WEAKNESS ── CHRIS STURNIOLO
⤷ masterlist ⟶ previous scene ⤷ cw . . . slight mentions of sexual indication, jealousy, slight tension, and two idiots that are still in denial . . .
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The lunch hour was usually the busiest part of Chris’s day. Most afternoons, he was either trapped in meetings with investors or locked away in his office with spreadsheets and contracts spread across his desk.
But on the rare occasions he managed to escape the chaos for an actual break, he’d come here. Partially because the coffee was decent.
Mostly because there was always the possibility he’d run into a certain woman who practically kept this café in business with her obsession over their cinnamon lattes. The place was crowded as usual and Chris scanned the room almost automatically.
Nothing.
His jaw shifted slightly in disappointment as he stepped toward the line.
Guess she wasn’t here today.
But just as he was about to pull out his phone while waiting to order, something familiar caught the corner of his eye.
Shiny hair, skin that looked way too soft not to touch, and glossy red lips.
There she was.
Tucked away in the far corner of the café, as if she were trying to disappear into her work. She was dressed in her usual office attire again, and nothing like the woman from the gala two weeks ago.
Ever since that night, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her in that dress. That deep maroon fabric against her skin had nearly ruined him. She’d looked unreal standing under those ballroom lights, like something too beautiful to touch directly.
Dancing with her had been actual torture. Every time she looked up at him with those huge eyes, every time her body shifted closer during the slow songs, he’d had to physically restrain himself from pulling her tighter against him. From dragging her somewhere private and finally finding out if she’d melt beneath him the way he imagined she would.
If she’d still look at him with that stubborn attitude after he kissed the breath out of her—
“Sir?”
Chris blinked hard, dragged violently out of his thoughts. The barista was staring at him expectantly. Right. He ordered a black coffee, completely forgetting the lunch he originally planned on ordering.
His attention drifted back toward Jenn almost instantly.
She still hadn’t noticed him.
Which told him immediately that something was wrong.
Her knee bounced aggressively beneath the table, way too aggressively. Her untouched latte sat beside her, while papers were scattered everywhere around her in uneven piles. Chris could tell she looked distressed. Spiraling stressed.
He knew that look.
Without even thinking about it, Chris glanced toward the pastry display near the register. “Add a cinnamon bun too,” he said suddenly. A few minutes later, he made his way across the café toward her corner.
Still no reaction or awareness that he was even there. Jenn muttered something under her breath before aggressively deleting an entire paragraph again.
“You’re glaring at that laptop like it personally offended you, Bella.”
Jenn’s head snapped up so fast it almost concerned him. Genuine panic flashed across her face before she quickly smoothed herself back into composure.
“What are you doing here, Chris?” she asked, trying for annoyance, though her voice still sounded tighter than usual. Chris pulled the chair across from her out calmly before sitting down, as he belonged there.
“Getting coffee.”
Jenn frowned immediately. “I can see that, but…” Her eyes flicked toward the seat he’d just taken. “Why are you sitting?”
He looked almost amused by the question. “Didn’t realize I needed permission.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly at that, though he caught the way her knee somehow started bouncing faster beneath the table. Chris slid the small pastry bag toward her, and his movement finally distracted her from the laptop.
The second she saw the cinnamon bun inside, something in her face softened automatically. She genuinely looked like she might smile. Then, almost immediately, she seemed to remember herself and straightened again.
“This is for…?” she asked slowly.
“You.”
“I know,” Jenn blinked once. “But why?”
Chris leaned back slightly in his chair, watching her carefully now. “Because,” he said simply, nodding toward the untouched latte beside her, “that coffee’s lid hasn’t even been open, and you look like you haven’t eaten since this morning.”
“I’ve eaten…” Jenn rolled her eyes, but there wasn’t much energy behind it this time. He knew she hadn’t. “I’m working.”
She was still bouncing her knee aggressively beneath the table. “What’s this for?” Chris nodded at her laptop. “What are you working on?”
Jenn hesitated for a second too long.
