The Fearless Woman
Book 1 of The Fearless Woman Duology
Romantic Suspense
The first book of The Fearless Woman series of two women brought together by death and circumstances.
After twenty-five years of unwavering loyalty to Sullivan Foods, Olivia Falco is unceremoniously fired via a six-line email. The shocking betrayal by her boss, Catherine Sullivan, leaves Olivia jobless, enraged, and grappling with the harsh reality of her obsolescence. This abrupt end to her career is the latest in a string of hardships, including a devastating divorce that left her in financial ruin. Determined to reclaim her narrative and expose the corporate skeletons she's been privy to for years, Olivia decides to channel her anger and hurt into writing a tell-all book, a dish of revenge she plans to serve in print for the world to see.
Her mission for vengeance, however, is unexpectedly derailed by a crisis from a past she thought was long buried. A late-night call from a hospital reveals that her estranged husband, Bob—the man who disappeared after saddling her with insurmountable debt—is terminally ill. Thrust back into his life, Olivia is confronted not only with the man who shattered her trust but also with his young, naive companion, Cassie. As she navigates the complexities of Bob's final days, Olivia finds herself entangled in a web of old wounds, startling revelations, and an unlikely connection with a figure from her youth.
Forced to confront the ghosts of her past, Olivia's quest for revenge transforms into a journey of compassion, forgiveness, and unforeseen second chances. As she uncovers long-hidden truths about Bob and his relationship with Cassie, Olivia must choose between the bitterness that has defined her and the possibility of a new beginning. Juggling the care of a dying man, the mentorship of a lost young woman, and a rekindled flame, Olivia discovers a strength she never knew she possessed, realizing that true fearlessness lies not in retribution, but in the courage to heal and embrace an unexpected future.
Read an Excerpt
Prologue
EVERYONE LIVES WITH the unspoken understanding of their obsoleteness. Still, you’re never ready when it becomes your reality.
The idea that the inward comfort derived from a job Olivia had devoted twenty-five years of her life could be snatched away overnight made the anger spring hot inside her. Olivia cast enraged blue eyes to the email and reread it.
The email from Catherine Sullivan, the president of Sullivan Foods, contained six lines of diplomatically correct legalese and the tenor of a sacking. Six aloof lines on an email were the sum of Olivia’s years of commitment and loyalty to Catherine Sullivan.
Olivia’s anger hot and pulsing, she bolted from the couch and paced the living room. Oreo, Olivia’s black and white Maltese Shih Tzu, followed suit.
“Twenty-five fucking years I gave her. I worked nights and weekends without compensation. I never took a sick day, ever. I gave Catherine all I had, all of me, only to be fired over an email. She didn’t even have the guts to say it to my face.” Olivia’s voice trembled with rage, and she increased her pace. Oreo withdrew to the couch. Comfort over exercise.
Olivia never saw it coming, but she blamed no one but herself for her employer sending her packing after years of loyal service. Deluding herself to believe that devoting her time, effort, heart and soul to her job would lead her employer to recognize her contribution rather than push her out the door was her mistake.
The boomer mentality of loyalty to your employer ingrained from a young age was corporate propaganda from institutions extorting a surplus of people seeking employment. Olivia knew that now, but it was too little too late.
Wisdom came at great cost...