004: The Conference Meeting

 

The conference room had floor-to-ceiling windows.

LUXE's autumn collection was on display along one wall to show superiority.

Aidan's team arranged themselves on one side of the table. Evelyn's team on the other side.

Evelyn sat at the head. Her head of business development, a quiet man named Hugh and her best friend Zara, was the creative director with sharp eyes and the kind of expression that said she had already formed seventeen opinions. She knew everything about her and Aidan.

Evelyn opened her folder.

"Thank you for making the trip to Milan," she said, referring to Aidan's team.Her voice was professional and light.

"I"d like to start with where we left the last round of talks and move forward from there. Hugh, do you want to walk us through the revised numbers?"

Hugh walked them through the numbers.

Aidan listened. Or tried to.

He had been in hundreds of acquisition meetings. He was good at them because he was a good listener; he could sit in a room for two hours and at the end know exactly what every person in it was protecting and what they actually wanted. It was a skill he had built over years.

But he could not use it right now, because the woman at the head of the table kept him on his toes. Evelyn was different now but also was completely, undeniably her.

Evelyn had always been intelligent. He had loved that about her, back when loving things about her was something he had been doing.

The woman in front of him now moved through her own company's data like she had built every number by hand –not reciting, not performing, not trying to impress. Just knowing.

When Priya pushed back on the brand valuation, Evelyn did not flinch.

"The number stands," she said simply. "If you want, I can walk you through the customer retention data from the last three years and you can tell me where you think I"m wrong."

Priya looked at Aidan. He gave a small nod.

"Please," Priya said.

Evelyn walked them through it, calmly, completely and without a single unnecessary word.

Priya took notes. Two of Aidan's other team members took notes. Hugh sat quietly with the satisfied expression of someone who had done his job well.

Aidan still did not take notes. He just watched her.

The meeting ended at eleven-twenty. Nothing between them was signed, that was never the plan for a first face-to-face. But the shape of a deal was forming, and Priya gave him the look that meant we're closer than I expected.

Evelyn stood to close the meeting.

"We"ll have revised terms to you by Friday," she said. "I hope you all enjoy Milan. It's a good city."

People started moving. Chairs pushed back, bags picked up, handshakes exchanged.

Aidan walked up to Evelyn.

"Could I have a moment?" he said.

The room paused. Zara looked at Evelyn with an expression that was not quite a warning but was definitely something. Evelyn looked at her team.

"Of course," she said. "Thank you everyone."

Everyone immediately left. And then they were alone.

For the first time in six years.

In a conference room in Milan with the morning light and the clothing designs she had made and the whole enormous weight of what had happened between them filling the space like a third person.

Aidan said, "Evelyn."

"The terms are competitive and—"

"This is not about the acquisition."

She stopped. She looked at her folder.

"I- I want to talk about-," he said.

"Talk about what? Mr Aidan." Her voice was even. "Our business arrangement for today has ended. Any other thing you want to talk about has no bearing on —"

I know, I know. I mean us. I want to talk about us, that night."

She was quiet for a moment. Then a slight chuckle.

"There is no us," she said. "There hasn't been for six years."

"I know that. I'm not asking for —" He stopped. "I just need you to know that I've thought about it. What happened.. What I did. I was wrong"

"I don't need you to tell me anything to make me partner with you." She finally looked at him. And there it was; that tired, settled thing behind her eyes. Something more than hate. "And oh, you made your decision in front of hundreds of people and that woman that ridiculed me. You made it very clearly. I understood."

"Evelyn —"

"You dropped divorce papers at my feet, Aidan." Her voice rose a bit but it went quieter. Somehow that was worse.

"In a room full of cameras. While your mistress told everyone I was trash and you stood right there and said nothing." She picked up her folder. "I don't know what kind of conversation you were hoping to have, but I've already lived through the part where I needed answers. I'm past it. You're irrelevant to me, Mr Smith.”

Aidan swallowed. He couldn't defend himself, he fully deserved everything.

She walked to the door.

Aidan said, "He's my son, isn't he? You had been pregnant before you left me…right? Evelyn."

She stopped. Her hand was on the door frame. She did not turn around.

"He's mine," Aidan said. It was not a question.

Ten seconds passed. Maybe more. Evelyn’s hand tightened on the door frame and then let go.

"He is not yours, Aidan. He has a father. If I had been pregnant for you then, I'd have gotten rid of it. You don't deserve anything. My assistant will send the terms Friday," she said.

She walked out.

Aidan sat in the empty conference room. His heart, completely shattered now. He had been so certain, six years ago. So fast, so sure, so completely convinced that what Marcus showed him was the truth and that Evelyn cheated on him.

He felt so stupid over the years. He had not asked one question. He had not given her ten seconds. He had just decided, and performed the decision in public because some part of him had wanted an audience for his certainty.

She had every right to hate him. But his heart…it did a thing whenever she was near him. He didn't want to say what it was.

He called Priya immediately. "Move the return flight."

"To when?"

"I don't know yet. I'll tell you."

He hung up. He looked at the door Evelyn had walked through.

"I dont want to let you go this time," he said, to himself.