I get into my father's car, greet the driver with a polite smile, and the door closes softly behind me.
The car starts moving.
This meeting…
This is the moment to prove myself.
My parents are proud of me.
And I absolutely don't want to disappoint them.
Not even a little.
I rest my head against the window and watch the city pass by. The streets, the buildings, the people… everything seems to move too fast, while inside my head, everything is tangled.
What if I fail?
What if I can't do it?
No.
Esther, stop.
Push those thoughts away and focus, my conscience scolds me.
I rummage through my bag one last time.
Everything is there.
The documents.
The notes.
And most importantly… the USB drive.
The one containing all the data.
Dad and I spent a good part of the evening reviewing the key points of this meeting.
He insisted on one thing above all else: I have to impress them.
That's the foundation.
He also warned me that there might be unpleasant surprises.
That I needed to stay alert.
When I asked him for more information about the people involved, he simply replied that the company belonged to his best friend… and that the meeting would be led by his son.
I don't know why, but it sounds like it's going to be interesting.
Maybe I'll get along with that son.
Who knows… maybe we'll even become friends.
After a few minutes, the car finally stops.
I grab my bag and step out.
And then…
Arrison Holdings.
The building is… impressive.
Huge. Elegant. Powerful.
I have to admit it: my father's company is magnificent.
But this one…
this one is even more so.
The glass façade reflects the sky, the lines are sharp, modern, almost intimidating.
I walk toward the entrance.
A guard opens the door and greets me respectfully.
I return the greeting and step inside.
Inside, everything feels big.
Too smooth.
Too controlled.
Light marble floors, immaculate walls, minimalist artworks, an almost solemn silence.
An elegant reception desk, with a hostess standing behind a perfectly organized counter.
I clutch my bag a little tighter and move forward, trying not to show the slight nervousness tightening my chest.
It's just a meeting.
Nothing more.
— You're late.
The voice cuts through the air without warning.
I stop dead.
Slowly, I turn around.
He's leaning against a pillar, arms crossed.
A dark suit, perfectly tailored.
Closed posture.
Cold gaze.
He looks at me as if I were a problem to solve.
I refuse to be intimidated.
— Excuse me? I say calmly.
He glances at his watch, then back at me.
— Eight minutes.
— The meeting starts at ten o'clock, I reply without raising my voice.
And it's only 9:50.
I meet his gaze.
No defiance.
No submission either.
— So… I'm ten minutes early.
A brief silence.
I notice his eyebrow lift, just slightly.
— You're always this… confident?
— Only when I'm sure of myself.
He walks toward me with a steady, assured stride.
The kind that says I'm in charge here.
He stops a few steps away.
Too close.
Far too close for my liking.
I don't step back.
— Do you know where you are, miss?
— Yes.
— And do you know who I am?
I tilt my head slightly, thinking for a second.
— You must be Tony Arrison.
The one leading this meeting.
— And yet you speak to me with a lot of confidence… and you look me straight in the eyes.
I raise an eyebrow slightly.
— Why not?
Should I be afraid of you?
That's when I notice something.
I'm the only one looking him in the eyes.
The employees around us lower their gazes the moment he passes.
— Interesting, he says casually.
— Not really.
He studies me more closely, which is starting to make me uncomfortable.
— You must be Esther Besson, from the Besson Group.
— That's correct.
I don't even have time to add anything before he continues:
— When I was told about you, I expected a woman.
Not a spoiled little girl sent here to look pretty.
I freeze for a fraction of a second.
Spoiled little girl?
I lift my chin and meet his gaze.
— I'm not here to play games.
My father chose me because he trusts me.
And no, I am not a spoiled little girl.
My voice remains calm.
Controlled.
— I'm here to work.
Nothing more.
Silence.
— People like you like to play nice… until things break.
— People like you like to provoke… until someone doesn't take the bait.
The silence grows heavier.
I take a deep breath.
— I'm not here for a fight.
— Yet you answer back.
— Answering is not attacking.
He stares at me for a long moment.
I don't look away.
He's about to speak when an elegant woman approaches.
— Sir, the meeting room is ready. Everyone is here.
He looks at her, then back at me.
— Follow me, he says in a cold, neutral tone.
He turns and heads up the stairs.
I follow him down a long, seemingly endless corridor.
He stops in front of a large door and opens it.
— Go in.
I walk past him.
— Thank you, I say simply.
Inside, everyone is already there.
Executives. Advisors. Lawyers. Analysts.
Members of both groups.
When he enters in turn, the room falls silent and everyone takes their seats.
In a deep, cold voice, he announces:
— The meeting may begin.
I insert my USB drive into the computer on the table and begin presenting the reasons for the merger.
I can feel his gaze on me.
Intense.
Heavy.
I choose not to look up.
After all…
I didn't come here to be intimidated.
I came here to prove that I belong.
"Comment for the next chapter and let me know what you think!"