“My father’s closing a major acquisition deal,” she admitted quietly, finally leaning back in her chair like the weight of the past few hours was starting to catch up to her. “He told me if I finished the proposition myself, I’d get to lead the close.”
Chris studied her for a moment before nodding toward the laptop. “Can I see?”
Jenn hesitated briefly before finally turning the screen toward him.
Sienee & Armand International Contract Proposal
Chris’s brows lifted immediately, visible shock all over his face.
“Bella,” he said slowly, eyes scanning the page again. “This isn’t just a regular close.”
“No kidding.”
He leaned forward slightly, reading through more of the details while Jenn watched him nervously from across the table.
The Armand Group was one of the largest luxury development corporations in Europe—French-owned, old-money, and extremely selective about partnerships. They rarely collaborated with international companies.
Landing this acquisition would completely change Sienee Holdings internationally, and the percentage shares tied to whoever secured the final agreement were insane.
“Jenn, this deal is worth hundreds of millions.”
“I know.” She rubbed at her temple again. “Armand owns luxury residential properties all across France, Monaco, and parts of Italy, too. My father wants Sienee Holdings involved in the expansion before another American firm gets to them first.”
Chris listened carefully as she continued.
“If the acquisition goes through, both companies profit massively. Shared ownership, international expansion, development rights…” She exhaled slowly. “Whoever closes the deal gets a percentage of the shares and long-term benefits written into the contract.”
Now he understood why she looked ready to crawl out of her own skin. Successfully closing this deal will change her role in the company for the better.
“He said if I handle this well, he’ll finally start involving me in the bigger acquisitions,” Jenn said quietly, her eyes still fixed on the screen. “Like, actually involving me. Not just keeping me trapped on the marketing side of the company.”
Chris nodded slowly, watching her more than the laptop now. Jenn immediately slipped back into work mode after that, fingers moving rapidly across the keyboard again.
But Chris still noticed when she absentmindedly reached for the cinnamon bun and took a small bite. A ridiculous amount of satisfaction settled in his chest over something that simple.
At least she was eating now.
Then his eyes dropped to her hands.
Jenn was biting at one of her nails distractedly now, her brows pulled tightly together while she stared at a line on the screen like it personally offended her.
That caught his attention immediately because her nails were usually done perfectly with acrylics, today they were plain.
“Don’t do that.”
Jenn blinked before realizing he meant her nails. Before she could react, Chris reached across the table and gently pulled her hand away from her mouth.
“I just… I have to get this done,” she muttered defensively, pulling her hand back toward herself. “Because every time I look at this thing, I find another issue, and then I fix the issue, but then fixing it creates another issue, and now I hate the entire proposition because what if the structure sounds too aggressive? Or not aggressive enough? And if Armand thinks we’re underprepared, then my father’s going to pull me from the close, and if he pulls me—”
“Rosa.”
She kept going.
“And I know logically it’s probably fine, but what if it’s not actually fine and I just can’t tell anymore because I’ve been staring at this for—”
“Jenn.”
Her words cut off abruptly when Chris reached forward again, this time placing a steady hand lightly against her bouncing knee beneath the table. “Breathe.”
Jenn stared at him before rubbing at her forehead. “I just really need this to go well.”
Chris’s expression softened slightly at the genuine exhaustion in her voice. He glanced back toward the presentation before looking at her again.
“Do you want help?”
“What?”
“With the proposition. I can go over it,” he said, shrugging faintly like reviewing a multi-million dollar acquisition during his lunch break was a completely normal thing to offer. “You’re too in your head right now to look at it objectively.”
“Why?” Jenn stared at him immediately, suspicion written all over her face. “I’m pretty sure you’d enjoy watching me completely embarrass myself.”
That one landed harder than she realized.
Because the idea of Jenn thinking that genuinely made him feel sick. He spent most of his time wanting to challenge her, rile her up, and get reactions out of her. But seeing her defeated? Crying? Actually doubting herself like this?
Absolutely fucking not.
Still, he covered it quickly behind his usual dry amusement.
“Trust me,” he drawled, reaching for her laptop despite the immediate glare she sent him, “if I wanted to watch someone embarrass themselves, I’d just watch Matt trying to flirt at networking events.”
