Arlene's POV
"The Moses haven't made an appearance in quite some time," Matthew chuckles, turning toward me with that familiar grin spreading across his face. "You look absolutely stunning today. How are the twins handling everything?"
"They're doing well. Currently obsessing over getting a puppy. What about you?"
"I can research some breeds that work well with toddlers," he responds with enthusiasm, nodding eagerly. "Same old routine on my end."
"I have my heart set on a golden retriever. Can you look into available puppies? The twins gave me until the end of the week to make a decision, but I've always dreamed of having my own AirBud."
"Consider it done," he laughs warmly. I retrieve the artwork the twins created and extend it toward him. "This has to be the most adorable thing I've ever seen."
"Would you mind having this framed? I want it displayed prominently in my new office."
"Absolutely," he carefully slides it into his briefcase before immediately pulling out his phone to start making arrangements.
"What does our schedule look like today?"
"We have a meeting with Deon Harrison for the complete tour of Royal Keller headquarters. Here's everything you need to know about what we're walking into."
He passes me my preferred work tablet, the one I always use for important meetings. "The tour begins down at the shipping docks."
For a facility designed to store high-end clothing, the storage area appears chaotic and disorganized. They're operating with insufficient staff and nobody has bothered to implement the updated payment processing system. The upper floors where the designers work are in equally poor condition. Gianna wasn't exaggerating when she described this place as desperately needing firm leadership to restore order. I still don't fully understand why she believed I was the right person for this challenge, but I feel deeply honored that she chose me.
The entire team was devastated when Gianna made the difficult decision to terminate Dakota. She had been particularly upset because they had maintained a close friendship for years. However, the California division represents Gianna's original vision and greatest achievement. She launched Royal Keller from her modest garage over three decades ago, armed with nothing but determination and her trusty sewing machine.
Our paths first crossed during my sophomore year at college in San Diego. By the time that academic year concluded, I had secured an internship position with her company. I owe the trajectory of my entire career to her guidance over the past eleven years. It has been an incredible journey filled with unexpected opportunities.
When she approached me about returning home, it completely disrupted my carefully planned future. Fear consumed me entirely. The original plan involved my transfer to the exciting new branch opening in Italy. Despite the professional opportunity, I hadn't been eager to relocate. The transition would have created enormous challenges for the twins, requiring them to master a third language while adapting to an entirely different cultural environment. It would have caused significant strain on our family.
During our private meeting in Milan, she revealed the full extent of Dakota's personal struggles. His marriage had ended badly, and he was making increasingly poor professional decisions. She had already lost several major contracts with prominent clients because of his erratic behavior and public embarrassments.
She had offered him multiple opportunities to seek professional help, but he consistently refused her suggestions. While I hate being placed in the position of replacing a colleague, I cannot refuse Gianna's request, and this assignment is significantly better than the alternative arrangement.
Deon Harrison presents himself as an exceptionally refined gentleman. He previously served as Dakota's personal assistant and has been temporarily promoted to fill the leadership void. His role involves helping me navigate the transition period successfully. Gianna specifically requested that I observe his performance carefully, and I intend to fulfill that responsibility completely.
His outfit consists of perfectly fitted cream-colored trousers paired with a flowing silk button-up shirt. He has accessorized thoughtfully with a delicate thin gold chain necklace. If there's a pendant attached, it remains hidden beneath his shirt. His watch coordinates beautifully with the metal jewelry around his neck and the collection of earrings adorning his right ear. The black leather belt matches his loafers perfectly, though personally, I would have chosen something more understated for the overall look.
His personal grooming standards are absolutely impeccable. This man clearly maintains a rigorous skincare regimen and enjoys treating himself well. His face is freshly shaved and he emanates an appealing fragrance. This observation leads me to my initial assessment: Deon Harrison is definitely a heterosexual man. Based on Gianna's previous descriptions of him, I had formed different expectations. When he extends his hand for our introduction, all I can think about is asking him for the contact information of whoever maintains his flawless manicure.
