Chapter 30
Joanna only now realized the sination she had walked into. She had assumed this was just a routine business dinner, but clearly, dealing with⠀⠀ someone like Luke was anything but normal.
She remained composed and said politely, “Mr. Hicks, I’m sorry, but I’ve been having some stomach issues lately, so I can’t drink alcohol. I’ll toast you with coffee instead”
But Luke wasn’t having it. His expression darkened, his tone laced with dissatisfaction. “Ms. Osborne, are you deliberately disrespecting met If that’s the case.
then we might as well forget about this deal altogether.”
Sirena, pretending to smooth things over, chimed in with a smile. “Mr. Hicks, don’t be upset. Let’s not let this small matter ruin our discussion.”
But inwardly, she was delighted. She knew exactly what kind of man Luke was a notorious sleazebag in the industry. The only reason he kept himself in check was because his wife was an absolute tyrant.
However, when it came to female clients, he had his own tactics–using business deals as leverage to force them into submission.
Sirena had been through it before. This wasn’t her first time dealing with men like him, and she had long since accepted it as part of the game. What she couldn’t stand was how Joanna had swooped in and taken the director position–the role she had been eyeing for years. She thought What makes her so special”
“She isn’t some business genius. She is just lucky enough to have Philip’s backing. If not for that, how could she have landed this job?
Sirena sneered inwardly. Let’s see how long she lasts.
She had already planted the idea in Luke’s head, telling him the company had a stunning new director
un had come about And, of course, she had
The moment he heard that, he was instantly intrigued, eager to meet Joanna. That was how tonight’s setup had helped push things along,
Now, watching Joanna try to maintain her dignity–it was exactly what she had expected.
Joanna’s voice remained steady. “Mr. Hicks, we approached you with sincerity regarding this collaboration.
She wasn’t naive–she knew exactly what he was trying to do. But she wasn’t the type to sell herself for a business deal.
Luke’s expression turned stony. He leaned back in his chair, his voice turning sharp. “I’ll make this simple, Ms. Osborne. If you don’t drink this toast with me, then there’s no deal. The threat in his tone was unmistakable.
He refused to believe he couldn’t handle a woman. And one as feisty as Joanna? That only made him more determined to break her.
With a smirk, he lifted his glass and tried to force it toward Joanna’s lips.
Joanna’s patience snapped. She shoved his hand away and stood up, her voice ice–cold,
“Mr. Hicks, we are here to talk business. If this is how you conduct negotiations, then I won’t waste trust me—that’s your loss.”
my time. And if you choose not to work with us,
She had come prepared to negotiate,
– but
Luke had made it crystal clear that he had no genuine intentions of working together, She hated doing business like this. And she especially despised men like him, who never took female executives seriously unless they played by their disgusting rules.
Sirena, seeing things spiraling quickly stepped in. “Mr. Hicks, don’t be angry. If Ms. Osborne isn’t feeling well, I’ll drink in her place. How about
As he saw that Sirena was giving i
him a way to save face, Luke’s scowl softened.
“Ah, M. Field, now that’s what I call understanding business etiquette. When I get back, I’ll be e sure to put in a good word for you with Mr. Menzie. “Some people really don’t belong in tradership positions–clueless about how the world works. I have no idea how she even landed that title.” Joanna responded coolly, “Mr. Hicks, how I got this position look. If you’re satisfied, we can move forward. If not, then we’ll consider this discussion over.”
is none of your concen Here’s our contract and the proposed clothing designs–take a
She had always been direct in business–no nonsense, no games.
12:01 PM
Chapter 30
Luke’s eyes landed on the design sketches, and he immediately froze.
Despite his crude demeanor, he had been in the fashion business for years. He could tell at a glance which styles would sell and which wouldn’t.
In the past, he had taken advantage of female designers, using his influence to coerce them into special deals. It was a win–win for him–he got solid designs and indulged in his own pleasures.
But now, looking at these sketches, a flicker of surprise flashed across his face. He had never seen designs this good.
Luke found himself torn. Walking away from this deal would be a major loss, but at the same time, he hated the idea of letting Joanna have the upper hand. His pride wouldn’t allow it
Sirena quickly picked up on his hesitation, and a sinking feeling crept into her chest. She thought, Is he actually considering working with Joanna? If that happens, then all my efforts to set Joanna up tonight would be wasted
Testing the waters, she asked, “Mr. Hicks, what do you think? Are you satisfied?”
The truth was, Joanna had carefully prepared these designs after analyzing Luke’s company’s past collections. She had selected styles that aligned with his brand, ensuring they would appeal to his market.
Her designs were elegant, modern, and effortlessly sophisticated–the kind that instantly caught attention, even from those outside the industry Luke tried to maintain his aloof demeanor, but Joanna wasn’t fooled.
She remained poised. “Mr. Hicks, do you have any feedback? Let me know if anything needs to be adjusted.”
He stroked his chin, pretending to contemplate. Il need some time to think about it
“Of course. If you’ll excuse me, I need to step away for a moment,” Joanna stood up, heading toward the restroom. Pregnancy had made these trips more frequent
The second she was out of sight, Luke leaned toward Sirena, whispering something.
The two exchanged hushed words, occasionally glancing toward the door.
Then. Luke discreetly pulled out a small packet, poured its contents into a coffee cup, and stirred.
A few minutes later, Joanna returned.
As she sat down, her sharp eyes
es immediately noticed something–her coffee cup had been moved slightly, and there was an unfamiliar residue near
the rim
She wasn’t new to the b
business world, nor was she naive. Years of experience had honed her instincts, and she never missed small details.
Her gaze flicked to Luke and Sirena. Their expressions were perfectly composed, as if nothing had happened. But this only confirmed what she already suspected.
She had been testing
ng them ear
earlier, and now she had her answer.
Luke, sensing her return, put on an exaggeratedly warm smile. “Ms. Osborne, Ms. Field just apologized to me. I’m not an about this–you toast me with coffee instead of alcohol, and we’ll consider it a fresh start to our partnership!”
an unreasonable
man. How
He made it sound like an act of goodwill
Joanna nodded with a slight smile. “That’s very understanding of you, Mr. Hicks, I appreciate it.”
She picked up her coffee cup, lightly y clinking it against his.
Just as she was about to “take a sip,” she casually remarked, “Oh, Mr. Hicks, be careful with the contract and design sketches. We wouldn’t want them getting ruined”
As expected, Luke and
Sirena instinctively looked down at the table, distracted for just a second.
That was all she needed. With practiced ease, she tilted her cup ever so slightly, letting the coffee slip away unnoticed.
*No worries, I’ve already set them aside,” 1.
Luke reassured her, completely unaware.
Joanna gave a polite nod, raising the cup to her lips in a graceful
ul motion–making it look like she had taken a sip.
Luke and Sirena watched intently, eyes glued to her
Chapter 30
The elegant curve of
in motion
ve of her neck as she tilted her head, the soft glow of her skin under the warm lighting–she looked effortlessly poised, like a swan
Laike’s breath hitched. His eyes darkened with anticipation. Now, all he had to do was wait for the effects to kick in….
