As the clock struck two, Daisy arrived at the sleek glass building that housed Wilson Company. She stepped out of the car with practiced grace, hiding her limp as best she could. The receptionist recognized her immediately and offered a warm smile.
"Miss Daisy, they're expecting you. The conference room is on the top floor elevator to your right."
"Thank you," she said, flashing a polite smile.
She made her way to the elevator with Lucy by her side.
Inside the elevator, she leaned against the wall for a second, taking a deep breath. Her ankle ached slightly, but her heart was racing more from nerves than pain. This deal could change everything.
The doors opened to a grand hallway. At the end stood two tall glass doors the entrance to the boardroom. She adjusted her blazer, fixed her posture, and pushed the doors open.
Inside, seated around the table, were only two men. One appeared to be the secretary. Daisy had expected several executives from Wilson Company, and was shocked to see just two. But what shocked her the most was that the man who seemed to be the boss was none other than Mr. Jerk Face.
How? Why? A flood of questions ran through her mind, but the fear of losing the deal because of him was stronger. She quickly composed herself, pretended not to recognize him, and convinced herself he was probably just an employee or a representative.
Clearing her throat, she and Lucy made their way to the seats opposite the men. Sitting down, Daisy greeted, "Good afternoon. I'm here for the collaboration meeting," gently placing her file on the table.
Desmond, who was just as surprised to see her, was taken aback by how she acted like she didn't know him. Had she forgotten him? Impossible. She was too petty for that. But he decided to play along why not enjoy a little revenge while he was at it?
Smirking, he replied, "Good afternoon to you too, Miss…"
He paused, acting like he didn't remember her name, waiting for her to say it herself.
Daisy, recognizing his voice and not surprised by how annoying he could be even in a meeting, clenched her teeth behind a smile and replied, "I'm Miss Daisy, and this is my secretary, Miss Lucy."
"Nice to meet you, Miss Daisy. I'm Desmond, and this is my assistant, Mr. Raymond."
Raymond, sitting silently, was shocked to see his boss being so oddly polite, but said nothing.
Desmond continued, "I'm sure you're standing in for your boss. You can start your presentation."
Although Daisy wanted to correct him and say she was the boss, she let it go and started her presentation. She showcased a variety of designs each with its own flair but nothing compared to the clothing designs she had poured her heart and soul into.
Desmond watched her closely. He had never seen her look so serious, so full of passion. Her eyes lit up with every slide, and her love for design was undeniable. The designs were beautiful especially the clothing. He could already tell that collaborating with her would be a good move. But he wasn't going to make it easy.
"The designs are quite good," he started slowly, "but I'd like to meet the designer."
"That won't be a problem," she replied smoothly. "I'm the designer. I made the clothing designs, while the others were done by my subordinates."
Desmond was stunned. She made those? But he didn't show it. Crossing his legs and resting his chin on his hand, he pretended to be deep in thought.
Daisy was growing irritated by his silence, but she remained composed.
After a few moments, Desmond finally nodded at his assistant, who brought out the contract.
"The work is good," he said casually. "Though it needs some improvement. I believe you'll get better as we progress with this collaboration."
Daisy rolled her eyes internally. Like he had a degree in design. But she forced a polite smile. "I'll be sure to take your advice."
Desmond heard the sarcasm clearly, but he let it slide.
Daisy reviewed the contract carefully. Once she was satisfied, she looked up, expecting him to say he would take it back to his superiors for signing. Instead, to her surprise, he picked up a pen and signed it himself.
"Isn't your boss supposed to be the one signing it?" she asked, confused.
Desmond, true to his jerk-face nature, didn't answer but his assistant did.
"He is the boss."
Daisy blinked. He's the boss? Poor employees, she thought, biting back a smirk.
Still, she couldn't hide her joy. She had just closed her first official big deal. A proud smile spread across her face.
Desmond, annoyed that she thought he was an employee, glanced over and for a second, he was caught off guard. It was the first time he saw her smile so freely, and it stunned him. She looks... beautiful.
Raymond, noticing the expression on his boss's face, was stunned to see Desmond actually smiling. He quickly looked away before his boss caught him staring.
A few minutes later, Desmond left the room first. Daisy and Lucy followed soon after. As they reached the hallway, Lucy suddenly realized she had forgotten her phone and rushed back to the conference room to retrieve it.
Daisy's leg was already aching from all the walking, so she slowly made her way to the elevator, wanting nothing more than to sit in the car and relax.
Inside the elevator, just as the doors were about to close, a hand slipped in, stopping it. Thinking someone else wanted to enter, Daisy limped to the corner and when she looked up, it was none other than Mr. Jerk Face.
Her face immediately dropped.
Desmond had seen her limping in the hall earlier. And for some reason, without thinking, he had followed her.