AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And Olivia would have said yes without hesitation. She’d known early on Sergio had been the one for her, despite his father’s obvious disdain for her and her profession. She’d been thankful she’d gotten on so well with both sides of the rest of Sergio’s family. Even so, his father’s attitude toward her had been stressful with unneeded tension.
“I was going to fucking propose! But then Silvia died and Mom shortly after. I was grief-stricken and stuck.”
Olivia’s head spun. He’d wanted to marry her after all? How different would their lives have been if Silvia and Justine had lived?
“The operation in Colombia was a wreck. Only a few of the single mothers had been trained well enough to create quality clothing from start to finish like Silvia intended. The management staff was pitiful. Trying to honor Silvia’s intent and with the constant guilt trips Dad tossed my way, I ended up in Bogotá for much longer than I’d planned.”
“Nearly three years,” Olivia stated sadly.
Sergio shoved his hands in his jeans pockets and hung his head. “I transformed the Colombian operation into a well-managed division of the company, but I’d already lost what was most dear to me. I felt imprisoned there, believe me.”
Olivia shook her head. In a twisted sort of way, Sergio’s father might have done them a favor after all. Marrying Sergio knowing how his father felt about her wouldn’t have been easy.
“Carlos got the last laugh, didn’t he? Buying Delcinia. I bet he can’t wait to close down operations just to spite me.” Olivia had already quit, so he wouldn’t get the satisfaction of firing her at least. Condescending asshole.
Sergio made himself comfortable on the chair he’d placed his coat on. Olivia was irritated that he looked like he belonged in her place.
“No. I bought Delcinia. I left Martinez Designs. Weren’t you listening during the Zoom call? I’m through letting my father dictate my every move and using guilt to do it. I should have left a long time ago. I was a fool to put up with his shit as long as I did.” Sergio let out a weary sigh and shook his head.
Olivia felt for Sergio. She recognized his family dynamics were complicated, especially after Silvia and Justine passed. But she also suspected this falling out between father and son was most likely temporary. Before long, she predicted Carlos would have his hand in Delcinia operations.
She didn’t want to believe it but had to ask. “Was I part of the deal with Vera and Henry? If I was, they had no right.”
Sergio glanced at her with pain in his eyes. “No, of course not. They were nothing but complimentary about you. Your work ethic. Your ideas and contributions. Their focus had to shift once Vera got sick. You can understand that, can’t you?”
Olivia was relieved, and she understood, but it didn’t change things. “I do, but I stand by my resignation. Too much has happened. I won’t work for you.”
Sergio stood and put his coat on. Like a fool, Olivia was disappointed. How messed up was that?
“That’s unfortunate because I need you. In many ways, but certainly to implement your expansion plans. With them in place, the company has a bright future.” Sergio headed toward the door to leave, pausing and turning around before opening it.
“Just think about staying. I’m not going to pressure you, but think of all we can accomplish together. Come by the office tomorrow morning at ten o’clock. We can discuss if and how we can work together, amicably, and keep the Delairs’ vision alive.”
The following morning, Sergio sat behind his desk, formerly Henry Delair’s, at Delcinia HQ, unable to concentrate and fidgeting in his chair. His laptop clock display showed it was nearly ten thirty. He sighed dejectedly. Olivia wasn’t coming. He’d been hopeful the night before as he’d noted the desire in her blue gaze even though she’d been angry and hurt.
Her no show wasn’t surprising, but he’d expected she would want to at least explore implementing her expansion plans. The new Essence line could be a potential game changer that included coordinating men’s garments. The product line expansion into larger sizes, which was long overdue as well as the girls’ college scholarship program. Sergio was on board with everything Henry and Vera had shared with him. Olivia’s plans had impressed the shit out of him.
The decision to acquire Delcinia hadn’t been all that difficult. There was so much potential that he couldn’t turn Delair’s offer down. Having his Uncle Brooks and Aunt Margot join the small board of directors was an added bonus. They had wanted to work with him for years, and now they would, on his terms. For his company.
Regardless of Olivia’s decision to stay on or not, Sergio needed to address the Camille Winters “situation” right away. Vera’s closest friend and with Delcinia from the very beginning as head designer and design department manager, she’d become an impediment to the company’s growth initiatives.
To Sergio’s astonishment and delight, although thirty minutes late, Olivia strolled into his office without knocking. Regardless of her decision about Delcinia, his heart raced and his cock twitched, he was so happy to see her again.
She still took his breath away. Flawless makeup, not that she needed any. And dressed in a curve-hugging but professional blue sweater dress that matched the shade of her sparkling blue eyes. Perfection, all these years later.
Olivia held her head high, not mentioning that she was late. “So, tell me how I might fit into your organization, should I decide to stay.”
Hope bloomed and lust surged through his veins. Sergio gestured to the guest chairs in front of his desk. She sat down with poise; her baby blues laser focused on him. He prayed he didn’t fuck up his proposal and that he could convince Olivia to stay on.
“Our organization. You’ll have a twenty percent stake in the company.” Olivia’s eyes widened and Sergio was confident he had her sincere attention. When she frowned, he began doubting himself.
“The buy-in Vera, Henry, and I agreed to would have given me a five to seven percent stake. I don’t have nearly enough saved for twenty.” Olivia maintained her self-assured posture, but the disappointment was evident on her face.
The Delairs weren’t giving Olivia enough credit. He supposed as the founders of the company, he could understand. It didn’t change his perspective on the matter, however.
“Don’t sell yourself short. You’ve been an exceptional ambassador for Delcinia. Your ideas and plans are key to the company’s growth. Recruiting the Bellucci sisters as designers was a stroke of genius, propelling our international exposure.”
Olivia beamed at him, and his heart swelled. The young Italian designer sister duo were hot commodities and the cousins of Italian supermodel and actress Maria Bellucci. Isabella and Sienna Bellucci were the ungettable gets, and yet Olivia had gotten them.
