It was the morning of the deal finalisation Evelyn was up by five and Leon, he was home now, sleeping in his own bed,
She knew the deal; partner with AS Tech, her ex husband’s company.
It was going to help her company a lot but she promised herself if there was anything that would go wrong today, she’d
She thought about the Jane’s card she found in the hospital.
She had held it in her hand for a long time last night.
She had turned it over twice.
She had thought about calling the number on it and then thought about what she would say and then put it in the drawer of her bedside table instead because some conversations needed to be had face to face.
LUXE was already alive when she arrived at eight.
Her staff had the conference room prepared.
The beautiful autumn collection was displayed, the contracts printed, water and coffee on the side table, everything exactly as it should be.
“Morning ma’am,” Hugh greeted.
“Good to see you, Mr Hugh.” Evelyn smiled.
Zara was in the studio going through the spring samples with Rosa and looked up when Evelyn walked through.
“Ready?” Zara said.
“Always,” Evelyn said.
“You look like you didn’t sleep.”
”I slept fine.”
”You look like you—”
”Zara.”
”Going.” She turned back to the samples.
“Conference room is ready.”
”I saw.”
”Aidan’s team confirmed for nine thirty.”
Evelyn nodded.
She walked to her office, set her bag down.
“Let’s go,” she said to no one.
Aidan arrived at nine twenty-five with Priya and two members of his legal team.
He was remained calm, and professional.
Evelyn was the same.
They sat across from each other at the conference table and it was possible, if you didn’t know either of them, to watch the meeting and see only two people doing business.
But Zara, who was sitting to Evelyn’s left, noticed the way Evelyn’s pen moved slightly slower when Aidan spoke.
And Priya, who was sitting to Aidan’s right, noticed the way he paused a half second too long before responding to anything Evelyn said directly.
The terms moved forward.
Two clauses pushed back.
There was a revision requested on the revenue structure that Hugh presented so clearly and so quickly that Aidan’s lawyer leaned over and said something quietly to Priya.
It was going well.
It was almost done.
And then the door opened.
Sophie, her receptionist appeared in the gap, and her expression said everything before her words did.
“Ms.
Evelyn.
I’m so sorry to interrupt.
I’m really sorry.
There’s a — there’s someone at reception asking to come up.
She’s been here a while, she says she won’t leave.” She glanced at Aidan.
Then back at Evelyn.
“She says she’s here to support her husband.”
The room went very quiet.
Aidan’s head turned toward the door.
“What?” he whispered.
Sophie looked deeply uncomfortable.
“She says her name is Jane Smith.”
“She’s not supposed to be —” He stopped.
Looked at Priya.
Priya’s face said she had absolutely no idea.
He looked at the table then at Evelyn.
Evelyn was looking at the contract in front of her.
Her face had not changed but her hand, the one holding the pen — had gone completely still.
“Send her up,” Evelyn said.
“Evelyn —” Zara said quietly.
“Send her up, Sophie.”
Sophie disappeared.
Aidan looked at Evelyn.
She did not look back.
She set the pen down and folded her hands on the table with the expression of a woman assembling herself from the inside out.
And she was back there.
Just for a second..
just a flashback, brutal and uninvited, she was back in that ballroom.
The cameras, the papers hitting the floor at her feet, the sound of Jane’s laugh across the room, the way Aidan had stood right there and said absolutely nothing.
She blinked.
She was in her conference room.
She was Evelyn Cole.
She was the woman whose name was on the top of this building.
She breathed.
“I hope I’m not too late,” Jane walked in pleasantly.
“I heard the deal was closing today.
I wanted to come and congratulate everyone in person.”
Aidan was on his feet.
“Jade.” His voice had no warmth in it.
“What are you doing here.”
”I was in the area.
I thought I’d come and see how it was going.”
”You didn’t tell me you were in Milan,” Aidan said.
“I wanted to surprise you.” The smile didn’t move.
Jane’s eyes moved to Evelyn.
“Ms.
Cole.
What a beautiful space.
You should really be proud.
I mean leaving my husband’s company six years ago, broke and helpless, you’ve really built something.”
”JANE!” Aidan yelled.
Jane gasped.
“Oh, oh I’m sorry.”she looked around.
“Did I say something too offensive?”
Evelyn was looking at her.
Six years.
The same face.
The same voice.
“Mrs.
Smith,” Evelyn said.
Her voice was perfectly level.
“This is a closed business meeting.”
”Of course.
I won’t stay long.
I just wanted to see how things were.”
Evelyn smiled.
“Well since you’re here, do well to tell us what you were doing in my son’s ward, two days ago.
How did you get access to my son’s hospital ward?”she said.
“What?” Aidan said.
Jane blinked.
Just once.
“I’m sorry?”
”You left your card on his bedside table.” She paused.
“I want to know how you got access to that ward and I want to know why you went in there.”
” Oh-uh” Jane stuttered.
” That was your son’s room?
Evelyn, you have a son now, wow that’s —”
Evelyn interrupted her.
“I built everything you’re standing in right now from that night.
So when you walk into my building and into my son’s hospital room and leave your card like a threat, you need to understand something.” She looked back at Jane.
‘You do not scare me.
Nothing you are will ever scare me.
The last thing you’d ever do is come close to my son.
A mother’s anger is the worst, Jane.
You don’t want to see that side.”
Evelyn picked up the contract from the table.
Everyone watched.
She tore it in half, clean down the middle.
Both halves in her hands.
She set them back on the table without a word.
The shock that went through Aidan’s face couldn’t be named.
” Evelyn —” Aidan’s voice, low.
She felt it more than heard it.
“The deal is terminated,” she said.
She looked at his lawyers.
“You’ll receive formal notification from my legal team before the end of day.”
”Evelyn, listen to me —” Aidan spoke.
“I think you should all leave now,” she said.
“Hugh, do well to see them out.”
”Evelyn c’mon” Aidan came close.
Evelyn’s heart raced ten times more than normal.
He stared at her with a pleading face.
She closed her eyes and moved away from him.
Aidan’s lawyers gathered their things in silence.
Priya was already at the door.
Aidan stood at the table for a moment looking at Evelyn with an expression she refused to read.
Then he picked up his jacket.
He looked at Jane with the most irritating look ever and walked away.