He tapped the desk with one finger. The sound broke the calm.
"Are you trying to bribe me?" he uttered, his tone tinged with disgust.
Now was the time to play my 'Francis card'.
"I would never dream of that," I replied. "Besides, I doubt the Association even needs my money."
My words seemed to calm him slightly, which was good—because I didn't want things to escalate.
I raised a hand and whispered to my attorney to step out, giving us some privacy.
Men had egos. We acted braver and more domineering when we knew we're being watched.
He leaned back in his chair, sizing me up again.
My appearance had improved a lot, and the confidence I carried made the age gap between us irrelevant.
"You make a point," he raised an eyebrow. "But the news says you're interested in donating. You think that's enough to put you on my good side?"
