Richard followed Lana, his heart hammering in his chest, into the hotel’s presidential suite,

“Please, this way,” Lana said, opening the door.

Richard thanked Lana band /bbstepped /binside. Standing before a grand mahogany desk bwas /bba /bwoman, her back to him. When she turned, Richard gasped. She was the most beautiful and regal woman he had ever seen.

“This is the president of our SIE Corporation, Lana introduced. “Miss Noir”

“Miss Noirt Hello, my name bis /bRichard Wood,” he stammered.

Sienna bgave /ba slight nod, her expression frosty, her eyes as sharp bas /bdaggers. The sheer force of her presence was suffocating. She gestured to the file on her desk. Her voice was like ice, carrying an undeniable authority.

1 will acquire Dynastis, and I will give yourpany the greatest possible profit margin” she said. “But I have one condition. You will manage my sister ording to my specific instructions.”

“Sister Richard asked, confused

Mr. Wood, Lana rified. “Vivian is our president’s sister.”

“What?” Richard felt his jaw hit the bfloor/b. His mind reeled ‘Am I dreaming? Did she say Vivian! Our Vivian Ham?

Vivian Hart was the sister of the president of SIE Corporation, so made her the second princess of ba /bbcorporate /bempire. Richard couldn’t believe such a person had been working for him.

His mind raced, reying every interaction he’d ever had with her. bHad /bhe ever been too harsh? Had he ever docked her pay? No, thank God. He’d bern fair.

No wonder SIE wanted to acquire hispany, he thought. It was all because of Vivian. He hadn’t just gotten lucky, hed hit the jackpot,

Lana continued. “And our president does not wish for anyone else to know about this

Richard wiped the sweat from his brow, nodding vigorously. “I understandpletely. Miss Nair, you have my word. I will be as silent as the grave”

He practically stumbled out of the hotel, his legs like jelly. He bhad /bjust met the legendary president of SIE Corporation,

He pped himself hard across the face. It wasn’t a dream. He threw bhis /bbhead /bback andughed, earning strange looks from passersby.

Meanwhile, Sophie was looking for Lana in the same hotel, but remained clueless Angrily, she yelled to her assistant.

“bYou /buseless fool!” she snapped. “bYou /bsaid SIE’s executive bassistant /bLana was at this hotel. Why can’t you find

“bMiss /bQuinn, my sources were certain she would be here today. I don’t know which room she’s in the assistant pleaded.

“Then go find o

bout/b, you idiot Sophie shricked. Tve been waiting a year for this opportunity. I have to get in front of her

It bwas /bthe only bway /bshe could get close to the president of SIE. If she couldnd a deal with them, bthe /bstatus of her branch of the Quinn family would sour,

Richard, overhearing her, sneered to himself. The bassistant/b! I just met the president herself. Sophie, you think you’re bso /bclever. But you have no ethics, no loyalty. bYou /btreated Vivian so poorly. Well, a storm ising. Your family is about to go bankrupt

As for himself, Richard knew he had hitched his wagon to a par. His life was set.

On the other side, Vivian couldn’t believe the had actually signed the contract bWalking /bout of the meeting room, she pinched herself to bmake /bsure it was real. It was. She had done iL

Richard bsaw /bher and practically skipped bover/b, his face beaming. “Viviant How did it go?”

“Mr. Wood, I signed if she said, handing him the contract. “And they gave us an incredible profit margin!”

She was thrilled, but also a little confused. The meeting had been strange. The representative had monly asked about her personal dreams and skills. But the end bresult /bbwas /ball that mattered.

Richard looked at the signed document, his bhands /btrembling. He had known it would be a sessb, /bbut seeing it with his own eyes was still different. “Vivian, you did wonderfully!” bhe /bsaid. “From now on, you are thepany’s director. With a raise, of course!”

Vivian blushed. “I really didn’t do much.” The representative had asked the questions, and she had just answered them honestly.

Richard looked at her with reverence. You have no idea what you’ve done for met he cried inside. Without you, SIE’s president would never have even nced at my littlepany!

b2/2 /b