Chapter 72
Chapter 72
Informal meetings were rarely ever my preference. | always preferred meetings pertaining to business to be held in a board room under proper and professional settings and protocols being followed. Especially first meetings which felt like it required a more legit opening to the set the rest of the pace of the relation.
But the meeting schedules in a hours time from now was any thing but proper. | didn’t even know about it until | had shown up at the office and Lucy had been reading my agenda for the day when 1 had discovered about this meeting. At first when she had mentioned the meeting being held out of offic | had assumed that it was going to be a virtual one which was not new to the company at all. It was quite common and efficient but | soon learnt that was not what she was speaking about
“Since when do | do meetings out of the office?” | questioned Lucy wondering how this one had been managed to be set up like so.
Lucy toyed with a ruffle on her sky blue blouse tucked in to a grey pencil skirt. She averted my gaze and kept scanning the agenda.
“Since this man would not take no for an answer. | raised a brow at her
response.
“Since when do we give in to bully’s?” | crossed my arms over my chest and looked at her. “Since he comes with great potential.” My raised brow became a frown.
| leaned back in my chair. “And who is he?”
“Scott Vanderbilt. That name rang a bell instantly. The company, and you, have sparked his interest when he discovered that his old friend had died and his assets handed down to you. He has interest in investing.” She explained but | was still shocked by it all.
Scott Vanderbilt was the plastic manufacturing tycoon. He was super wealthy and was unimaginably sought after. His own company was well known for being built from the pits up and now he danced amongst the elite and parades his status for all to witness. Naturally, as most wealthy men, came a promiscuous reputation and his way with woman was no secret.
| had never met him before but he had made headlines in the business world and tabloids that it was nearly impossible for him to be missed. He even made the cover of the GQ magazine where they photographed his tall, Adonis built b*dy all oiled up and flexed for female viewing pleasure.
“Scott Vanderbilt.” His name rolled of my tongue with possibility. “This could be interesting.” | tapped my fingers against my chin considering all the ways him being an investor’s could benefit the company.
“He is yummy to look at and | feel it incumbent upon me to warn you that he is known to be quite the charmer.” Lucy eyed me suggestively and | scoffed.
“I'm not interested in being charmed. All | care about is him being a part of the company. It would be a great boost for us. | explained but | knew that Lucy was well aware of the benefit. She wouldn't
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have afforded him an informal meeting had it been just for his looks.
“Just be careful with him. He has a way with women.” She warned again and | rolled my eyes.
“lam aware of the expertise he possess with women. The tabloids never fail to report it.” | said in a bored tone. afa live
Lucy shrugged then told me about the location that the meeting would be held which was at star sea food restaurant located on the rocks near the marina.
“Fancy. Certainly likes to flaunt his wealth.” | commented in observation. “Who wouldn’t if they were than rich. She chuckled before telling me that | had half an hour before | should leave.
The marina was a good twenty minutes drive from the office and | would rather be carly then show up late. First impressions were always lasting ones especially to a potential investor.
Lucy wished me luck as | sI*pped on my blazer and placed my bag in the crook of my arm before heading out of the office. As | walked to my car, | instinctively just looked around recalling the time | had been nabbed by Demetri but once | had gotten in and locked the doors, | was fine.
| drove to the marina and was thankful that there was no traffic on the road making the driver actually enjoyable. The bright blue sky and gentle breeze made the perfect weather to be having lunch at the marina and for sea food.
| found a parking spot just outside the restaurant Lucy had given the name of. A quick time check showed that | was ten minutes early which | was okay about. | turned the air conditioning on just cooled down before doing a quick make up touch up before | would head in.
| couldn't screw this up. | supposed it was a plus on my side that the man was a friend of my uncle’s and it sounded like he was ready to invest anyways from what Lucy had told me and this meeting was just some thing to seal the deal for Scott Vanderbilt.
If he was on board my company the Dante wouldn’t have such a huge hold on it and maybe, just maybe, | would be able to find a way out of this mess that | had been in. Scott may not be as powerful as Dante but he was just as influential and shrewd. | could use some one like that.
| cut the engine then stepped out of my car and the warm sun hit my skin before | walked through the restaurant door that had been held open for me. The smell of lemon and ice greeted me as | entered and the man that | was here to see could be spotted from a mile away.
Scott Vanderbilt occupied the largest table at the far end of the restaurant closest to the scenic view over looking the marina. It seemed like there was some unspoken rule about no one else occupying any table near the one that he had seated at since the rest of the occupants were on the other side. or used the middle row of tables.
