Chapter 10 - The Board's Decision
1639 Words
The executive boardroom of De Luca Holdings was already filled when Sienna arrived.
Board members quietly discussed the Milan partnership while assistants distributed the meeting agenda.
The atmosphere was lighter than usual.
Successful international partnerships always meant one thing.
Profit.
Sienna took her usual seat beside Kai.
Across the table sat Adrian.
He offered her a polite smile.
"Good morning."
"Morning."
His smile remained.
"So... Milan suited you."
"It was productive."
"I'm sure it was."
Kai glanced between them.
Something about Adrian's tone never sat right with him.
Lorenzo entered moments later.
Everyone immediately stood.
"Good morning."
"Good morning, Chairman."
He gestured for everyone to sit.
Without wasting time, he began.
"First..."
"I'd like to congratulate the Milan delegation."
His eyes settled on Sienna.
"The Bellucci partnership exceeded expectations."
Soft applause echoed through the room.
Kai smiled.
Zara mouthed, "Congratulations."
Sienna simply nodded.
"Thank you."
Lorenzo continued.
"Because of this success..."
"The board has unanimously approved the expansion project."
A projector came to life behind him.
A map of Europe appeared.
"Our next objective..."
He pointed toward the screen.
"...is France."
Murmurs spread around the room.
"A distribution headquarters?"
"Exactly."
"The French branch will become our gateway into Western Europe."
Lorenzo turned toward Sienna.
"I want you to oversee the project."
Before she could answer—
"I object."
Every head turned.
Adrian slowly stood.
"I believe assigning such a large project immediately after Milan is... premature."
The room grew quiet.
Lorenzo frowned.
"Explain."
Adrian clasped his hands behind his back.
"Sienna is undoubtedly capable."
He smiled politely.
"But relying on one person for every major international project sends the wrong message."
Several board members nodded thoughtfully.
"We have other executives."
"They deserve opportunities as well."
On the surface...
His argument sounded reasonable.
But Sienna understood exactly what he was doing.
He wasn't protecting fairness.
He was limiting her influence.
Kai leaned toward Sienna.
"He came prepared."
She whispered back,
"I know."
Lorenzo remained silent.
Finally, he asked,
"What do you suggest?"
Adrian smiled.
"Make it a competition."
The room became interested.
"A competition?"
"Yes."
"Allow each executive department to submit a proposal for the France expansion."
"The strongest proposal wins."
One board member nodded.
"That sounds fair."
Another agreed.
"It encourages innovation."
Within moments...
Half the room supported the idea.
Lorenzo looked toward Sienna.
"What do you think?"
Every eye shifted to her.
She slowly closed the file in front of her.
"I accept."
Kai turned immediately.
"Sienna..."
She ignored him.
"If the board wants competition..."
Her eyes met Adrian's.
"...then let's compete."
A satisfied smile flickered across Adrian's face.
"Excellent."
Lorenzo studied both of them.
"Very well."
"The deadline is three weeks."
"Present your proposals before the board."
"The winning team will lead the France expansion."
The meeting adjourned shortly afterward.
...
Outside the boardroom...
Kai caught up with Sienna.
"You didn't have to agree."
"I know."
"Then why?"
She stopped walking.
"If I refused..."
"They'd think Adrian was right."
Kai sighed.
"You always choose the difficult road."
"It's usually the correct one."
He smiled.
"I can't even argue with that."
At that moment...
Zara hurried over carrying two coffees.
"I heard everything."
She handed one to Sienna.
"He's definitely planning something."
"Of course he is."
"So what's our plan?"
Sienna looked out through the office windows.
"We work."
Kai laughed.
"That's your solution to everything."
"It usually works."
Before anyone could continue...
Sienna's assistant approached.
"Miss De Luca."
"Yes?"
"There's a gentleman waiting downstairs."
"I don't have an appointment."
"He insisted he wasn't here on business."
Kai frowned.
"Another stranger?"
The assistant shook her head.
"He refused to give his name."
"He only asked me to deliver this."
She handed Sienna a small black envelope.
Inside...
A single card.
**Congratulations on Milan.**
**P.S. You finally ate breakfast. I'm impressed.**
Sienna closed her eyes briefly.
"...Unbelievable."
Kai noticed.
"You know who sent it."
She looked at him.
"...Yes."
"And?"
"He worries too much."
Kai smiled faintly.
"He must care about you."
Sienna slipped the card back into the envelope.
"Or..."
"He's simply very persistent."
Far below, outside the glass entrance of De Luca Holdings, a sleek black car pulled away from the curb.
Inside, Alex looked up at the towering headquarters one last time.
His bodyguard glanced over.
"Not going in, sir?"
Alex smiled.
"No."
"She has enough battles today."
He looked down at his watch before adding quietly,
"I'll wait."
As the car disappeared into the afternoon traffic, neither of them noticed Adrian standing by the window on the top floor.
His sharp eyes followed the departing vehicle.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"So..."
"Alex Bellucci."
"This could become... useful."
_______
Monday mornings at De Luca Holdings were always busy.
Phones rang endlessly.
Employees hurried through the hallways with files tucked beneath their arms.
Printers hummed.
Meetings began.
Deadlines drew closer.
