AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You let a product with questionable ingredients onto the market, a product that has permanently scarred people. By allowing your launch to go forward, you have done nothing but insult your own credibility, as evidenced by the online laughingstock that you’ve become.”
Noa has bigger tears falling faster now, but I have limited sympathy. You don’t talk about my family that way. And if you’re going to say you care about beauty products that will enhance people’s lives, you don’t release a product that you know is causing chemical burns. I want her products off the market and overseen by my labs that will ensure their quality going forward.
“It would be prudent to come to a decision now,” I say. I glance at Mr. Delancey who gives me a nod of approval.
Mr. Hartsher dabs his forehead with a handkerchief, then once again leans over to Noa. She finally nods, and he clears his throat to speak. “Miss Milenna, Mr. Delancey, we agree to your terms.”
I don’t bother to hide my smile of triumph as I stand and extend my hand across the table.They both give me weak, dead-fish handshakes.
“Mr. Delancey will handle the paperwork and let you know what the next steps are. I look forward to our future meetings, Noa.”
With that white lie, I collect my files off the table, shove them in my black Birkin bag, and grab my coat. I walk out the glass doors into the main bullpen of Milenna Headquarters, giving a mental salute to Dad’s portrait.
Everett comes to my side immediately.
“You okay?” he asks, helping me into my camel coat.
“For now,” I reply, as he hands me my coffee. I exhale with a curl of my lip and a bit of a growl. Noa Ice just made my unlikeable list.
Everett makes eye contact with me and the way he’s pressing his lips together tells me he’s concerned. It’s the same look I get when I say that I’m staying late for the fourth night in a row. I collect those looks, wishing if I had enough, maybe someday I could trade them in for genuine care for me, Laina, not the CEO he’s hired to protect.
I give him a short nod and tilt my head towards Ainsley’s desk, where she’s waiting for me to come over and do our daily debrief.
“There’s nothing left for you to do except vacation! Have fun!” Ainsley exclaims with a little squeal and jazz hands as we approach. She’s always a ray of sunshine, a stark contrast to the sharp, curt assistants I’ve run across in the gray world of corporate business.
“Thanks, Ains,” I say with a smile. “See you soon.”
We give each other a quick hug and she whispers, “Don’t worry about a thing.”
That feels completely outside the realm of possibility.
Everett gets the elevator for us and I’m about to step inside when I hear Mr. Delancey shout my name. I turn to see him jogging across the floor towards us.
“I’ll hold the elevator,” says Everett, patient as always.
I hurry to meet Mr. Delancey the last few paces.
“I almost forgot, one last thing, I promise, then I’ll wish you ‘Bon Voyage’,” Mr. Delancey says, slightly breathless. “You know Lourden Luxuries? Adam Lourden’s company?”
“Yeah, of course.” I know the company in the business sense, but my mind also flashes back to the day their family made headlines. To the day my parents sat huddled on the couch in the living room, crying in each other’s arms. When I asked what was wrong, Dad pointed to a newspaper lying on the coffee table with the headline, “Lourden Luxuries CEO and Wife Killed in Crash off Williamsburg Bridge.” My parents were mourning like they’d just lost old friends, but I had never heard the name before then. I shake my head to clear the memory as I tune back to what Mr. Delancey’s saying.
“They want to develop an upscale skincare or perfume line with us.”
Lourden Luxuries is a dynasty as big as The Milenna Company. They operate as a broker, dealer, and facilitator for exchanges of luxury goods: art, cars, collectibles, wine, etc. It’s not outside the scope of their company to want to try their hand at something like this and I’m actually surprised it hasn’t happened sooner.
“How do you feel about it?” asks Mr. Delancey.
“Neutral. Maybe next fall, do a special release for the holidays?”
He nods and writes a note on his iPad. “I’ll let them know. Okay, that’s all, I promise. Bon Voyage, Laina.”
I’m about to ask him a quick follow-up question that’s been plaguing me about my standing with the board at the moment, but as if reading my mind, he pats my shoulder. “Stop trying to find things to worry about.”
“If you say so,” I mumble with a begrudging smile. I wave to him and finally join Everett in the elevator.
CHAPTER 2
Once the silver doors roll closed on us, I let out a huge sigh that ends in a surprising, hiccup-like sob.