“Chris—” Jenn immediately tried pulling the laptop back toward herself, ignoring his jab at his brother. “I don’t need help.”
Chris ignored her entirely and smoothly turned the laptop more toward himself anyway while she huffed in annoyance across from him.
“You’re so controlling,” she muttered under her breath. “I hate you.”
“Mhm.”
Chris glanced briefly at the expensive watch around his wrist before suppressing a sigh.
Forty minutes left before he had to head back.
Enough time. Barely.
He loosened the cuffs of his dress shirt slightly before focusing properly on the screen now, his posture immediately shifting into work mode.
It was subtle, but Christopher Sturniolo approached business the same way he approached everything else in life—with precision.
His eyes scanned through the projections quickly, catching every detail with speed. Meanwhile, Jenn anxiously picked at her fingers again while trying not to look as nervous as she suddenly felt.
Chris hummed softly after another minute.
“This section’s too wordy.” Jenn frowned immediately as he pointed toward the paragraph. “Armand doesn’t care about pretty wording; they care about leverage and security.”
Jenn leaned closer despite herself while he continued reading. Chris continued talking about what part of the slides should come first and what her main focuses should be before saying, “The proposition itself is strong, Bella.”
“You really think so?”
Chris looked up from the screen then, expression calm and certain in a way that always made people believe him. “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.”
“Okay…” she murmured before pulling the laptop back toward herself. Something in her face softened slightly.
For the next half hour, the two of them worked through the proposition together. Somewhere along the way, Chris moved from sitting across from her to beside her instead. Jenn surprisingly stopped fighting him on every correction, too. Mostly. Despite the bickering, they worked well together. Annoyingly well.
By the time she reached the final slide, she actually looked confident again. Chris realized then that he liked seeing her like this far more than he liked getting reactions out of her. Beautiful.
“There,” Jenn finally sighed after typing the last correction. She leaned back in her chair and stared at the finished presentation for a second before letting out a small breath of relief. “Done.”
Chris glanced over the finalized proposal one last time before nodding approvingly. “Looks good, Bella.”
Jenn smiled then.
An actual smile.
His chest tightened strangely while he watched her begin gathering her papers together.
“You know,” she said while sliding her laptop into her bag, “I genuinely thought today was going to end with me throwing this computer into traffic.”
Chris huffed out a quiet laugh. “Still plenty of daylight left for that.”
Jenn rolled her eyes, but she was smiling again. “I’ll show my dad the final version tonight when I go to my parents’ place. Hopefully, he likes it.”
He will, Chris thought immediately.
He could sit here all afternoon just watching her exist and probably still want more time. Jenn stood first, slipping her work purse over her shoulder before finally looking down at him. “Thank you.”
The sincerity in her voice caught him slightly off guard.
Chris stood a second later. “Don’t sound so shocked that I’m useful.”
“You’re useful occasionally.”
“Careful. That almost sounded nice.”
Jenn scoffed softly before the two of them started toward the café exit together. Chris adjusted the sleeves of his dress shirt slightly while Jenn stepped beside him. “So where are you going now?” he asked casually.
“Home for now,” she answered. “I’m done for the day.” She exhaled softly like she still couldn’t believe it herself. “I’ll probably walk home to get some steps in.”
Chris nodded once as he’d already planned the same thing. “I’ll walk with you.”
Jenn looked at him suspiciously. “You’re voluntarily walking around New York during business hours? Are you not extremely busy on Tuesdays?”
Chris smirked faintly. “I was about to go for a walk anyway, not too busy today.”
Complete lie.
And while Jenn adjusted her bag and started down the sidewalk beside him, Chris casually pulled his phone from his pocket behind her line of sight and texted his assistant. Cancel the rest of my meetings this afternoon. Reschedule everything. His assistant responded almost immediately.
“You seem to be in unusually high spirits,” Chris said, sliding the phone away without missing a step beside her. Spending the rest of the afternoon with Jenn sounded significantly better than anything else on his schedule.
