CHAPTER 7
965 Words
Piper sat at the head of the sleek, black conference table, exuding the effortless power and grace of a true business mogul.
The meeting room was filled with high-profile investors, some local, some international, all listening intently as she discussed her latest expansion plans.
Large floor-to-ceiling windows bathed the room in natural light, and the smooth hum of the projector filled the air as she outlined the next phase of her empire.
Everything was going perfectly.
Until the glass door creaked open.
Piper’s eyes flickered to the movement, barely pausing in her speech.
At first, she thought it was Matthias checking in, until a tiny head peeked in from behind the investors.
Big, curious eyes scanned the room.
A small hand clutched a bag of snacks.
Piper was stunned at the moment, pausing from her discussion.
You’ve got to be kidding me
Before she could stop her, Brianna slipped inside, her tiny feet padding softly against the carpet as she weaved through the chairs.
The investors—some amused, some utterly confused as they watched as the little girl confidently walked toward the empty chair beside Piper.
Brianna plopped down, her legs dangling over the edge of the seat.
Then, as if she owned the place, she carefully unpacked her snacks onto the pristine, polished table.
One by one.
A juice box. A bag of cookies. A tiny pack of gummies.
Then, she looked up at the silent room, at the sharks in expensive suits and gave them a tiny, shy wave.
“Hi.”
Dead.
Silence.
Piper exhaled through her nose, her grip on her pen tightening.
The investors exchanged glances, some hiding their amusement behind composed expressions.
But Piper?
She did not have time for this.
Choosing to ignore the child at her side, she continued, shifting the presentation to the financial projections.
But just as she regained control—
Buuuuurp.
The loud, tiny sound echoed through the room.
Piper’s entire body went still.
Every investor froze.
Brianna, eyes wide, quickly covered her mouth with both hands.
Then, in the smallest, most innocent voice—
“I’m sorry, Mama.”
Piper closed her eyes slowly and inhaled.
When she opened them, she directed a lethal glare toward the glass wall outside the meeting room
Where Matthias stood, casually sipping his coffee, watching the chaos unfold with zero intention of intervening.
The traitor even had the nerve to smirk.
Piper forced a tight-lipped smile and turned back to the investors.
“As I was saying—”
Brianna reached for her juice box. “Mama, do you want a cookie?”
Matthias choked on his coffee.
In that moment Piper officially lost control of the meeting.
Piper expected annoyance.
She expected narrowed eyes, hushed whispers, and disapproving looks from the very wealthy, very powerful business magnates sitting at her table.
But instead—
One of the older gentlemen chuckled, reaching for his glass of water. “Well, that’s a first in all my years of investment meetings.”
Another woman, dressed in a sharp navy suit, smiled. “Adorable.”
A younger executive leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands. “She called you Mama are congratulations in order, Miss Callista?”
Piper did not strangle the man on the spot.
It was a miracle.
Instead, she exhaled sharply through her nose and turned to Brianna, who was now happily munching on a cookie, completely unbothered by the high-stakes corporate world around her.
“Brianna.” Piper’s voice was measured, her fingers drumming against the table.
The little girl looked up, cheeks full of snacks.
“This is an important meeting.”
Brianna nodded seriously. “I know, Mama.”
Piper’s eye twitched. “Then why are you here?”
Brianna blinked, as if the answer was obvious. “Because I missed you.”
Somewhere outside, Matthias wheezed into his coffee.
Piper ignored him.
Instead, she pinched the bridge of her nose, counted to three, then turned back to her investors. “Shall we continue?”
But instead of shifting back to the numbers, the older gentleman—one of her largest foreign investors—smiled at Brianna. “Tell me, young lady, do you know what your mother does?”
Brianna beamed, nodding enthusiastically. “She’s the boss!”
The entire table chuckled.
Piper tried to suppress a sigh.
Another investor leaned in, intrigued. “And what do you think makes a good boss?”
Brianna tapped her chin, thinking.
Then, with absolute confidence—
“She makes all the big decisions. And she’s really, really smart. And…” Brianna hesitated, looking up at Piper, eyes filled with so much admiration.
“She protects people.”
Piper’s breath hitched.
Something tight coiled in her chest.
Damn this kid.
One of the women at the table smiled. “Smart girl.”
The older gentleman nodded approvingly. “I must say, Miss Callista, if this is the kind of loyalty you inspire, then my investments are in very capable hands.”
The others murmured in agreement.
Piper blinked.
What… just happened?
She was supposed to control the meeting.
Not have it hijacked by a six-year-old.
And yet—
Here she was, gaining the approval of some of the most powerful investors in the country, because of a little girl who barged in with snacks and a burp.
Matthias was going to milk this moment forever.
Brianna, sensing her victory, grinned and pushed her cookie toward Piper.
“Here, Mama. For being the best boss.”
Piper stared at the cookie.
Then at Brianna.
Then at the business moguls watching them with highly entertained expressions.
Slowly, with all the grace of a defeated queen, she picked up the cookie and took a bite.
The investors chuckled in satisfaction.
Matthias?
Matthias cackled behind the glass.
- Writer
