Chapter 16- A Test?

Genevieve woke up earlier than usual the next morning. She didn't know why, maybe it was because she was a little nervous about the meeting with Dominic she had that day, or maybe it was because of the pressure to solve the issue with the shopping complexes and the factory.

For a moment, she laid still in bed, staring at the ceiling as the morning light filtered through the curtains into her room. Her body felt rested, but her mind was wide awake. The thought of meeting Dominic Rourke didn’t unsettle her, but sharpened something inside her. She rose from the bed and moved through her morning routine with unusual care. 

She took her time in the shower, letting the warm water roll down her shoulders. When she stepped out, she stood in front of the mirror longer than usual, studying her reflection. She didn’t see the poor widow the press whispered about from months ago. She saw a woman reclaiming control of everything.

Her choice of outfit was intentional. She chose a knee-length red gown. It hugged her figure perfectly, clinging to her waist and emphasizing the gentle curve of her hips. It was elegant, confident, and feminine. Her makeup was light, she packed her hair in a tight bun, wore a red bottom black heels and carried a black Loius Vuitton bag.

When she finished getting ready, she looked expensive, beautiful, powerful and seen. And she knew it.

---

By the time Genevieve arrived at the Holloway Group, her mood had shifted fully into work mode. She received several looks filled with admiration and curiosity from the staff and that was already enough confirmation that she looked really good. The familiar smell of her office greeted her as she stepped in. But before she could even set her bag down, her eyes landed on the neatly stacked files on her desk.

She looked at the title of the files, it was the reports from the other shopping complexes. She exhaled slowly and sat down; she dropped her bag and started flipping through them one by one. They all had the same pattern as the shopping complex at Eastpoint. There was a decline in customer traffic, multiple store closures, business owners threatening not to renew their contract and a drop in revenue.

Her jaw tightened. This wasn’t a coincidence, and it wasn’t incompetence. Someone was manipulating the shopping complexes from the outside—or from the inside.

She was still reading the files when Helena knocked and entered, with a cup of coffee in her hand.

“Good morning, Mrs. Holloway.” She greeted

“Morning,” Genevieve replied without looking up.

Helena dropped the coffee on her table, hesitated for half a second, then spoke. “Regarding the budiness dealings between Senator Matthew and Mr. Charles, I couldn’t find any report or records on it.”

Genevieve looked up immediately. “Nothing at all?”

“Yes ma'am, it’s as if the business deals between them never existed,” Helena said carefully. “No digital or paper trail. No third-party references.”

Genevieve leaned back into her chair, her fingers tapping lightly on the desk. That was not reassuring, it was alarming. “Investigate Senator Matthew,” she said calmly, “ensure to be quiet about it.”

Helena nodded immediately. “Understood, ma'am.” She then added, “Your meeting with Mr. Dominic Rourke is scheduled for 12pm at an elite restaurant downtown. You also have a meeting with the company’s financial manager and the production manager of the manufacturing company afterward.”

“Thank you,” Genevieve said. Helena left, closing the door softly behind her.

Genevieve returned to work, going through pending contracts and departmental reports, but her thoughts drifted. She thought about the shopping complexes, Senator Matthew and Dominic. She thought about Delilah breifly, she had not heard from her since the meeeting with the Widow's Club. She pulled out her encrpyted phone and left a brief message telling her about the meeting with Dominic and asking her to call her when she can.

By the time the clock crept toward noon, she was more than ready to leave for the meeting with Dominic.

---

Genevieve and Helena arrived at the restaurant just before 12pm with the driver and security guards. As usual, thhey waited for her in the car and only she and Genevieve headed into the restuarant.

The restuarant was refined and located in a secluded location, it was the kind of establishment that catered to people who preferred privacy over publicity. The hostess greeted them politely and led them through the main dining area into a private lounge.

When they got to the lounge Dominic was in, Genevieve turned to Helena. “Wait here.”

Helena nodded and stayed behind. Genevieve stepped into the lounge. Dominic was already there. He stood as she entered, dressed in a black suit, tailored perfectly to his frame. His presence filled the room effortlessly. Beside him stood his assistant, Ben, who looked up briefly before returning his attention to Dominic.

