SCARLET MEETS MILA

3

Scarlet

"So it's settled." Hunter slides his phone into his shirt pocket and stands. "Ramirez will move forward and go ahead with the onboarding."

I smirk. "Let's not forget the clause." I remind him, delighting in the way his expression curdles. "I will not budge on my request."

"With respect, ma'am." He chuckles awkwardly, pulling at the knot of his tie. "I can only do my best."

I stand to mirror his body language. "I only deal with the best. Not your best." His brow arches. "If you can't deliver what I am asking for, I will look elsewhere. Are we clear?"

Harlow sports a cocky grin from across the table. "I will speak with Marvin tonight."

I nod. "Very well." He shakes my extended hand and snatches his brief case from the conference table. "I will be expecting a call of confirmation before six. If I don't hear from you, I will move forward with another candidate."

"Six?"

I nod sarcastically. "I work no later than five-thirty. Be grateful I'm offering an extra thirty minutes."

"Of course, ma'am." He replies, gritting his teeth painfully while making his way out of the office.

Harlow leans back and stretches her arms above her head. "Incredible." She congratulates. "That's how you get shit done."

"I need this deal." My eyes strain as I look down at the time. "I promised myself I would have this wrapped up by the end of the week."

"You will do it." Her vote of confidence fuels me, and I nod back with a passionate sigh. "Hunter is desperate for your attention. His father will kill him if you walk away."

I smirk. "He'll see sense. All I'm asking is that he signs over his forecasting team."

"We will have a huge edge. There's no other way." Harlow replies. "I'm not sure it will be the easiest negotiation, but it's worth a shot."

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Dina, my new PR manager pushes her head around the door and smiles awkwardly. "You're needed in your office."

"In my office?" I chuckle. "Why?"

Dina shrugs. "A request from your wife."

"Ah." Harlow rolls her eyes playfully. "A booty call."

I slap her arm with a smirk and follow Dina from the conference room. "Is everything ok?"

She nods, her head of bouncy 4c curls sending me a sweet scent of vanilla. "She mentioned the design brief from mock-ups to be problematic." She giggles. "You know me. I have no clue about the jargon."

"You're getting there." I wink. "I can make it from here."

I stride to walk away, but her voice calls me back briefly. "I need to meet with you later today or tomorrow." She hums. "Nothing urgent, but I'd like to have an idea of how we're going to proceed with this Hunter guy."

"Hunter?" I turn and furrow my brow. "What about him?"

She pulls out a printed document and hands it to me abruptly. "His spokesperson has been making some remarks about Mila and her past." I read as fast as I can, my stomach twisting. "Like I said, it's all in the fun of making big money. People tend to use our history to make themselves known."