Normally, by now Jenn would’ve shoved him away, insulted him at least twice, or demanded he return to whatever overpriced office he crawled out of.
“I mean… yeah. I feel a little stress-free for once,” Chris listened quietly while they crossed the street together. “It’s been eating at me all week,” she admitted after a moment. “If my father finds someone better suited for the deal, he won’t hesitate to replace me.”
Chris’s jaw tightened slightly at that, unfortunately… she wasn’t wrong.
Richard Sienee loved his daughter. Chris knew that. But when it came to business, Richard trusted proven results more than emotion. And for years, Jenn had been underestimated in rooms she deserved to dominate.
Chris glanced down at her. “He’d be an idiot to pull you from this proposition.” Jenn gave him a skeptical look. “I mean it, Bella.” His voice softened slightly. “You’re a smart woman.”
The compliment came so naturally out of him that it almost surprised even himself. Chris could’ve sworn he saw the faintest flush spread across her cheeks before she hid it.
Cute.
His attention shifted toward a nearby street cart up ahead, steam curling into the air while people crowded around it during lunch hour. Chris nodded toward it casually. “You hungry?”
Jenn followed his gaze before immediately looking uncertain. “From a street cart?”
Chris raised a brow. “Yes. That’s generally how street carts work.”
“I’ve never actually had food from one.”
“Bella,” That made him stop walking for half a second, “you’ve lived in New York your entire life, and you’ve never had street food?”
“We have chefs.”
Chris let out a short laugh under his breath before gently catching her wrist and steering her toward the cart despite the immediate protest she sent him.
“Well, today’s your lucky day.”
“Chris—”
“Adnan,” Chris greeted casually once they reached the front. “Two hot dogs. Everything on them.” The older vendor immediately grinned in recognition. Chris always picked up food from this particular cart on cheat days.
“Chris…” Jenn stood beside him, looking deeply unsure while watching Adnan prepare the order at lightning speed. “If we wanted hot dogs, we literally could’ve had one of the chefs make them.”
Be so fucking for real.
“And that,” Chris turned to look at her fully then, completely unimpressed. “is exactly the problem. Hot dogs aren’t supposed to be luxury experiences.”
She looked horrified. “That sounds incredibly unsanitary.”
Chris laughed quietly at the genuine concern in her voice. “You are such a spoiled princess.”
Jenn gasped dramatically. “I am not spoiled.”
“Bella, you just suggested hiring a private chef to make a hot dog.”
“Because they’d make it properly.”
Chris took the foil tray from Adnan before handing one of the hot dogs toward her. “This is proper.”
Jenn eyed it cautiously, like it might attack her.
Chris watched her with open amusement now, suddenly realizing he’d pay an embarrassing amount of money to witness Jenn Sienee experience completely normal things for the first time.
He ended up walking her another few minutes toward a small park tucked between the crowded streets and towering buildings nearby.
Chris sat down first on one of the benches near the pathway, watching with amusement as Jenn paused before sitting. Of course, the first thing she did was dust the bench off carefully with her hand.
Chris took a massive bite out of his food without hesitation. Was it Unhealthy? Absolutely. Was it worth it? Every fucking time.
Meanwhile, Jenn was still inspecting hers like a scientist studying an unknown species.
“Just eat it, Bella.”
Jenn glanced at him, sniffed the hot dog first, making Chris chuckle softly Chris laugh, and finally took a small bite. Chris immediately looked over. “Well?”
Jenn chewed slowly, keeping her face suspiciously blank. “It’s alright.”
Chris stared at her for exactly two seconds before scoffing. If her face usually displayed no emotion after realizing that she was proven wrong, he just had to get it out of her.
“You mean you liked it?” Chris said. Jenn rolled her eyes dramatically before taking another bite anyway. Chris grinned victoriously beside her. “Ah, there it is.”
“It’s not that good.”
“You just took a bigger bite.”
Jenn turned toward him with an offended look, though he could see the amusement slipping through now. “Why are you monitoring my eating habits like a psychopath?”
“Because watching you experience normal people's food is entertaining.”
