Jessica's Plight (Book Version)

Chapter 1 - Mr. Fjord

"Go over the powerpoint slides one more time, pace the presentation, remember to pause and not to ramble. Talk clearly. And make him feel welcome. Go the extra mile for this client." Your boss instructs you, a serious tone to his voice. Nervously, you nod at his words. You've gone over the slides multiple times, you know the content, the images and the charts by heart. And yet, you're shaking as you pick up your laptop and nod to your boss as you walk backwards out of his room, closing the door behind you.

It's going to be fine, Jessica. It's just another client. Just another presentation. No need to be nervous about it... This you keep telling yourself as you rush through the corridors of the office, back to your desk, clutching your laptop like it's a fragile heirloom. Just another client, except he's not. It's William Fjord, and you've never handled a client as important as him before. Not even close. If you nail this, the bonuses alone will see you clear off all your student debts with plenty to spare. Fail and... Well. You might be fired then and there. But you just cannot figure out why your boss is sending you in, alone, to this meeting. Supposedly, it will increase the company's chances to finalize the deal. And who are you to argue with the management's decision and expertise on the subject?

No, there's no backing down. This is too big an opportunity for you, but that is also what makes it scary. Should you treat him as a regular client? Or make him feel extra special? Your boss did tell you to "go the extra mile", but what exactly does that mean? Right, one thing at a time. Now, the slides: It's all there, the introduction to the company you work at, the unique talents the personnel brings to the project, all reasons why your company is perfect for the job. William Fjord should be pleased by the references, charts, and detailed project plan, budget and timeline.

Hopefully you won't royally fuck this up. A quick glance to the corner of your laptop's screen shows that you still have 30 minutes until Mr. Fjord will arrive. You look around the room at your co-workers. There's Daniel, a relatively attractive guy just over 30 years old, sitting at his desk. He can be a bit rude at times, but the two of you get along well enough. Your gaze also finds Steve over by the coffee machine. Steve is married, mostly stays to himself and doesn't say much, and is rapidly approaching 40 years of age.

Both of them have been in the company for over a decade. Maybe they could offer some advice?

First, you decide to ask Daniel. No doubt he'll have a sarcastic remark, but a nugget of truth and wisdom to share. You lock your laptop screen and head over to his desk, then lean over the low wall separating his cubicle from the rest of the office space.

"Hey Daniel. Any advice for how to tackle Mr. Fjord? Land the deal?" you ask him, glancing at his screen. Wait, is that... With quick fingers, Daniel ctrl-alt-delete locks his screen.

"Sorry, you were saying?" he says, blinking at you. His flustered look says it all... He was watching porn, on a work day, in the office! Man, what an absolutely disgusting fucking idiot... Uggh. Hesitantly, you lean back, giving some space between you and the disgusting pig.

"I said, do you have any advice for how to tackle Mr. Fjord and land this deal?" You repeat as Daniel leans back comfortably in his chair, pretending he was doing nothing stupid just a second ago.

"William Fjord? The mega-rich entrepreneur who got more money than sense? Yeah. Just flash your tits at him and he'll roll over drooling and sign anything." Daniel says, laughing. Great, there's the sarcastic comment you were expecting. When you give him a serious look and won't move an inch, he finally drops the smile and sighs.

"Right, fine. Look, just make sure he likes you. Feels welcome. Like he's an old friend. Rich fuckers like him are used to a certain type of treatment, so you'll probably have to be extra friendly. Grab a coffee and a doughnut from the restaurant downstairs and give him a tour of the company before the presentation. And keep smiling." The last comment he says with a raised finger, like that is of utmost importance.