Finally Selena cleared her throat. "We should head back. Adrian has a lot to process."
Madalena hugged him again at the door. "Come back soon, please."
"I will," Adrian promised.
Ricardo shook his hand. "Remember what we told you, be ruthless and trust no one completely. And always watch your back."
Adrian nodded.
On the drive back to the city, Adrian sat in silence staring at the check.
"How are you feeling?" Selena asked.
"I don't know," Adrian said honestly. "Overwhelmed mostly."
"That's normal," Selena said. "You just met your parents and got five hundred million dollars in the same day. Anyone would be overwhelmed."
Adrian looked up at her. "What should I invest in?"
Selena smiled. "We'll figure that out together. But first you need to rest. Today was a lot."
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"To get food," Selena said. "Then to your office."
"I thought we were going back to the penthouse."
Selena shook her head. "With what I've learnt today we don't have time."
Adrian perked up.
"Three board members have prepared a case suggesting that you should step down which will be reviewed in the next board meeting." Selena continued, her lips in a grim line. "You have to prove them wrong at that meeting." Selena said.
Adrian felt his chest tighten. "Well what do I do?
Selena pulled into a parking garage. "That's what tonight is for."
They parked and took an elevator up to street level. Adrian stepped out and stopped.
The restaurant in front of them screamed wealth.
A sign above the entrance read NECTAR in elegant script.
The doorman opened the door without being asked. "Good evening Ms. Hart."
Selena nodded and walked inside like she owned the place.
Adrian followed feeling completely out of his depth. He was sure he would never get used to the wealth in his bloodline.
A hostess came up immediately. "Ms. Hart. Your usual table?"
"Yes please," Selena said.
They were led to a corner table with a view of the entire restaurant. Adrian sat down and picked up the menu. His eyes nearly fell out of his head.
A simple salad was eighty dollars. Pasta was one hundred and fifty. The cheapest appetizer on the menu was two hundred.
"Order whatever you want," Selena said without looking up from her own menu.
"This is crazy," Adrian muttered.
"This is normal for people in your position," James said. "You need to get comfortable with it."
A voice interrupted them.
"Adrian Frederick?"
Adrian looked up and his brain short circuited. Standing next to their table was Simone Laurent, the model whose face was on billboards all over the city. She was even more beautiful in person.
"It's Adrian Vale now," he said without thinking.
Simone's smile widened. "I heard the rumors but I wasn't sure if they were true. Can I sit?"
Selena's eyebrow raised slightly but she nodded.
She pulled out the empty chair and sat down like they were old friends. "I'm Simone. Though I guess you probably knew that already."
Adrian felt his face heat up. "I've seen your work."
"My work," Simone repeated with amusement. "That's a polite way of saying you've seen me half naked on a billboard."
Adrian didn't expect that reply and he laughed politely. To his surprise, she joined him too. "Well, Nectar has been partners with the Vale dynasty for years. I just wanted to tell you that you're welcome here anytime."
He leaned in, impressed . "You own Nectar?"
"My father does," Simone said. "But I control this particular branch"
Adrian thought of the astronomical bill he had to pay and that was just from one table when there were at least a hundred tables. He thought of the 500 million dollars sitting in his pocket for investments.
He opened his mouth before his brain caught up. "I want to buy this particular branch"
Simone tilted her head. " What? The restaurant?"
"Yeah. I mean this location specifically." Adrian felt his palms start sweating. "And the rights to franchise it."
Selena's foot nudged Adrian's under the table hard but he kept going, thinking of how it was a good start to his investments.
"For a good price I would sell" Simone said, her voice serious now.
He had no idea how to negotiate and it seemed that Selena was against it so he just went with a question he saw an investor ask on tv. "What is its fair valuation in a month?"
Simone had a smug look on her face. "The restaurant makes on average a million dollars monthly."
Selena was quiet as she watched Adrian Vale make his first business negotiation, deciding not to interfere.
"Right." Adrian took a breath trying to sound more confident. "Okay. So based on the two million a month you mentioned that's twenty four million a year in revenue. That's about seven million in profit annually if we calculate the gross profit from the profit margin." Adrian didn't know what he was saying but he hoped he sounded intelligent.
Adrian kept going before he lost his nerve. "I'll pay forty million for this location plus the exclusive franchise rights. I'm trying to be fair and also I really think this could work for both of us."
Selena's foot kicked him harder this time.
Simone pulled out her phone. "Most people spend weeks negotiating. You just threw out numbers based on a guess."
Adrian didn't say anything.
"I'm impressed, the calculations are correct," Simone said while typing. "It's a good deal and I'm sold."
Adrian and Sinclair let out a huge whoop.
She finished typing and looked up. "But my father wants to meet you."
Adrian's heart jumped. "Really"
"Yes, since he's the COO he'd be the one to sign it over to you, and he's very much interested in meeting the mysterious heir of Vale dynasty. So tomorrow at ten. His office is on the top floor."
Simone stood and pulled out a business card. "This is my personal number. Call me after the meeting. I want to know how someone with no negotiating experience convinces my father to sell."
Adrian took the card with shaking hands. "I will. Thank you."
Simone smiled and it looked genuine this time. "You're either very brave or very stupid. I haven't found out which yet."
"Maybe both," Adrian said.
She laughed again. "Definitely both."
The restaurant door opened and Adrian's attention shifted. His stomach dropped as the person who walked in was the last person he expected to see in this part of the world.
Maya walked in and looked around. When her eyes landed on him, she smiled. It seems like she'd come there to look for him specifically.
She was dressed up with her hair done and makeup perfect like she was meeting someone important. Adrian snorted, whatever she said would not be able to convince him to take her back.
She walked closer to their table and then saw the Simone Laurent. Adrian was pleased at how angry and shocked she looked at that moment.
"Friend of yours?" Simone asked while following Adrian's gaze.
"Ex girlfriend," Adrian scoffed.
"Ah." Simone didn't move from her seat. "This should be interesting."
Maya stopped at their table. She looked at Adrian then at Simone then back at Adrian.
"Really?" Maya said. "You're with her now?"
"We just met actually," Simone said cheerfully. "But Adrian here is full of surprises."
Maya's face flushed red. "Adrian can we talk? Privately?"
"No," Adrian waved her dismissively.
"Please. Just five minutes."
"I said no Maya." His voice came out tighter than before.
She looked like she wanted to say more but a waiter appeared at her elbow. "Ma'am? Your table is ready."
Maya shot one more glare at Simone before walking away to sit on the other side of the restaurant.
Simone watched her go then turned back to Adrian. "She seems pleasant."
Despite everything, Adrian almost laughed.
Simone tucked her phone away. "So tomorrow at ten. Don't be late. My father hates people who waste his time."
"I won't be," Adrian promised.
Simone walked away leaving Adrian holding her card.