He had air about him that was unmissable. His striking good looks and large figure sat proudly as he swirled his drink in his glass, took a sniff of it, then a sip. | would have expected him to be
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dressed in a formal suit and most business men in his league would have worn but | was wrong. -G
Scott wore a black golfer and flashy Tag Heuger watch on his wrist. A pair of Ray Ban shades were on the table at his side and | spotted a sliver of a tattoo peaking out on his shoulder which his sleeve barely managed to cover.
| took on a breath to compose myself as | sauntered over to the table. My heels clinking against the
widened floor got his attention and he looked up to find me almost across him. His dark grey eyes slightly when he saw me and never in my life did | feel so thoroughly scrutinized.
Scott Vanderbilt was a womanizer. It was evident from the way his eyes had ran over my entire length and despite wearing fairly formal work clothes which covered quite a bit, | felt like | had worn minimal clothes and needed another layer. He straightened his shoulders deciding that 1 deserved his attention but | couldn’t give a shit.
| was here for business and my businesses benefit and nothing more. “Mr. Vanderbilt.” | said his name formally, tightly, warning him from the get go.
Scott eyed me with an intrigued look as he rose from his seat making a great show of it like | were some peasant and he was gracing me by offering such a ‘grand’ gesture.
He reached a hand out for me to shake. “Please, call me Scott,” He said in a husky tone as | shook his hand but he had taken me by surprise and brought the back of my hand up to his I*ps to graze my knuckles with a k*ss.
“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Sophia.” He addressed me by my first name shattering my attempt and slyly denying my tone of formality.
| weaved my hand out of his hold abd smiled tightly at him. “The pleasure is all mine.”
Scott flashed me with a charming smile displaying his perfect set of sparkling white teeth. His face was defined and well carved and even some thing as small as a smile had caused his taut skin to pull tightly over his defined jaw and cheek bones. He certainly was handsome, there was no denying that but he was also very transparent.
“Take a seat.” He motioned to the chair closest to me and | did. Scott flicked both his fingers in the air and a waitress approached us almost instantly like she had appeared out of thin air.
“A glass of wine for the lovely lady. The words barely even left his I*ps before she reached for the bottle in the bucket of ice and filled my glass half way to the top.
| thanked the waitress who darted her eyes to Scott wanting his approval and he had winked at her which caused to smile. | pretended as if | hadn’t noticed that.
We placed our orders before she left and, again, she darted her gaze for some sort of attention from Scott but he didn’t afford her any this time. | found it astounding that she had fallen for his
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charms so soon.
After the waitress was a good distance away from us, | looked to Scott again. “So, | hear that you would like to sit on the panel of my company.” | kick started the conversation not wanting to waste any more time with small talk and meaningless conversation. Scott nodded but his smirked like he knew every single thought of mine and | found it entirely unnerving.
“You have heard correctly. | rarely ever seek out to be an investor in company’s unless it sparks a great deal of my interest.” He spoke eloquently now but that under tone of gruffness had still been there.
“And what about my company has sparked yours?” | questioned tilting my head ever so slightly to the side..
“Many things.” His response was vague and | clenched my jaw before relaxing it.
“Such as?” | probed.
“Firstly, it being the company of my deceased best friend.” He said but | didn’t fully buy it.
| raised a brow at him. “Why have you not approached him before when he was alive and still holding on to the reigns?”
Scott seemed very impressed by my question. “Because the man refused to let me join in. Of course, at that time, the company was not in the best footing and he considered my interest purely out of pity.” He reached for his glass and took a gulp of his drink.
“And was it?” | took a sip of my own drink feeling | needed it to deal with this man.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!
He grinned before setting his glass back down. “To an extent, yes, but | also knew that the company. held great potential if it were run properly.” He stated with a shrug like it was an obvious fact.
“You being in power has made such a difference in such a short period of time.” Ahh, so he has been keeping an eye on the company’s news.
“Is that why you suddenly want to invest?‘ | needed to know his intentions before | let him sit as one of the board members. “That, amongst other things. Another vague response. “such as?” He chuckled and | narrowed my eyes at him not knowing what was so funny.
“As a business man, | shall keep my secrets but know that intentions are good. | see it as repaying an old friend and nothing more. Your company has caught my attention and it would be an honour for me to invest in what he built.” | wouldn’t have pinned Scott to be a sentimental kind of man but he sounded genuine enough that | couldn’t doubt him,
He inhaled audibly like he was losing the heavy time his voice had taken. “In any case, | don’t see Dreame
why you’re so concerned. Having me be a part of your company would prove beneficial on your side. He eyed me slyly knowing exactly what he brought to the company and fl*pping the script on Inc.
Dreame