Chapter 5
1674 Words
At seven thirty the next morning, Elena Sinclair stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of her office, watching Manhattan come alive below.
Cars moved through the streets.
People hurried toward their offices.
The city was already awake.
Elena wished she could say she felt the same way.
She had barely slept after the family vote.
The words kept replaying in her mind.
I don't support you.
Victor's voice had been the easiest to dismiss.
What bothered her was knowing that other people inside the Black Empire probably felt the same way but were smart enough not to say it aloud.
Her office door opened.
Grace stepped inside with a tablet in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.
“You've been staring out that window for ten minutes.”
Elena turned.
“Have I?”
“Yes.”
Grace placed the coffee on her desk.
“Drink.”
Elena smiled.
“Are you ordering me around already?”
“I'm your assistant. It's practically in the job description.”
Elena picked up the cup.
“Thank you.”
Grace glanced at the documents on the desk.
“You have a nine o'clock meeting with Mr. Sinclair.”
“I know.”
“And a nine-thirty meeting with the executive committee.”
“I know.”
“And at ten—”
“Adrian Vale.”
Grace paused.
“Exactly.”
Elena took a sip of coffee.
“Tell me something about him.”
Grace raised an eyebrow.
“You want a corporate briefing?”
“I want to know what I'm walking into.”
Grace tapped her tablet.
“Adrian Alexander Vale. Thirty-four. CEO of Vale International. Estimated personal fortune—”
“I don't care about his money.”
Grace smiled.
“I figured.”
She continued.
“Columbia graduate. Took over the company after expanding the family business into technology and international investments. He's known for being extremely private.”
“Personality?”
“Cold.”
Elena looked at her.
“That's your professional assessment?”
“No. That's the internet's.”
“What do you think?”
Grace considered it.
“I think anyone who becomes a billionaire at thirty-four probably isn't very easy to deal with.”
Elena sighed.
“Wonderful.”
Grace looked at the time.
“You have twenty minutes.”
She left.
Elena turned back toward the window.
Twenty minutes.
She had survived a family vote.
She had faced the board.
She had been given a twelve-month probation.
Surely one meeting couldn't be that bad.
She was wrong.
---
At nine fifty-eight, Elena entered the executive conference room.
Alexander was already there.
So were Rebecca Hart, Victor Sinclair, Daniel Cross, and three other senior executives.
But the man sitting at the far end of the table immediately caught her attention.
Adrian Vale.
He stood when she entered.
Elena stopped for half a second.
He was taller than she expected.
Dark hair.
Sharp gray eyes.
A perfectly tailored charcoal suit.
His expression was calm, almost unreadable.
He looked like a man who had never needed to ask twice for anything.
Alexander gestured toward him.
“Elena, this is Adrian Vale.”
“I know who he is.”
Adrian's gaze settled on her.
“Elena Sinclair.”
His voice was deep and controlled.
She held out her hand.
“Adrian.”
He shook it.
His grip was firm.
Neither of them looked away.
Then he released her hand.
“It's good to finally meet you.”
Elena couldn't tell whether he meant it.
“You too.”
She took her seat.
Alexander remained standing.
“Adrian has agreed to assist with your first evaluation.”
Elena looked at him.
“Assist?”
Adrian answered.
“I'm not here to make your job easier.”
She almost smiled.
“I didn't expect you to.”
Victor leaned back in his chair.
Alexander placed a file on the table.
“Three months ago, Black Empire Holdings began construction on the Madison Heights development.”
Elena opened the file.
The project was a luxury mixed-use development in Manhattan.
Residential towers.
Commercial offices.
A private hotel.
Estimated value: $4.2 billion.
She scanned the figures.
“The project is behind schedule.”
“Seven weeks,” Daniel said.
“Why?”
“Supply delays.”
Elena looked at him.
“That's what the report says.”
Daniel nodded.
“It is.”
She turned another page.
“Then why have construction costs increased by twenty-two percent?”
Daniel's expression tightened.
“Inflation.”
Elena looked at the numbers again.
“No.”
The room became quiet.
Victor raised an eyebrow.
“You've been looking at the file for less than five minutes.”
“I know.”
“And you've already decided our financial department is wrong?”
“No.”
Elena tapped the page.
“I'm saying the explanation doesn't match the numbers.”
Adrian remained silent.
Elena continued reading.