Inside the executive office, Sienna sat quietly reviewing the proposal for the France expansion.
Kai entered without knocking, carrying two cups of coffee.
"I brought yours."
"You'll eventually realize I don't like coffee this sweet."
"And you'll eventually realize black coffee isn't breakfast."
She accepted the cup anyway.
"Thank you."
Kai sat opposite her.
"So..."
"Where do we begin?"
Sienna spread several documents across the table.
"Market research."
"Distribution costs."
"Local partnerships."
"We're not trying to impress the board."
"We're trying to convince them."
Kai smiled.
"I missed working like this."
"You've been gone for four days."
"It felt longer."
A knock interrupted them.
"Come in."
Zara stepped inside carrying her tablet.
"I've got bad news."
Kai sighed.
"It's too early for bad news."
"It's Adrian."
Sienna looked up.
"What about him?"
"He called an emergency meeting with the European Operations Department."
Kai frowned.
"So?"
"So..."
Zara placed the tablet on the desk.
"He hired a consulting firm."
"What?"
"They're helping him prepare his proposal."
Kai frowned.
"That's... unusual."
Sienna remained calm.
"Is it against company policy?"
"No."
"Then let him."
Zara stared.
"That's your response?"
"What else should it be?"
"They're bringing in outside experts."
"So?"
Kai laughed softly.
"I forgot."
"What?"
"Sienna gets more dangerous the calmer she becomes."
...
Across the building...
Adrian stood before a wall-sized map of Europe.
Several department heads surrounded him.
"We only have one chance."
He tapped France with a pen.
"I don't intend to lose."
One executive hesitated.
"Miss De Luca has already earned the board's confidence."
Adrian smiled.
"Confidence can disappear."
"Success makes people comfortable."
"I intend to remind everyone that comfort creates mistakes."
His assistant entered hurriedly.
"Sir."
"The consultants have arrived."
"Excellent."
Adrian looked around the room.
"Let's begin."
...
That afternoon...
Sienna left her office for the archives department.
She preferred gathering information herself whenever possible.
As she stepped into the elevator...
Someone slipped inside just before the doors closed.
Beatrice.
She smiled brightly.
"Hello, Sister."
Sienna nodded politely.
"Beatrice."
"I heard about the competition."
"So did everyone else."
"I hope you win."
Sienna looked at her.
"Thank you."
Beatrice hesitated.
"Can I ask something?"
"You already are."
She laughed awkwardly.
"Do you... hate Adrian?"
The question lingered between them.
Sienna thought for a moment.
"No."
"You don't?"
"Hate requires emotion."
"And?"
"I simply don't trust him."
The elevator doors opened.
Before stepping out, Sienna added quietly,
"There's a difference."
Beatrice remained standing inside as the doors closed again.
For the first time...
She looked genuinely thoughtful.
...
Later that evening...
Kai stretched as he shut his laptop.
"My brain officially refuses to work."
Zara laughed.
"It's only six."
"It feels like midnight."
Sienna continued typing.
"You two can leave."
Kai looked at her.
"And you?"
"I'll finish this."
"You said that two hours ago."
"I meant it."
Kai stood.
"Then we're staying."
"No."
"We're your team."
Zara nodded.
"If you're working..."
"So are we."
Sienna looked from one to the other.
Then quietly closed her laptop.
"...Fine."
"We'll continue tomorrow."
Kai smiled victoriously.
"I finally won an argument."
"Don't celebrate yet."
"I'll take what I can get."
The three walked toward the parking garage together.
As they exited the building...
A familiar black sedan waited across the street.
Kai noticed it first.
"That's..."
Sienna followed his gaze.
"...His car."
Before anyone could react...
The rear window rolled down.
Alex sat inside, reading several documents.
He hadn't noticed them.
Or perhaps...
He pretended not to.
Kai frowned.
"Is he here for you?"
"I doubt it."
Almost on cue...
Alex looked up.
Their eyes met across the street.
He smiled.
Not the confident smile he wore during meetings.
A simple one.
Then...
He lifted a paper bag through the open window.
Written across it in black marker were four words.
**Please Eat On Time.**
Zara covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing.
Kai stared.
Sienna sighed.
"...He's unbelievable."
Alex didn't cross the street.
He didn't call her over.
He simply handed the bag to one of his guards.
The guard walked across carefully.
"Miss De Luca."
"This is from Mr. Bellucci."
Sienna accepted the bag.
"Thank you."
The guard nodded and returned to the car.
Without another word...
The sedan drove away.
Kai looked at the bag.
"A sandwich?"
Sienna opened it.
Inside was a freshly made sandwich, a bottle of juice...
...and a sticky note.
**Don't skip dinner too.**
For the first time all day...
Sienna laughed.
A soft, genuine laugh.
Kai and Zara looked at each other.
Neither had expected that.
Kai smiled to himself.
"If he keeps this up..."
"He might actually wear down that wall around her heart."
Sienna folded the note and placed it carefully inside her handbag.
"I wouldn't count on it."
But strangely...
She didn't throw it away.
Far down the road...
Alex leaned back in his seat.
His bodyguard smiled.
"You didn't even speak to her."
Alex looked out the window.
"I didn't need to."
"Sometimes..."
"The smallest gestures are remembered the longest."
- Writer
