Chapter 233
The corridor outside my suite is quiet. It’s designed to soothe but it does nothing to quiet the noise in my head.
I head toward the elevator, my thoughts drifting where they shouldn’t. To Sierra.
I don’t know why the twins asking about her unsettled me so much. Maybe because they’ve grown used to her presence so quickly. Maybe because part of me has too.
The thought tightens something in my chest, but I shove it aside. It isn’t important right now. What matters is the negotiation.
Lilly is already waiting in the corridor.
“Ready?” I ask after a brief good morning.
“I was born ready,” she replies as we step into the elevator.
We ride in silence.
The meeting is on the top floor, and the elevator dings softly when we arrive. I straighten my jacket as I step out, slipping easily into the role I know best.
The boardroom is already half full. French executives sit around the table, their suits tailored to perfection, expressions neutral but eyes sharp. These are men who aren’t impressed easily. They don’t raise their voices. They don’t rush decisions.
They wait for mistakes.
We don’t plan to give them any.
“Gentlemen,” I say, taking my seat at the head of the table while Lilly settles to my right. “Let’s begin p>
The presentation starts immediately… Market projections, expansion strategies, and risk assessments.
I listen more than I speak. I always do.
They push back on timelines first. I let them.
They question our valuation. I don’t flinch.
Beside me, Lilly shifts slightly. Our eyes meet. That’s all it takes.
She opens her folder.
“The concern about valuation is understandable,” she says smoothly, tapping her pen once against the table. “Which is why we’ve already accounted for it p>
She slides a document forward.
One of the executives leans in. “These margins p>
“Are conservative,” Lilly cuts in calmly. “We don’t gamble with projections p>
When silence finally descends, that’s when I speak.
“We’re not here to convince you we’re capable,” I say evenly. “You already know that. We’re here to decide whether you are ready to move forward. If not, we have several companies prepared to partner with us p>
No raised voices. No threats. Just truth, delivered cleanly.
A few glances are exchanged around the table, the kind that say they’re recalculating everything in real time.
They push us. Test us, citing regulatory concerns, public perception, and long-term control. For a moment, I almost walk out.
I don’t need this bullshit. Like I said, there are plenty of companies dying to work with us. We chose this one because it suited our interests best, not because we were desperate.
They keep going, grinding on my last nerve.
Lilly answers when it turns technical.
I step in when it becomes strategic.
One of them finally asks, “And if the market reacts poorly p>
I lean back slightly. “It won’t p>
“Bu—but p>
I lean forward, cutting him off. “You’re either in or you’re out. We didn’t come here to explain ourselves or prove our worth. You need us more than we need you… So fucking take it, or we walk p>
Silence, and for the first time, their arrogance crumbles.
Forty minutes later, the contract lies on the table. Signatures are exchanged. Hands are shaken.
The deal is done.
Congratulations are passed around, with polite smiles all around.
It’s a huge win, but I’ve closed so many deals over the years that victory no longer feels like a reward. It feels like an expectation.
As the room empties, Lilly gathers her files and exhales softly.
“Finally,” she says. “Now I can let loose… maybe even find a cute boy toy p>
“I really didn’t fucking need to know that,” I mutter, grinding my teeth.
We step out of the boardroom together and head for the elevator.
“We meet again, Noah.” The voice stops us just as the elevator doors begin to slide open.
Lilly and I both turn.
Juliett stands there, lips curving into a slow, satisfied smile. “I told you we would p>
Fuck. She’s the last person I wanted to run into today.