“Steel prices increased by eight percent. Labor costs increased by six percent. Transportation increased by four.”
She looked up.
“Even combined, that doesn't explain a twenty-two percent increase.”
Daniel shifted in his seat.
“There were additional unforeseen expenses.”
“Where are they?”
“In the supplemental report.”
“Where's the supplemental report?”
Daniel hesitated.
“I'll have it sent to you.”
Elena closed the folder.
“No.”
Daniel frowned.
“Excuse me?”
“I want it now.”
The silence returned.
Victor's eyes narrowed.
Daniel looked toward Alexander.
Alexander said nothing.
Finally, Daniel reached for his tablet.
“I'll have it brought in.”
Elena nodded.
Adrian leaned back.
“You're assuming the financial report is inaccurate.”
Elena looked at him.
“I'm assuming I need more information before I make a decision.”
“And if the information confirms the report?”
“Then I'll accept it.”
“And if it doesn't?”
“Then I'll find out why.”
Adrian studied her for several seconds.
“Good answer.”
Elena raised an eyebrow.
“I wasn't looking for your approval.”
“I know.”
Alexander almost smiled.
Then Adrian opened the file in front of him.
“Let's move to the actual challenge.”
Elena's attention sharpened.
Adrian pushed a document across the table.
“The Madison Heights project is scheduled to receive a major international investment next month.”
Elena looked at the figures.
“If the investment goes through, construction continues.”
“Yes.”
“And if it doesn't?”
“The project could lose nearly eight hundred million dollars.”
Elena's stomach tightened.
“Why would the investor pull out?”
Adrian looked directly at her.
“Because they're considering another proposal.”
“From whom?”
“Vale International.”
Elena stared at him.
“You're competing against us.”
“Yes.”
“And you're helping evaluate me?”
“Yes.”
“That doesn't sound very neutral.”
Adrian's expression remained calm.
“It isn't.”
Victor smiled.
Elena ignored him.
“What do you want?”
Adrian folded his hands.
“I want to know whether you can protect the Black Empire's interests when the person sitting across from you has more experience, more resources, and every reason to see you fail.”
Elena looked at him.
“And what exactly am I supposed to do?”
“Convince the investor to remain with Black Empire Holdings.”
She glanced at Alexander.
“You're giving me a $4.2 billion project on my first day?”
“I'm giving you an opportunity,” Alexander replied.
Adrian corrected him.
“A challenge.”
Elena looked back at Adrian.
“When is the meeting?”
“Tomorrow.”
Her eyebrows lifted.
“Tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
She studied him.
“You've already spoken to the investor.”
“I have.”
“They've already received your proposal.”
“Yes.”
“So I'm walking into a negotiation against you.”
Adrian nodded.
“And if you lose?”
Elena's voice was steady.
“Then I lose.”
“And if you win?”
She closed the folder.
“Then you lose.”
For the first time, something changed in Adrian's expression.
The faintest hint of amusement appeared in his eyes.
“Exactly.”
Alexander looked between them.
“Then we have our first evaluation.”
Elena stood.
“I'll see you tomorrow.”
Adrian stood as well.
“I'm looking forward to it.”
She paused.
“Don't.”
His eyebrow lifted.
“Don't what?”
“Underestimate me.”
Adrian's gaze remained fixed on hers.
“I don't think I am.”
Elena walked out of the room.
The moment the doors closed behind her, Victor turned toward Adrian.
“You're actually giving her a chance?”
Adrian gathered his documents.
“No.”
Victor frowned.
“Then what are you doing?”
Adrian looked toward the closed doors.
“I'm finding out what she's capable of.”
---
Elena returned to her office and immediately called Grace.
“Cancel everything for the rest of the day.”
Grace blinked.
“Everything?”
“Everything.”
“Why?”
Elena dropped the Madison Heights file onto her desk.
“I have a four-billion-dollar problem.”
Grace stared at the folder.
“And?”
Elena picked up another document.
“I'm going to solve it.”
She had twelve months to prove she was worthy of the Black Empire.
But apparently, the Black Empire had decided not to give her twelve months to prepare.
It had given her one day.
And tomorrow, she would sit across from Adrian Vale and fight for a project that could determine how seriously the board took her.
Elena looked at his name on the file.
Adrian Vale.
For some reason, she had a feeling tomorrow's meeting would be about more than business.
She just didn't know yet how much it would change her life.
End of Chapter 5
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