“I’ve had normal food before.” She looked away, staring ahead now. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“No, Bella. You’ve had five-star chef interpretations of normal food.”
Jenn tried not to smile again and failed slightly.
God, he loved getting those little reactions out of her. Jenn opened her mouth to say something else when Chris suddenly reached toward her. Her words stopped immediately.
His thumb brushed softly against the corner of her nose. Chris looked down briefly at the small streak of sauce he’d wiped away before, without really thinking about it, dragging his gaze back up to hers while slowly licking it off his thumb.
The movement was lazy, casual, almost, but the eye contact absolutely wasn’t. Pink spread slowly across her face while her eyes widened just slightly, like she genuinely hadn’t expected that from him.
Chris noticed every second of it.
And fuck.
The sight nearly killed him.
But beneath the cocky amusement, his chest was pounding harder than it should’ve been, because for the first time… Jenn actually looked flustered by him. He was too damn smug about it.
Just as they finished eating, Jenn’s phone lit up in her lap. Chris barely glanced at it at first, but the second Jenn answered the call, something about her expression changed immediately.
“Hey…” Her voice came out lighter now, almost warm. Chris’s attention shifted toward her without meaning to. “Yes, it’s still working hours,” she laughed quietly. “I’m heading home soon.” A pause. “No, I am.” Another pause.
Chris felt something unpleasant settle in his chest immediately.
“I’m looking forward to it too,” she admitted softly. Another pause before she laughed again, this time quieter. “Yes, I love sushi.” Chris stared ahead at the park, irritation slowly crawling under his skin for reasons he absolutely did not want to unpack. “Alright,” Jenn said sweetly. “Bye.”
She ended the call a second later and looked ahead again, the faintest blush still lingering on her cheeks.
Chris didn’t wait.
“Who was that?”
Jenn looked toward him cautiously almost immediately, like she already knew where this was going. “You’re not going to lecture me again, are you?”
Chris frowned faintly. “Lecture you?”
Jenn hesitated for a second before answering. “I have another date tonight, after I talk with my father.”
And just like that, every bit of warmth sitting in Chris’s chest from the past hour disappeared.
Apparently, the universe enjoyed mocking him. One second, she’d been sitting beside him, smiling softly while eating street food for the first time and letting him calm her down in a café like they were something dangerously close to normal.
Next, she was blushing over another man on the phone. He had absolutely no right to feel possessive right now. She wasn’t his. Yet, jealousy flooded through him anyway. Now all he could think about was another man sitting across from her tonight instead of him.
“You know,” He fixed his expression quickly after that, forcing the irritation out of his face before she noticed too much. “You never actually told me why you’re suddenly so eager to find a boyfriend.”
Jenn looked over at him immediately. “A girl can’t date around?”
“You can,” Chris replied easily. Even though every part of him wished she wouldn’t. “I’m just saying… You never used to be like this.”
“Like what?”
“Going on dates constantly,” His eyes flicked toward her. “I always figured you were more of a relationship person,” He watched Jenn frown, before adding, “It just started all of a sudden.”
She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Maybe I’m trying something new.” She sighed, playing with her necklace. “And, plus, a girl's got needs.”
His head turned toward her so fast it almost looked violent. Almost immediately, unwanted images slammed into his mind before he could stop them.
Another man touching her. Fucking her. Hands on her waist. Her underneath someone else—
Chris’s jaw clenched hard.
Jenn’s eyes widened slightly, like she’d realized how that sounded. “No—wait—I didn’t mean sex specifically—” His shoulders loosened the slightest bit. “Although,” she added defensively, “I could if I wanted to.”
Chris looked away immediately before his expression betrayed him.
Because absolutely not.
His mind already hated the idea enough as it was.
“But that’s not what I meant,” Jenn continued quickly. “I just mean I’m tired of being single. I feel like everyone around me is either getting married or in relationships. Meanwhile, I spend ninety percent of my life working.”
Chris looked at her carefully then. Underneath the sarcasm and teasing, she actually sounded a little lonely. “You don’t need to get a boyfriend just because society expects you to,” he said gruffly. Hoping you steer her away from the notion.
