“Mr. Hudson’s properties don’t have that problem.”
“Only the luxury ones,” I said. “Which regular people get glimpses of through the windows, all while hoping they won’t have to kill a roach when they walk into their bathrooms.”
Silence.
Mr. Devry dropped his folder to the ground, and every page echoed through the hallway as it hit the floor.
Mr. Hudson looked up at me from the end of the table, and I noticed a large vein swelling in his neck.
The room was as silent as a cemetery.
“You want to improve your chances of people saying yes to this monstrosity, Mr. Hudson?” I stood up from the table. “Forget PR and trying to offer bullshit perks that only a few people can afford… Fix what you already have first, and then they might actually start thinking you give a damn about something other than money, even though everyone in this room knows you don’t…”
With his eyes locked on me, I pushed back my chair and slipped into the elevator.
Welp, I’m definitely fired.
THE CEO
DANTE
Every person at the table was still staring in Chloe’s direction, as if they were terrified of looking back at me.
Even Anthony.
“If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen,” I said, my blood boiling as I pushed up from my chair. “This meeting is over until further notice.”
Their heads remained turned, but as I boarded the elevator, they slowly looked away.
I stabbed the lobby button and flexed my wrists.
No one had ever dared to talk to me like that in public before, and I wasn’t going to allow Chloe to be the first to get away with it.
When the doors freed me at the first level, I spotted Chloe hailing a cab at the curb.
I don’t think so.
I strolled outside as she was opening the back door.
“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” I grabbed her elbow, spinning her around to face me. “You think you get to leave? Just like that?”
“Obviously.” She glared at me. “I think that’s what’s best at this point.”
“If you think I won’t have my legal team put you through hell for the next ten years of your life, Miss Sterling…”
“I don’t think that.” She snapped. “I know that, and that’s exactly why I’m done. I’m giving you every dime of your money back—minus two days—and I’m already looking forward to getting sleep again.”
“I will blacklist you from every real estate agency in the city,” I said. “You’ll have a hard time working again.”
“Of course you will.” She scoffed. “That’s exactly why you’ll never get anyone to see you as anything other than ruthless. It’s also why you’ll never get The Holden, and I’ll be joining the people working hard to make sure you don’t.”
She spun around to tug the door handle again, but I gripped her waist and made her face me again.
“I’m not done talking,” I said.
“Well, I am.” She hissed. “I already told you and that shitty guy in there all I had to say. Newsflash: You’re either likable or you’re not. And I hate to break it to you, Mr. Dante Hudson, but you’re really fucking not.”
“I don’t appreciate you cursing at me.”
