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“Yes! With a coffee corner, and a very special selection,” I elaborate. “Classics, romance novels, crime, modern suspense—everything I like. And with a space where local authors could do readings and book signings. And a very personal touch…”
I stop, biting my lower lip. I must sound ridiculous.
“That sounds like a nice plan,” he comments.
Nice, yes. Or rather silly and plain. It’s nothing compared to the things he has achieved in life.
“I told you, I’m pretty boring,” I say, feeling funny.
“Maybe you are,” he agrees. He sends a playful wink along, but his words still sting.
“Nothing wrong with that,” he adds. “There’s solace in normalcy that one lacks with a more alternative life.”
“That’s very true, I never thought about it like that,” I say. “Did you just make that up?”
He shakes his head. “Can’t remember who said it first, but it wasn’t me.”
A sigh escapes him, before he adds: “Not for me, though. I’m not cut out for normal.”
“Maybe,” I say vaguely—reminding myself never to fall in love with this man. As charming as he can be, we obviously don’t want the same things.
Chapter 23
Logan
The table in the meeting room of Sunderhand Enterprises is excessively large and bright, with a white surface that blinds me as it reflects the piercing sunlight right into my eyes.
“I’m sorry,” Mr. Meyer says, when he notices me squinting. “I would close the outside blinds but they appear to be broken. We’ve got someone coming to fix them later today.”
“It’s fine,” I say in my best amiable voice.
“So, on the phone you said that you’re interested in investing in the Residence du Marché project,” he recounts our short conversation from a couple of weeks ago.
I contacted Sunderhand Enterprises, because they present yet another—and much more prestigious—avenue to invest and multiply my money in a way that has nothing to do with my family’s business.
It’s a huge opportunity, but one that remains impassable to me as long as I’m not a trusted partner to anyone involved. Mr. Meyer is just one of many voices I’ll have to bring on my side, and just like the others, he is a long-term member of the Vanguard Society. He’s in his fifties, balding and growing a spare tire around his middle, a golden wedding ring on his finger,and I bet he has a picture of his smiling children on his office desk. We’ve met before and exchanged details, but if I hadn’t contacted him, he probably would have stayed away from me, just like most of them do. I’m a stranger to them, too young, with an obscure background that I keep hidden for a reason. My name means nothing to them—unless they’ve been dipping their noses into the white poison that my family deals with. But while consumption seems to be accepted in their environment, dealing in that very same business is not.
I get it, I really do. I’ve seen what darkness lurks behind this business and that’s exactly why I want to get out and join their clean ranks. The ranks of real estate moguls and investors of building projects that not only make them even richer, but also more reputable.
“Did you have a chance to look at the files I sent you?”he asks. “And do you have any questions to start with?”
“Yes, I did have a look. Thank you for trusting me with those, I’m sure you don’t just hand them out to anybody.”
He smiles and suggests a shake of his head. “That’s correct, I do not.”
“I’d really love to get on board with this,” I maintain. “It looks like a great project to me, one that could really benefit a lot of people.”
“Including us, the investors,” he chuckles. “Social benefit is a nice thing if you ask me, a very nice thing indeed. But let’s not fool ourselves, Residence duMarché is also about making money.”
“Of course,” I nod. “I wasn’t trying to greenwash anything.”
“No need for greenwashing when it’s an inherently good endeavor,” he argues, raising an eyebrow. “We’re still helping a lot of people with this.”
Fuck, why do I have to put my foot in my mouth like this? This is a different game than the one I’m used to, I should fucking remember that.
I may be the only one who’s mainly in this to greenwash my own name, but while the other investors also benefit from having their name tied to such a benevolent and prestigious project, they’re not doing it out of sheer generosity, but see a way to increase their wealth most of all.
“It is a wonderful and massive undertaking,” I say. “One that needs as many supportersas it can get, I’m sure.”
