Enthrall

Chapter 9

Judgments and Justifications

Liam

I spent the rest of the day buried in Enthrall's operational files, and I had to admit, I was impressed despite myself. Whoever the mysterious owner was, they understood business fundamentals in a way that was rare for someone young enough to be called inexperienced by George.

The supply chain logistics were elegant and efficient. The marketing strategy was sophisticated without being overcomplicated. The financial management showed a level of discipline that many established companies lacked. Starting as a small brand in the cutthroat fashion industry and succeeding to this level in just a few years was genuinely remarkable.

But that didn't change my opinion about my new intern.

I'd encountered her type before – beautiful, privileged young women who thought their social media fame translated to business acumen. They were usually more interested in networking opportunities and i********: photos than actual work. Worse, they often came with a sense of entitlement that made them difficult to manage and quick to cry discrimination when they didn't get special treatment.

My phone buzzed with a text from David: "How's the new team?"

"Assistant seems competent. Intern is a disaster," I typed back.

"Already? It's only been one day."

"Social media influencer who showed up late in competitor's shoes. George's sense of humor is apparently darker than I thought."

"Maybe give her a chance? George doesn't usually make bad calls about people."

I set my phone aside without responding. David had always been more optimistic about people than I was. He hadn't been burned as badly by women who saw dollar signs instead of a person when they looked at him.

The truth was, my reaction to Evelyn Jones wasn't entirely professional. She reminded me too much of Cassandra, the i********: model I'd dated two years ago. Beautiful, charming, with millions of followers and a seemingly sweet personality that had completely fooled me.

Right up until she'd tried to claim I was the father of her child and demanded a seven-figure settlement to keep it quiet. The paternity test had proved she was lying, but not before she'd dragged my name through tabloid headlines and cost me a major business deal.

Since then, I'd had a strict policy about women like her. Beautiful? Usually. Trouble? Always.

I wasn't proud of my prejudice, but I also wasn't stupid enough to ignore hard-learned lessons. Social media influencers lived in a world of carefully curated images and manufactured authenticity. They were performers first, people second.

But even as I justified my harsh treatment of her, something nagged at me. The look on her face when I'd dismissed her hadn't been entitled anger or manipulative tears. It had been genuine hurt, quickly covered by professional composure.

She'd also answered Victoria's question about her identity honestly, even though it clearly made her uncomfortable. And she'd apologized for being late instead of making excuses.

Maybe she wasn't exactly like Cassandra. But that didn't mean she belonged in my office, learning business from me while probably planning to turn the whole experience into content for her social media channels.

I pushed the thought aside and focused on the financial projections in front of me. I had real work to do, and babysitting influencers wasn't part of the job description I'd signed up for.

My computer chimed with an email from George: "How did the first day go? Any issues with the new staff?"

I considered my response carefully. George had asked me to give the intern a chance, and he rarely asked for favors without good reason. But he'd also put me in charge of this operation, which meant he trusted my judgment about personnel issues.

"Assistant is excellent. Will need to work with the intern on professional standards. Nothing that can't be handled."

It was diplomatic enough to avoid conflict while making my position clear. If Evelyn Jones wanted to learn business, she'd have to prove she was serious about it. Starting with showing up on time and dressed appropriately.

The late afternoon sun was streaming through my office windows when Victoria knocked on my door.

"Mr. Evans, I've prepared tomorrow's schedule and briefing materials. Is there anything else you need before I leave for the day?"

"That's all, thank you. You've done excellent work today."

She smiled with genuine pleasure at the compliment. "Thank you, sir. I'm looking forward to working with you."

After she left, I stayed in the office until nearly nine o'clock, familiarizing myself with every aspect of Enthrall's operations. The more I learned, the more curious I became about the woman who'd built it all.

Tomorrow, I'd start implementing some operational improvements. And if Evelyn Jones showed up on time and appropriately dressed, maybe I'd give her a chance to prove she was more than just a pretty face with a smartphone.

But I wasn't holding my breath.