6

Chapter 6

Adola

The pitch day turned out the exact way I imagined. Golden streaks of the sun enamored the clear blue sky.

Stepping out of my car with my Alison, I tried to familiarize myself with the busy terrain of New York city: the endless hustle and bustle, urgent steps of employees trying to catch the next bus or cab that would take them to their place of employment added to my thrill.

Pride and excellence hung like an invisible clock on the artistic painted walls. Trois wasn't just an investment company, it was an organization anybody would be proud to work with.

Trent Llyod, the managing director, was waiting for me in the lobby. His smile widened as he stretched his hand.

"Ms Bradford. It's good to have you here. You're welcome to Trois investment company," He said warmly.

I shook his hand firmly, returning the smile. "Thank you for having me."

He extended his greetings to Alison who was beside me and then we headed to the elevator.

"Ordinarily, this meeting should be a mere formality because I know that this project will yield many returns but the CEO is a hard nut to crack. We hope you can convince him," his eyes swelled with anticipation that I didn't intend to dash.

Having Trois invest in this project was my sole aim. Did he think I wouldn't put my blood, sweat and tears into making their boss accept my pitch?

"You don't have to worry, Mr Lloyd I'll give it my best shot,"

The elevator dinged, giving way to the conference room adjacent to us. He introduced us to two marketing executives, a media strategist and one finance lady.

“I'll have to warn you ahead of time. Not only is he a hard nut, he can be grumpy at times. Try your very best to answer his questions objectively and don't cower in front of him. He has a passionate dislike for weaklings,” He said.

I nodded slowly, taking his warnings into consideration. “Thank you for your concern, Mr Lloyd. I'm good at what I do, and I'm very prepared for this pitch. Besides, what's the worst that could happen?”

He gulped and then chuckled. “Alright then. As you can see he isn't here so we might have to start the meeting without him. We'll give him a thorough view when he comes in,” Mr Lloyd suggested.

“I'm not sure the boss will be fine with that arrangement…” the finance lady countered. She'd barely finished her statement when the door opened. “He's here,” she announced and my gaze instantly shifted toward the door.

My lips parted, my eyes narrowing into a squint and then bulging at the supposed CEO who was no other person but Zyair. I slowly got to my feet, staring at him gobsmacked.

His gaze flickered toward my direction, an aloof visage plastered on his face.

“This has to be a freaking joke. You can't be the CEO we've been waiting for,” I muttered as calmly as I could, forgetting that we weren't alone in the room.

Alison stood behind me. “Ma'am, everyone's watching. You can't speak to him like that,” she whispered.

I worked myself into calmness while taking a step back to wonder how I couldn't notice that the company belonged to him.

It bothered me a lot that even though I tried so hard to stay away from him, he managed to saturate the entire city and find his way back to me. First it was the fundraiser, then the hotel, now the company. What the hell was going on?

“It is my company, Ms Bradford. Trois. Does that ring a bell?” He grinned mockingly.

How could I have forgotten that it was his middle name? I'd done my research but nothing showed that he was related to this organization. Maybe I should have done more in-depth research.

“Yes, it does now, but if you're truly the chairman of this company then I'll have to leave. I don't think we should be working together,”

“Why? Are you afraid that you might not be able to control yourself around me?” he taunted.

My teeth dug into my lower lip, taking a deep breath to keep my temper in check. “That will never happen,” I muttered under my breath.

“Then prove it. Present your pitch, prove to me that you're not a gold digger and that you have something tangible to offer,” his reply was snide and harsh, but he was right in a way.

We were over, and I had to stop behaving like a lovesick teenager around him. I didn't work so hard to get to this point just to blow it over some stupid past. I'd prove to him that I was everything I claimed to be.

Successfully keeping a lid over my emotions, I replied with a small smile. “Go have your seat then. You'll be impressed,”

“Alright,” he strutted to his seat.

As soon as everyone settled, the screen came on and I began.

“The U-turn development project for the Utica region is a high end project that combines sustainable designs for residential buildings, stunning waterfront views, durable and luxurious amenities. Our team has put up a unique plan that will meet the growing demand for residential units in this region, but before I elaborate on the plan, I'd like you all to get an overview of the region that is being redeveloped,”

“Go ahead,” Mr Lloyd said.

I swiped to the first slide which showed the number of units, designs of apartments and penthouses we'd be setting up.

“According to our market analysis, this region is untapped which provides a breeding ground for boundless opportunities in terms of rentals. If this project is successful which I'm a hundred percent sure it will be, we can ease the idea to other business owners which could increase the economic state in Utica,”

I signaled Alison to share our development team's resumes and references.

“The files being passed around are the resumes of every member of our team who are highly experienced with a proven track record. We have also established strong partnership with local contractors and suppliers so you don't have to be scared of buildings suddenly collapsing,”

My daze darted to Zyair who seemed distracted with his phone. I badly wanted to throw a punch at him. If he didn't want to be here then he shouldn't have come in the first place.

“I'm guessing we've gotten to the point where you tell us what this whole project will cost,” He finally took his eyes off his screen.

So he'd been listening?

I swallowed my snark response. “Yes, sir,”

In a few minutes, I gave a detailed breakdown of the costs, revenue and cash flow projections. I also included the sensitivity analysis to demonstrate potential risks and opportunities.

“We're seeking $10 million dollars in funding the U-turn development project. In return, investors will receive a 40% equity stake in the project. We strongly believe that this project offers a unique opportunity for high returns and long-term growth.”

An applause followed as I let out an exhale. Everyone seemed impressed apart from Zyair whom I couldn't read his expression.

He straightened, our eyes locked. I maintained the contact, pushing down whatever weird thoughts that tried to spring up.

“Your pitch was surprisingly good and convincing,” his words held a note of sincerity.

My smile widened in excitement. “Thank you, Mr Henderson,”

He stood up, hands tucked in the pockets of his slack. “But the company will only invest on one condition.”