"I'm sure you're all wondering why I'm here," Alexander began once everyone was seated around the conference room table.
Maya tried to focus on his words instead of the way his voice sent shivers down her spine. Her supervisor, Janet, was practically vibrating with excitement at having such a high-profile visitor.
"Sinclair Enterprises is always looking for innovative companies to partner with," Alexander continued. "We've been impressed with Zenith Digital's recent campaigns."
Maya's head snapped up. Impressed? Zenith Digital was a small firm that primarily worked with local businesses. What could possibly have caught Alexander Sinclair's attention?
"We're prepared to make an acquisition offer," Alexander said, and the room went silent.
Janet found her voice first. "An acquisition?"
"Full buyout. Very generous terms for all employees, with significant bonuses for key personnel." Alexander's eyes briefly met Maya's. "We're particularly interested in retaining your social media strategy team."
Maya felt like she was in a dream. This couldn't be happening. Alexander Sinclair couldn't be buying her company just because they'd spent one night together. Could he?
The meeting continued with discussions of terms, timelines, and integration processes. Maya contributed when asked direct questions, but mostly she sat in stunned silence, trying to process what was happening.
"Ms. Chen," Alexander said as the meeting was wrapping up. "Could I speak with you privately for a moment?"