"Welcome to our headquarters," he greets me professionally. "I'm Deon Harrison, and I'll be serving as your guide throughout the next several months. My primary responsibility is ensuring your smooth transition into this position."
"I'm Arlene Brooks, and I'm truly honored to be here. This is Matthew Atlas, my personal assistant. We're both looking forward to building a strong working relationship with you."
"Excellent. Let's begin the tour," he opens the glass entrance doors and gestures for us to proceed inside.
We're immediately met with obvious curiosity from every employee in the vicinity. Everyone stops their work to observe our arrival. Deon's speaking voice is pleasant and professional, though he could benefit from some relaxation time. That much is evident. While he demonstrates careful attention to detail in his explanations, his enthusiasm for the work falls far short of matching my own excitement level. I AM ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO BE HERE.
His approach seems more like fulfilling an obligation than genuine passion.
I don't hold that against him whatsoever. The photographs Matthew showed me during our car ride must have been taken before Dakota's termination, because someone has clearly attempted to organize the space since then. The current state reminds me of when the twins dump out their entire toy collection and then hastily attempt to put everything back without proper care.
I use my tablet continuously to document detailed notes and capture photographs of everything requiring immediate attention. We're both completely exhausted by the time we reach what he presents as my new private office.
The space is absolutely beautiful and significantly larger than my previous office back in Paris. There's ample room to move around freely, and I won't need to share any resources with other staff members. The entire back wall consists of floor-to-ceiling glass panels. Nicholson is going to absolutely love the spectacular view of the pier from this vantage point. I can already sense that we'll be spending considerable time enjoying that scenery.
Display racks line the wall to the left of my desk area. There's a professional drafting table surrounded by several comfortable stools. The pristine white walls remain completely bare and empty. Everything represents a blank canvas allowing me to start completely fresh and create exactly what I envision. This is precisely where my new chapter begins.
"I assumed you'd prefer to arrange everything according to your personal preferences," Deon explains thoughtfully. "Why don't you take the remainder of today to gather your belongings and organize your thoughts? We can start with a clean slate tomorrow morning."
"That sounds like an excellent plan," I agree readily.
"You'll find my office directly to your left when you exit this room," he explains before excusing himself politely.
"He appears completely exhausted, Mama," Matthew observes with genuine sympathy in his voice.
"He certainly does. There's nothing we can accomplish to help him right at this moment. Let's focus on getting started here," I place my purse on the drafting table surface. "Have my personal belongings arrived yet?"
"Right over there," he points toward the white leather couches positioned near the windows.
"I've already contacted the moving team to remove these unattractive pieces. We agreed on the Sacramento Green and gold cottage-themed furniture collection last week, remember?"
"We absolutely did."
"Everything will be delivered and properly arranged by the time you return tomorrow morning. I wanted everything completed today, but I preferred having everything arrive simultaneously to avoid wasting valuable time with multiple deliveries. All the items you ordered in advance are here, along with the design materials from the upcoming fairy spring collection. Your first official meeting is scheduled with Arielle Summerhaven. She's the..." he pauses, glancing up at me uncertainly.
"The new senior designer. I'm fully aware of that, Matthew. I've been studying extensively, so please give me some credit," I roll my eyes dramatically. "I have to know everything about her. She's taking over my previous position."
"Mama, nobody could ever replace you. You're evolving and growing professionally. Perhaps a bit faster than most people, but it only makes you more attractive and powerful."
"Help me organize some of these materials," I roll my eyes at him again with exaggerated exasperation.
"You realize you need to stop rolling your eyes like that if you want Rockford to break that same habit," he laughs knowingly.
"Well, it looks like the eye-rolling is a permanent family trait now," I hold up the fabric samples I had shipped ahead of time. "I am so incredibly excited to be back home, Matthew. You have absolutely no idea how much this means to me."
"But we have an enormous amount of work ahead of us," he groans with mock complaint.
"I know exactly how much work awaits us. That's precisely what makes this opportunity so exhilarating."