But Dominic’s eyes were still on her. And he didn’t hide it. His gaze swept over her slowly, taking in the red gown, the way it hugged her waist, the unmistakable curve of her hips. There was a brief pause as if he hadn’t expected this version of her. 

Genevieve noticed. She also noticed how good he looked in the black suit. The sharpness of his jaw. The calm confidence in his posture. The quiet authority that followed him everywhere like a shadow. She felt his attention linger.

Internally, she smiled. She was happy that she had that she was able to achievve the effect she wanted on him.

“Ben, wait outside,” Dominic finally said briefly looking away from her. Ben obeyed immediately, leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Silence settled between them as they sat opposite each other, it was intense.

Genevieve cleared her throat, breaking the silence first. “Thank you for the security protocol installation at my house. The intallation was really discreet.”

Dominic nodded. “I saw your message.”

She raised an eyebrow slightly but didn’t comment on his delayed acknowledgment of her message.

“How has taking over as CEO of the Holloway Group been?” he asked.

Before she could answer, a waiter entered to take their order. The interruption stretched the tension in the room a little further. They placed their orders, and Dominic watched her as she spoke, his attention unwavering.

When the waiter left, Genevieve finally answered. “Stressful. More than I expected. I didn't know that becoming CEO could be so stressful.”

Dominic leaned back slightly. “I assumed as much. Especially since there has been a decline in the performance of the shopping complexes.”

Her faced showed confusion, the news about the decline in the performance of the shopping complexes had not gotten out yet, it was properly controlled, she wondered how he found out. “How do you know about the decline in the performance of the shopping comlexes?”

A faint smirk appeared his lips, barely noticeable. “I know a lot more than you think.”

Her heart rate increased but she didn’t show it. Instead, she nodded.

"Have you gotten the deatails of the business dealings Charles had with politicians in the past?" He asked, cutting the meat on his plate.

"You mean his business dealings with Senator Matthew?" Genevieve asked, raising one of her eyebrows.

"Not just him, including Senator Franklin too" Something flashed across his eyes, too fast for her to notice.

Genevieve knew that Dominic was talking about Senator Franklin Worth, the same man known to be dead by the public, the same man her husband met one week before his death, but she pretended not to know. She felt like Dominic was trying to see how much information she knew, but she kept her expression neutral.  "The late Senator Franklin Worth?"Sshe asked with a straight face. "I didn't know he had any business dealings with him." Genevieve answered pouring herself a drink, intentionally avoiding eye contact with Dominic.

She remembered the picture of Charles and Senator Franklin that Celeste showed her the first time she joined the club, she wondered if it had anything to do with the business deal they had together.

Dominic knew she probably knew what he was talking about, he was trying to test her to see if she would crack at any point, but she was doing a good job at keeping a straight face. 

"How do you know about my late husband's business dealings with Senator Franklin and Senator Matthew?" Genevieve asked, finally raising her head and looking at him without breaking eye contact.

"I know a lot of things Mrs Holloway." Dominic responded with a straight face.

Hearing Dominic say that made her feel very uneasy, what if he knew more than she expected? She thought silently.

"I used to have some business contracts with your husband but I canceled the contract before he died"

That wasn't didn't come as a shock to Genevieve, she knew Charles most likely had a business contract with Dominic but she didn't know what type of deal they had or the details of it. "Why did you cancel the contract?" She asked.

"That's for you to find out Mrs Holloway." Dominic replied, “Olandria enjoyed spending time with you,” he said casually, changing the topic.

Genevieve knew that there was no need to push him to answer her question cause Dominic Rourke was not a man that you could convince to do your bidding, so she smiled softly instead. “She’s a wonderful child.”

“She is. She said she wants to hangout with you again,” Dominic added. “I hope you can indulge her by fitting her into your busy schedule.”

“Sure, that is not a problem,” Genevieve said immediately.

His eyes held hers for a moment. Then he nodded. 

When Genevieve finally stood to leave after she was done with her drink, Dominic watched her quietly.

“Be careful, it's not as simple as you think.” His expression was neutral but his eyes held something that she couldn't read.

She nodded. “Thank you, Mr. Rourke.”

As she walked out of the lounge, she was aware of his gaze following her. She didn’t look back.

But she knew—without a doubt—that this meeting might change the game. Maybe Dominic was trying to become the lead player or was he already the lead player? She didn't have the answer to that question.