Jenn smiled faintly. “You’re right.” Chris relaxed slightly. “Which is why I’ve been dating to find someone worth my time.” There went his peace again.
“Bella…” Chris exhaled quietly through his nose before rubbing a hand across his jaw. “You need to be careful. Men like that act sweet at first. Then they switch up later.”
Jenn stared at him for a second before narrowing her eyes slightly. “Is that why you decided to act like an ass the moment I met you?”
That pulled a reluctant smile from him instantly.
Touché.
“Someone had to keep your spoiled ass humble, Bella,” Chris said dryly as they continued walking down the sidewalk together. “Never take people’s actions at face value.”
The late afternoon breeze moved slightly through her hair. She was the most beautiful thing he's seen, even with all the flowers and beauty around them. If he could look at one thing for the rest of his life, it would be her.
Chris looked away, “I just figured honesty was better from the start.”
Lie. Chris hadn’t been honest about the fact that he’d wanted her for years. Wanted her in ways that crossed far past harmless teasing and banter. In ways that were nowhere near appropriate to say out loud.
Jenn frowned immediately beside him. “I’m not spoiled.”
Chris actually laughed at that. “Bella.”
“I’m serious.”
Chris looked down at her with open amusement. “Alright, pampered princess.”
Jenn’s eyes narrowed instantly. “You’re annoying.”
“And you’re spoiled.”
“I’m literally not.”
“You called a hot dog unsanitary.” Chris shook his head, still smiling slightly, but something in Jenn’s expression shifted. “Nothing screams rich like that, Rosa.”
The teasing looked like it started getting under her skin faster than he realized.
“You know what?” she muttered, suddenly speeding up her pace down the sidewalk. “I was just starting to think you were an actual human being today, so thank you for reminding me you’re a dick.”
Chris blinked once before immediately catching up beside her with ease, thanks to his longer stride. “Oh come on, Bella.”
“No, seriously,” Jenn continued, now visibly annoyed. “You act like because I grew up with money, I somehow don’t understand real life.”
“I never said that.”
“You imply it constantly.”
Chris sighed quietly. “Jenn—”
“No, because every time I do something, you immediately act like I’m incapable of functioning because I didn’t grow up struggling.”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“Then what are you saying?” Jenn stopped walking abruptly, then, turning toward him fully. “Because honestly, Chris, sometimes it feels like you enjoy making me feel stupid.”
That wiped the amusement off his face instantly. Fuck, there he was, unintentionally hurting her. Again. “I’ve never thought you were stupid.”
A moment passed.
“I just…” She sighed, before she immediately looked irritated at herself for reacting. “You always make comments about me being spoiled or sheltered, like it’s a flaw.”
“Bella…” Chris’s expression softened a fraction then. “I don’t think you’re flawed. I think you grew up differently than I did. That’s all…” She still looked unconvinced.“...And for the record, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being taken care of.”
“You call me a pampered princess in every other conversation.”
“Yeah,” Chris admitted easily. “To tease you...” Jenn was still glaring like she was unimpressed, so after a small pause, Chris added more quietly, “...But if you genuinely don’t like it, I’ll stop.”
If it genuinely irked her, he won’t continue.
Jenn looked away first instead of answering, and the two of them fell into a quieter silence after that. Not awkward exactly. Just… not as light as before.
It took another fifteen minutes before Jenn’s luxury apartment building finally came into view. She stopped near the entrance and adjusted her bag on her shoulder before sighing softly.
“Bye.”
Chris smiled at her automatically, though it didn’t fully reach his eyes this time. “Stay safe, Bella.”
Only once she disappeared, he turned around and flagged down a cab. Might as well go back to work now that he’d cleared his entire afternoon for her. The thought almost made him laugh at himself.
By the time Chris made it back to his office building, he was back in the private elevator leading toward his office floor within minutes
His phone buzzed the second he walked into his office suite.
Chris loosened his tie slightly while glancing down at the screen at a missed call notification.
Richard Sienee.
From an hour ago.
