CHAPTER 28: THE CHALLENGE

~LAYLA~

As the meeting began, I found myself genuinely impressed by Axel’s presentation.

There was an undeniable allure in watching him thrive in his element—the way he owned the room, spoke with such confidence, and the graceful ease behind every motion.

I’d seen glimpses of this side of him almost everyday, still watching him conduct business was mesmerising. And to think this man was my husband filled me with pride.

His slides were clear, his projections were realistic, and he had a bold yet attainable vision for the Portland expansion.

I found my attention divided between taking notes and stealing glances at my husband as he spoke with passionate authority about market penetration and growth strategies.

But Alex seemed unimpressed, barely glancing at the charts and spending more time looking at his phone than listening. His disinterest was obvious and frankly disrespectful.

When Axel finished his pitch with a confident "Questions?" Alex leaned back in his chair with that polite smile.

"Actually," Alex said, turning his attention to me, "I’d love to hear what Layla thinks about this proposal."

The question caught me completely off guard. My pulse quickened as every eye in the room turned to me. I glanced quickly at Axel, who gave me an almost imperceptible nod.

"Well," I said, gathering my composure, "I think Mr Axel presented a compelling case. The expansion into Portland would benefit both companies significantly, and the projected returns make this a smart investment."

Alex’s smile turned condescending. "That’s a rather basic assessment, don’t you think? Of course, you’d support your husband’s proposal. I was hoping for something more objective."

I felt heat rise in my cheeks, but it wasn’t from embarrassment; it was from anger. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Axel’s jaw tighten too.

"You want objective?" I said in a steady voice, despite my racing heart. "Fine. Let me give you objective."

I leaned forward, grateful that I’d spent a few minutes the night before researching Cross Technologies after Axel told me about today’s meeting, and then continued reading about Alex’s company during our car ride.

Though Axel had no idea, I took a peek at his schedule and who we were meeting while he was in the bathroom last night.

"Your Q3 earnings were down twelve per cent," I began, watching Alex’s cocky expression falter. "Your primary revenue stream is mobile app development, but you’re competing in an oversaturated market. Meanwhile, Axel’s proposal offers you entry into commercial real estate development, a sector you’ve been trying to break into for two years without success."

The room had gone completely silent.

"Furthermore," I continued, pulling up the mental notes I’d made, "your stock price has been declining steadily for six months. This partnership wouldn’t just benefit you; it would likely save your company from the downturn you’re currently experiencing.

"In fact, if we’re being truly objective, you need this deal far more than we do. My husband is being remarkably generous with this offer."

The silence stretched on. Alex’s face had gone from confident to stunned to something approaching embarrassment. I suddenly realised I might have said too much.

"I think we should take a brief recess," one of Alex’s advisors suggested quickly.

As soon as we stepped outside the conference room, I turned to Axel in panic. "Oh god, I’m so sorry. I think I just ruined everything."

To my surprise, he wasn’t looking angry, instead, he looked almost proud. "Seriously? That was incredible."

"Really? But I put him on the spot; I might have offended him..."

"Layla," Axel interrupted. "You stood your ground against someone who was deliberately trying to undermine and disrespect both of us. Jerks like Alex piss me off."

There was something in his tone that suggested Alex had pissed him off about more than just the meeting, but before I could ask, we were called back inside.

Alex had clearly used the recess to recover his composure, but his arrogance now had a sharp edge to it.

"Well," he said, straightening his tie, "I appreciate Mrs. O’Brien’s thorough research. However, I think she’s overestimating my company’s need for partnerships."

He stood up, clearly preparing to end the meeting. "I don’t need handouts, contrary to your wife’s beliefs. Cross Technologies is doing just fine on its own."

"Then why did you request this meeting?" Axel asked coldly.

Alex waved a dismissive hand. "Market research. Due diligence. You understand."

Then he gave that annoying smile again. "However, I am hosting a gala tonight, a charity event for local tech entrepreneurs. If you’re truly adamant about pursuing this partnership, perhaps you could convince me over cocktails."

I could practically feel the annoyance radiating off Axel, but he remained silent.

Alex gathered his papers and headed toward the door. As he passed my chair, he paused and leaned down slightly.

"Your presence would be especially anticipated, Mrs. O’Brien," he said quietly, his breath uncomfortably close to my ear.

Axel was on his feet instantly. "Excuse me?"

Alex just laughed, holding up his hands in mock innocence. "Relax, O’Brien. I’m just saying your wife’s knowledge was impressive. It would be a shame to discuss business without her insights."

"Watch yourself, Cross," Axel’s voice was dangerously low now.

"I’ll see you tonight," Alex said cheerfully, ignoring the threat entirely. "Or not. Your choice."

And with that, he waltzed out of the conference room, leaving us in tense silence.

The car ride back to the hotel was quiet until we hit a traffic jam. I stared out the window for a few minutes before finally breaking the silence.

"We’re going, right?"

"Absolutely not," Axel said immediately. "I have no interest in humouring the likes of Alex Cross."

"But isn’t this contract the main reason you made the trip?" I asked, turning to face him. "You shouldn’t let other people’s lack of professionalism affect your own business dealings."

His hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Layla, that man was..."

"Being a complete ass, I know," I interrupted. "But think about it logically. He basically threw down a challenge, and if we don’t show up, he wins. He gets to tell everyone that the great Axel O’Brien couldn’t handle a little competition."

Axel was quiet for a long moment, his jaw working as he considered my words.

"Plus," I added, "I did all that research. It would be a shame to waste it."

Despite his obvious frustration, I caught the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. "You’re not going to let this go, are you?" he asked.

"Not a chance," I said firmly. "We were given a challenge, we’re not sitting this one out."