Pretty Privilege Getting Helped
1030 Words
Fifty-nine minutes.
That was all the time I had before my life either became a success or crashed and burned in front of a dozen TV cameras.
I hurried away from William’s office, my heart thumping against my ribs. I didn’t even know what the crisis actually was about.
Was the company in trouble? Was William in trouble? I felt like I was walking into a trap, and I had no idea how to get out.
I ducked into a small breakroom, desperate for a glass of water.
"You look like you're about to see a ghost. Or maybe you just saw William’s coffee bill. Either way, you should probably sit down."
I jumped, nearly spilling water all over my blazer.
Sitting in the corner was a guy who looked like he lived on energy drinks and computer screens.
He had messy curls and thick glasses, and he was wearing a hoodie under a blazer that was definitely too big for him. He looked like the kind of guy who could hack into a bank but forgot to brush his hair.
"I'm Isabel," I said, trying to stop my hands from shaking.
"I'm Jax," he said, giving me a friendly, shy smile.
"I’m in the tech and PR department. I’m basically the guy who makes sure the company looks cool on the internet."
"Then you have to help me," I said, leaning over the table. "William just told me I have to talk to reporters in an hour about the A Project.
“Do you know what’s going on?"
Jax nodded, his expression turning serious.
"Oh, the park drama. It’s all over the news. Basically, everyone thinks the Sterlings are being greedy. We promised to build a huge park for the community, but someone leaked a blueprint showing a giant parking garage instead. Now the whole city thinks the Sterlings are villains who hate nature."
My stomach dropped. "Wait, so they are building a garage instead of a park?"
Jax shook his head and leaned in closer. "That’s the thing, people are only seeing half the story.
The garage is supposed to be underground. It’s a smart business move to make money from parking, but the top part is still going to be a beautiful park. It’s actually a genius plan to fund the park’s maintenance forever, but the leaked photo only showed the concrete basement. It looks bad, but it’s actually a good thing."
I exhaled, feeling a huge weight lift off my chest. "So we aren't the bad guys?"
"Nope," Jax said. He looked at me for a long moment, his face turning a little pink. He pushed his glasses up his nose. "Look, I usually stay in my corner, but you’re new and... well, you seem nice. And honestly, it’s a lot of pressure for an intern. I like helping out my team. Plus, it’s nice to talk to someone who doesn't look like a corporate robot."
I felt my own face heat up. I knew I was pretty, and I could tell Jax was a little bit starstruck by the new girl.
I gave him a small, shy smile, and he looked away quickly, tapping on his tablet.
"Okay, here’s what you say," Jax said, his fingers flying across the screen. "Don't let them call it a garage. Call it 'The Green Foundation.' Tell them the underground parking is what pays for the flowers, the trees, and the playground. It’s not a garage with a park on top it’s a park with a hidden engine."
For the next forty minutes, Jax helped me practice. He acted like a mean reporter, shouting questions at me.
“Why are you building a concrete eyesore?”
“Don't the Sterlings have enough money already?”
Every time I got stuck, Jax would give me a better way to say it. He made it sound like the Sterlings were heroes for being so business-smart about a park.
By the time we were done, I felt like I could handle anything.
"You’re going to crush it," Jax said, standing up. "Just remember: stay calm. You’re the face of the company now. And Isabel?"
I paused at the door. "Yeah?"
"William is going to be in the back of the room. He thinks you're going to fail. Prove him wrong."
I rushed to the restroom to fix my appearance and apply a little bit of powder, noticing how some of the staff stared at me like i have two heads, I shook my head not allowing anything distract me, took a deep breath, smoothed out my hair and walked toward the big meeting room.
The cameras were flashing, and the room was full of reporters with notebooks ready.
I walked up to the microphone. In the very back, leaning against the cold marble wall, was William. He looked like something straight out of a high-fashion magazine, but with a dangerous edge that made my heart skip a beat. His navy suit was tailored so perfectly it looked like it had been molded to his frame, and his crisp white shirt was unbuttoned just enough at the collar to look effortlessly cool. With his arms crossed over his broad chest, he looked every bit the powerful heir to a billion-dollar empire.
The bright lights caught the sharp, chiseled angles of his face, that straight nose, the jawline that looked sharp enough to cut glass, and those eyes. Usually, they were like chips of frozen honey, but right now, they were pure ice, tracking my every move as if he were just waiting for me to trip over my own feet. He looked devastatingly handsome, the kind of guy the news cameras would fall in love with instantly, but all I could feel was the weight of his stare.
I forced myself to look away from him and straight into the camera lens. I remembered Jax’s words, took a breath, and let a confident smile spread across my face.
"Good morning," I said, my voice sounding way clearer and louder than I actually felt inside. "Let’s talk about why the Greenfield Project is going to be the best thing to happen to this city."
- Writer
