Isabella's POV
Shit. Shit. Shit.
This is humiliating!
Not only did he refuse to look at my body, but he also insulted me—or worse, maybe he didn't even realize I was hitting on him. Did he seriously think I was just having trouble standing? How can a man not fall for my charms?
This is the worst humiliation I've ever faced in my entire life. Ughhhhhh!
That bastard John was watching the entire time, too. His smug face irritates me to no end.
I don't need to satisfy a mere secretary. Screw you, I thought bitterly as I stormed down the hallway.
As I passed the secretary's office, I overheard something that immediately caught my attention.
"Do you know about the wrong call our boss received before?" Jane's voice was low.
"Yeah. Did you find out anything about it?" John asked.
"Actually… that number belongs to Adkins Real Estate."
"What?!" John nearly shouted. "Are you saying that's just a coincidence?"
"Maybe. But what if the voice that made our boss restless belongs to their CEO? Who knows?"
"If that's the case… what a twist of fate," Jane mused.
"True. But still, since they somehow got through to our boss's personal number—which is supposed to be private, for god's sake, even I don't have access to it—we need to handle this carefully," John muttered.
Aurora Adkins.
A slow smirk crept onto my lips.
Hmmm… Maybe I can use this when the time comes.
Aurora's POV
The weather was perfect today. A gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh flowers as petals rained down like confetti. I let down the roof of my convertible and inhaled deeply, savoring the moment.
My home was nestled in a lush, high-tech residential community surrounded by greenery. Sometimes, I couldn't help but lose myself in nature's beauty. Today was just… perfect.
When I arrived at my office, the employees greeted me with bright smiles.
"Good morning, Ms. Adkins!"
I nodded in acknowledgment, offering a small, polite smile before heading to my cabin.
The moment I sat down, Susan walked in.
"Good morning, Ms. Adkins," she greeted.
"Morning, Susan." I smirked. "Did you get the reply?"
"Of course, of course," she chuckled. "They've agreed. The meeting is scheduled for today."
"Good," I said, leaning back in my chair.
"Will you be attending the meeting?" she asked curiously.
I tapped my fingers on the desk, pretending to contemplate.
"Who knows?" I smirked.
Susan grinned knowingly. "Well then, I'll take my leave."
As she walked out, I mulled over my decision.
Should I meet her… or should I not?
Some people need to be reminded of their place.
And I'll be more than happy to teach her that.
I smirked.
At the Meeting Room
Isabella strutted in, exuding arrogance, her team following closely behind.
Susan stood her ground, meeting her gaze head-on. "Thank you for responding to our email and coming for the negotiation."
Isabella's eyes narrowed. "You…"
"Please, have a seat." Susan's tone remained firm as she gestured toward the chairs.
Grinding her teeth, Isabella sat down, her team doing the same.
Unlike the previous time, she barely paid attention to the discussion, uninterested in the negotiation. However, at least this time, her team managed to string together coherent responses—an improvement from last time's disaster.
Then, the real negotiation began.
"We are willing to agree to the other terms," Susan stated. "However, we expect a 5% share in the mall that will be constructed."
A deadly silence filled the room.
Isabella's eyes burned with fury. If looks could kill, the entire room would have been reduced to ashes.
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?" she seethed.
"You people don't know when to be grateful. How greedy can you get?!"
Susan's expression didn't waver. "You're here to negotiate. Perhaps you should learn some manners while you're at it."
"How dare a mere employee talk to me like that?!" Isabella spat.
"This is not the place for your arrogance, Miss Wilson."
A new voice rang out, calm but commanding.
All heads turned toward the door.
There, standing with an air of authority, was Aurora Adkins.
Isabella's breath caught in her throat.
The entire room seemed to freeze. Aurora's presence was overwhelming, suffocating even. Her steps were measured, her gaze unwavering, her demeanor exuding pure dominance.
Even the wildest, most untamed beast would cower under her gaze.
She was a force of nature.
She was power incarnate.
She was… terrifying.
Isabella, for the first time, felt insignificant.
"You really don't know when to stop, do you, Miss Wilson?" Aurora said, her voice dangerously soft.
A shiver ran down Isabella's spine.
"How dare you speak to me like that? Do you even know who my father is? He can—"
"Hmph," Aurora scoffed. "Mr. Wilson… Did he tell you that himself?"
"What?" Isabella blinked.
"Did he say he has that much power? Or are you just assuming things?"
Isabella faltered.
Aurora's gaze turned colder. "Do you think this is Drakos Corporation, where you can throw tantrums and get away with it?"
Isabella had no words.
Her father always warned her not to cross Aurora Adkins. But I did it anyway…
The entire room fell into an eerie silence. Even Isabella's team held their breath.
"Miss Wilson," Aurora continued, tilting her head slightly, "I have a serious doubt."
"W-What doubt?" Isabella stammered.
Aurora took a step forward.
"I doubt that this proposal even belongs to you."
A bombshell.
A devastating, perfectly timed strike.
Isabella paled.
Aurora smiled, but it was anything but warm.
"I've noticed something," she continued. "You've shown zero interest in this proposal....despite the fact that you should be the one negotiating and convincing us to sell our land."
Aurora's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Instead, you act as though we owe you something."
Isabella clenched her fists under the table.
Aurora leaned in slightly.
"I honestly doubt your CEO's competency. After all, he sent you to represent such an important project."
Isabella's knuckles turned white.
Aurora's voice turned sharp. "And let's not forget how you mistreated my employees. Surely, you know the consequences of that?"
The room dropped several degrees.
Isabella's heart pounded.
She had no choice but to surrender. If she didn't, the deal would be thrown to the trash can and worse, her father would discard her as a garbage without a second thought.
She couldn't afford that.
Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to swallow her pride.
"Ms. Adkins… I sincerely apologize for my behavior," Isabella said, gritting her teeth. "I hope you'll give us another chance. I reacted poorly, and I understand the importance of this deal."
Tears welled up in her eyes....not of regret, but of humiliation.
Aurora studied her for a moment, her expression unreadable.
The room felt like it was holding its breath.
Finally, Aurora spoke.
"Miss Wilson, although I doubt you've truly learned your lesson, I will give you another chance." Her tone turned sharp. "But let me be clear, if you step out of line again, don't blame me for the consequences."
With that, she turned and walked out.
The air in the room finally thawed.
Isabella's team, who had been holding their breath, exhaled all at once.
Susan smirked, her gaze mocking.
But Isabella…
Isabella seethed.
Just wait, Aurora.