. They weren’t off to a good start, and Fiona wondered why her daughter ­hadn’t just sent her a text, as she often did. She knew how busy her mother was all day. But Fiona had always made it clear to her children that they were a major priority for her, so they weren’t shy about reaching out to her, even during her business day. So Fiona assumed that Alyssa needed to tell her something important. They knew the rules. “Don’t call unless you ­really need to, while I’m at work.” The exception to that had been when they were younger, and called to tell her they’d gotten hurt, or ­really missed her. She had never scolded them for those calls, neither Alyssa, nor her son, Mark.

“So ask me,” Fiona said, trying not to sound impatient. “I’ve got to go to the meeting in two seconds. I’m almost there.”

“I need a favor.” It better be a good one, Fiona thought, given the timing, the edge in her voice, and the introduction.

“What favor?”

“Can I borrow your black Givenchy skirt with the slit up the side? I have a big date this Saturday night.” She said it as though it were a crisis, and to her it was.

“You called me for that? It ­couldn’t wait till tonight?” Now she was annoyed. “I haven’t even worn it yet.” She rarely got to wear anything first. Alyssa either borrowed it, or it vanished forever and became only a dim memory in her closet. It was happening more and more often. They were the same size, and Alyssa was starting to like more sophisticated clothes.

“I’m not going to wear it to a track meet. I’ll give it back to you on Sunday.” Which year? Alyssa’s notion on the timing of returns was a little vague.

Fiona was going to argue the point with her, but she ­didn’t have time. “All right, fine. We can talk about it tonight, when I get home.”

“I needed to know, otherwise I have to go shopping. I have nothing to wear.” That was too long a conversation to get into now.

“Fine. Take it. Talk to you tonight.”

“No, Mom, wait . . . I have to talk to you about my econ paper. It’s due Monday, and the professor hated my topic, I wanted to . . .”

“Alyssa, I can’t talk about it now. Later. I’m busy. That’s too big a subject to discuss in two seconds.” She was starting to sound exasperated, and Alyssa immediately sounded hurt.

“Okay. Fine, I get it. But you always complain that I don’t discuss my papers with you, and the professor said . . .”

“Not in the middle of my workday, before a board meeting. I’m very glad you want to discuss it with me. I just can’t do it now.” She was at the door to the boardroom and she needed to end the call.

“Then when can you?” Alyssa sounded mildly huffy, as though implying that her mother never had time, which ­wasn’t fair since Fiona did her best to be accessible to them, and Alyssa knew it.

“Tonight. We’ll talk tonight. I’ll call you.”

“I can’t. I’m going to a movie with my French class, and dinner at a French restaurant before that. It’s part of the class.”

“Call me after,” Fiona said, desperate to get off the phone.

“I’ll pick up the skirt on Saturday. Thanks, Mom.”

“Anytime,” Fiona said with a wry smile. They always did it to her, especially Alyssa. It was almost as if she had to prove that her mother was paying attention. Fiona always did. Alyssa ­didn’t need to test it, but she did anyway sometimes. She just had. Yes, I am paying attention, Fiona thought, and hoped Alyssa ­wouldn’t call again to ask for the black sweater that went with the skirt. “I love you. Have fun tonight.”

“Yeah, me too. Have fun at the board meeting. Sorry I bothered you, Mom,” Alyssa said, and hung up. Fiona turned the phone on vibrate then and slipped it back in her jacket pocket. She had work to do now. No more ­lend-­lease program calls for the latest ­brand-­new,...

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Verlag
Diversified Publishing
Erscheinungsdatum
2014
Sprache
Englisch
ISBN 10 
0804121125
ISBN 13 
9780804121125
Einband
Taschenbuch
Anzahl der Seiten
512
Kontakt zum Hersteller
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