The irony almost irritated him. While Richard had been calling, Chris had been sitting in a park feeding his daughter hot dogs and trying not to lose his mind every time she smiled at him.
“Christopher,” Richard answered on the first ring. “Busy day?”
Chris leaned back against his desk, one hand slipping into his pocket. “Something like that. I apologize, got caught up handling a few things.”
Your daughter, specifically.
“No issue at all,” Richard replied. “Though I did want to discuss something with you.”
Chris hummed once in acknowledgment.
“I know you already play a major role within the company,” Richard continued, “but I’d like you to personally oversee and close a deal for me.”
Chris suppressed the urge to sigh.
His schedule was already packed for the month.
Between COS Security’s expansion projects, international contracts, investor meetings, and internal restructuring, he barely had time to sleep lately.
“I’m not sure I can commit to another acquisition right now,” Chris admitted honestly. “This month’s already overloaded.”
“I know,” Richard said calmly. “But trust me when I say this is not one you’ll want to miss.”
Chris’s eyes narrowed slightly.
He pushed himself upright from the desk. “I’m listening.”
There was a brief pause on the other line before Richard answered.
“I want you to close the Armand Group deal.”
Chris went completely still.
The Armand deal. The exact deal Jenn had spent the entire afternoon panicking over. The same deal Richard had apparently promised her.
Chris’s jaw tightened immediately. She’d looked so relieved after finishing the proposition, and now Richard was asking him to take over.
A strange feeling twisted in his chest instantly.
“Sir,” Chris said carefully after a moment, “I was under the impression Jeneveive was leading the acquisition proposal.”
“I saw my daughter's email,” Richard sighed quietly on the other end. “She drafted it beautifully.”
Drafted.
Not closed.
Chris already hated where this conversation was heading.
This afternoon alone had shown him how desperately Jenn wanted this opportunity and how badly she needed her father to finally see her as capable enough. She’d spent the entire week stressing herself sick over that proposition just for the chance to prove herself.
“With all due respect, sir…” Chris exhaled slowly through his nose before speaking carefully. “I genuinely think Jenn should close it. I’m sure she did excellent work on the proposal, and honestly, my schedule’s overloaded right now.” That part at least wasn’t a lie. “I don’t know if taking over another international acquisition would be the best idea for me this month.”
Richard hummed quietly, unconvinced already.
“Christopher,” he said patiently, “you and I both know you’re one of the few people I trust to handle something at this level without issue.”
Chris rubbed a hand across his jaw. “Jeneieve is capable, too.”
“My daughter is intelligent,” Richard agreed immediately. “But intelligence alone doesn’t close deals like Armand.”
Chris’s jaw tightened.
Richard continued calmly, like he’d already thought this through a hundred times. “Armand is not a company we can afford to mishandle. This acquisition will affect shares internationally.” Chris stayed quiet. “She’s not ready for negotiations at that level yet,” Richard admitted. “Not alone.”
Something defensive rose in Chris immediately despite himself.
He thought she probably could do it.
Or at the very least deserved the chance to try.
Still, before he could argue again, Richard sighed softly into the phone. “I wouldn’t be asking if this weren’t important.” Richard rarely pulled that tone with him. “You know how much this company means to me, and frankly, Christopher, if this closes successfully, it affects both our futures. I need someone I know who can guarantee the outcome. Armand knows about your work. When I spoke with them, they were delighted to know you had a role in my company.”
Translation: they want you to do it.
Chris closed his eyes briefly.
If Richard were anyone else, they would have ended this debate the moment Chris refused the first time. Saying no to Richard had never come easily to him. The man had practically become family over the last decade. Richard had trusted him when almost nobody else had. Given him opportunities and backed his company early on.
Chris could already picture Jenn’s face when she found out.
The disappointment.
Maybe even betrayal.
Jenn had always cursed him for ruining her life, and he always laughed it off, but for the first time in a long time, he genuinely felt like the villain in her story.
“…Alright,” Chris said finally, the word feeling wrong the second it left his mouth. “Send me everything tonight, I’ll review it.”
ceyana’s note: i'm really excited about the next part. i love you, mwah <3
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