trope
Undercover Boss Romance
A story where one partner is secretly the owner, CEO, or high-level executive of the company where the other works, usually disguised as a regular employee to investigate or reform the workplace, leading to a romance that complicates the deception.
Why readers love it
Readers enjoy the tension of a power imbalance hidden in plain sight, plus the fantasy of being chosen by someone who could have anyone but falls for an ordinary employee. The inevitable reveal fuels both betrayal angst and a satisfying grovel or grand gesture.
Also called
Secret Boss
Disguised Owner
Executive Undercover
Workplace Spy Romance
Alpha Boss in Hiding
