Sugar sugar baby

[8] Dinner

The next day felt like I was being pulled deeper into a world I was still struggling to understand. Vanessa had called me into her office that afternoon, informing me that we'd be going to a private dinner with one of her business partners. This wasn't just another meeting. This was something more personal, more intimate, and I could feel the weight of it as we left the office.

The restaurant Vanessa had chosen was upscale, dimly lit with a kind of understated elegance that screamed exclusivity. As we walked in, the host immediately recognized her, guiding us to a private room at the back without even asking for her name. That was the kind of power Vanessa wielded—unspoken but undeniable.

Inside, we were greeted by a tall, well-dressed man in his late forties. His dark suit was perfectly tailored, and his hair was slicked back in a way that made him look like he'd just stepped off the cover of Forbes. He stood up when we entered, extending his hand with a practiced smile.

"Vanessa," he said warmly, "so good to see you again."

"James," Vanessa replied smoothly, shaking his hand with the kind of confidence that only she could pull off. "This is Tristan, my new assistant."

James turned to me, his eyes assessing for a brief moment before his smile returned. "Ah, the new blood. Nice to meet you, Tristan."

"Likewise," I said, shaking his hand, trying to match his composure.

We all sat down, and the dinner began. For the first part of the meal, I mostly listened as Vanessa and James exchanged pleasantries, discussing recent business trends and some new acquisitions James' company had made. He talked a lot about growth, using buzzwords like synergy and market penetration. Every now and then, Vanessa would nod, but she was mostly quiet, letting him do the talking.

As the appetizers arrived—delicate plates of something that looked expensive but unfamiliar—James shifted gears, clearly moving into the main reason for this meeting.

"Now," he said, leaning forward slightly, "I wanted to talk to you about the new project we're launching next quarter. I know we've touched on this before, but I really think this could be something massive for both of us."

Vanessa raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable. "Go on."

James smiled, clearly pleased to have her attention. "We've been developing a new AI-driven platform that's designed to streamline supply chain management. We're talking real-time data, predictive analytics, the whole package. It's still in the early stages, but the potential is huge. If we can get this off the ground, we could corner the market on this technology."

He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. I could tell he thought he was selling her on a goldmine.

"And the best part?" he continued. "We're projecting a 30% cost reduction across the board for any company that implements it. That's a game-changer, Vanessa. Imagine what that could do for Reed Estates."

Vanessa nodded thoughtfully, but she still didn't say much. She was waiting, watching, and I could see the subtle way she was reading him, picking apart every word he said.

James kept going, his voice gaining more enthusiasm. "I've already got a few key players interested—big names. They're ready to jump on this once we roll it out. All we need is a strong partner, someone with the infrastructure and the reach to scale this thing fast. That's where you come in."

Vanessa leaned back slightly, her fingers lightly tapping the edge of her wine glass. "It sounds promising, but I haven't seen any hard data yet. You've mentioned potential, but where's the proof? Have you run any simulations? Do you have any real-world case studies?"