~Alessia~
The merger meeting was intense, a high-stakes dance of numbers and egos. I sat beside Lorenzo, scribbling notes, my pen flying across the page.
He dominated the room, his voice baritone as he countered the other side's demands.
"Your projections are optimistic at best," he said, leaning forward. "Show me hard data, or we walk."
The rival exec, a smug guy named Carter, smirked. "Morano, you're overreaching. Our terms are fair."
"Fair? You're lowballing us by twenty percent. Please try again."
I glanced at him, my heart racing... not just from the deal but from the way his jaw flexed, his intensity electric.
Carter pushed back, but Lorenzo held firm, and by the end, we had a tentative deal.
As the room cleared, he pushed close, whispering, "Good work today, Alessia. You kept up."
I smiled, warmth spreading. "Thanks, Mr Morano. You were truly… commanding."
"I know." His lips twitched. "But keep looking at me like that, and we won't make it to the suite."
