Alexander
Scarlett’s smile faltered for a split second. “Fine. Let’s talk business.” She pulled out a tablet from her designer bag. “I’ve been looking at expansion opportunities in Europe and Asia. The markets are ripe for-”
“No.” I turned back to my laptop.
“You didn’t even look at the projections.”
“Don’t need to. The board’s already made their position clear.”
She huffed, sliding off my desk. “The board is full of old men stuck in their ways. With your support-”
“The board,” I cut her off, “consists of experienced investors who’ve been in this game longer than you’ve been alive. And they’re right – your expansion plan is too aggressive.”
“Our profits are up 300% from last year!”
“And instead of paying dividends, you’re burning through cash like it’s going out of style.” I leaned back in my chair. “What
happens when one of your gambles doesn’t pay off? When a market crashes or a competitor undercuts you?”
“That won’t happen.”
“Really? You have a crystal ball I don’t know about?”
Her perfectly manicured nails drummed again
the tablet. “I thought you, of all people, would understand taking risks. Isn’t
that how you built your empire?”
“Calculated risks. Not throwing money at every shiny opportunity that catches your eye.”
“Is that what you think I’m doing?”
“That’s what I know you’re doing.” I pulled up her company’s financials on my screen. “Your debt–to–equity ratio is through the roof. You’re leveraged to the hilt. One misstep and the whole house of cards comes tumbling down.”
She crossed her arms. “Since when did Alexander Knight become such a cautious old man?”
“Since I became your biggest shareholder.” I turned the screen toward her. “See these numbers? That’s my money you’re playing with. And contrary to popular belief, I didn’t get rich by making stupid decisions.”
“Fine. What if we scaled back? Started with just the European market?”
“Scarlett.”
“The projections show-”
“The answer’s no.” I closed my laptop with a snap. “Focus on stabilizing your current operations, building up your cash reserves, and paying your shareholders. Then we can talk about expansion.”
“We’ll get more profits in the future, and we can pay more dividends.”
I leaned back in my chair, fingers steepled “How can you be sure about future profits? What if international expansion fails?”
She squared her shoulders, exuding confidence. “There’s a demand. I won’t fail.”
“Other shareholders aren’t so sure about your expansion plans. They won’t approve it. They fear what happens if you do fail.”
“Please” She rolled her eyes. “When have I ever failed?”
“There’s always a first time.”
Chapter 22
+25 BONUS
“Not with you backing me.” She stood up, smoothing her dress. “Just think about it. Your support would sway the board. We could do great things together… like old times.”
I barked out a laugh. “Using sex to close deals? That’s getting old, Scarlett.”
She shrugged, running her fingers along the edge of my desk. “Can’t blame a girl for trying. So what’s your answer?”
“Same as before no expansion plans. The board won’t approve it, and neither will L”
Scarlett’s eyes narrowed, but she managed to keep her smile plastered on. “You’re really going to regret this, Alexander.”
“I regret a lot of things, Scarlett. But turning down a reckless business venture isn’t one of them.”
She huffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a dramatic flourish. “You know, for someone who used to be so much fun, you’ve turned into quite the buzzkill.”
“Occupational hazard,” I replied dryly. “Running an empire and all that.”
“Fine,” she said, straightening her dress and grabbing her tablet. “But this isn’t over. I’ll be back.”
“I’ll be here.” I leaned back in my chair, giving her a casual wave as she stormed out.
The door slammed behind Scarlett, the sound echoing through my office. I shook my head, wondering what possessed her to think expanding a beauty company into multiple continents made sense right now. The market was already saturated with hundreds of brands fighting for shelf space.
“Makeup, skincare, and now what – world domination?” I muttered to myself, pulling up her company’s latest financial reports.
Scarlett had pitched her company to me back in business school. Back then, she’d shown promise–a sharp mind, clear vision, and solid understanding of market dynamics. We’d been classmates, and I’d seen potential in her business plan. The beauty industry was booming, and her approach seemed innovative enough.
Not the investment itself–that had paid off decently. No, the mistake was sleeping with her six months after signing the deal One drunken night after celebrating a successful product launch, suddenly, my shareholder meetings turned into awkward attempts at rekindling whatever she thought we had.
I loosened my tie, remembering how she’d tried to turn our professional relationship into something more. The late–night calls, the “accidental” run–ins at events, and the not–so–subtle touches during meetings. Classic Scarlett, mixing business with pleasure.
The whole situation had taught me a valuable lesson – keep your dick away from anyone you’re doing business with. Sure, I still enjoyed my fair share of women, but I made damn sure they had nothing to do with my company or investments.
I straightened my tie, putting aside thoughts of Scarlett and her failed seduction attempts. It was time to focus on actual
Right now, I needed to focus on the Wilson contract. The merger documents weren’t going to review themselves, and after Scarlett’s little interruption, I was already behind schedule.
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