Business Proposal
A few more lonely days without Julian started to mess with my head. I tried to keep busy with a packed schedule, but I couldn’t wait for him to be back home from his trip. The grand opening of his complex had been a huge success, drawing in a large crowd and lots of media attention. Unfortunately, he remained on-site, making sure everything ran smoothly as the first transactions began. To my limited understanding, he still needed to iron out a few things regarding the commercial side of his project and why he wouldn’t be back for another week.
We were finally set to grab coffee with Evy, the impressive woman who had briefly taken my place as Julian’s fake girlfriend the previous year. She’d invited me to her apartment, possibly because of privacy. I agreed that Will drove me, relishing the chance to relax in the backseat while I took in the sights of our surroundings. Judging from our direction, Evy lived near the coast, as we headed down the 52 West. The familiar skyline and bustling streets provided a comforting backdrop as I settled in, enjoying a mindless drive.
It took us about twenty minutes to get to our destination. Her house was just as I had pictured it—lavish yet minimalist tucked away in the affluent La Jolla neighborhood, renowned as the former residence of Dr. Seuss.
Similar to other visits with Julian’s friends, we first had to pass through a guarded gate. She came to greet me with a bright smile, her voice smooth and even melodic. Carrying herself with relaxed confidence, her wavy hair cascaded down her back in shades of chestnut and gold. Since I last saw her, she’d dyed it blonde, a color that complemented her round blue eyes. The brunette phase seemed like a temporary choice when she’d posed to be Julian’s girlfriend, Shannon Kingsley. I remembered her as a femme fatale, but to my surprise, she seemed remarkably approachable, her eyes framed by soft wrinkles. She’d selected a white pantsuit for our meeting, and I guessed she was in her early 40s—hardly evident when she’d posed with Julian for the cameras, her face covered with thick makeup.
I kissed her on the cheeks before she pulled me into a warm hug. It was a French habit that felt fitting for the moment. This gesture perfectly expressed that I had no negative feelings, even though initially I’d felt all sorts of ugly emotions toward her thinking that Julian cheated.
“Great to finally meet you, Lucie, especially under the right circumstances,” she remarked, her gaze curious—something you’d expect from someone in the Secret Service.
I handed her the large bouquet of flowers I had brought along, accompanied by a personal thank-you letter and a gift card to one of our favorite restaurants with Julian. It was the least I could do for a woman who had been willing to take a bullet for me.
“These are gorgeous, thank you very much.” She gestured for me to sit on her all-beige sofa, a bold choice considering how easily it showed stains. She definitely didn’t have pets…
“Would you like some coffee? I’ve also made some Galaktoboureko for us to try. It’s a puff pastry, my grandma’s recipe.” She brought out the tray.
“Do you speak Greek?” I queried. It occurred to me that the reason why she’d also been a great fit for the role of Shannon was because she spoke the language of Tarnakis, Julian’s former business partner who later became his mortal enemy.
“Yes, I do. I hope Tarnakis didn’t leave you with a bad taste for Greek culture.” She frowned slightly.
I shook my head profusely. “Definitely not. Actually, one of my dreams is to visit the remnants of ancient Greece. The Acropolis and the Parthenon.” Next, I tried a small piece of her pastry and it was mouthwatering. “These taste like heaven, by the way,” I quickly complimented her baking skills.
She placed the flowers in an ornate vase before coming to sit with me. “I figured I’d make something different, something that you usually don’t have as a treat.”
Silence fell for a few seconds. I didn’t know why I felt so nervous but I did. Meanwhile, she remained serene, like a still pond.
“I want you to know how immensely grateful I am for your help.” I blurted out. “You put yourself into a dangerous situation to keep me out of trouble. Being in the middle of a shooting had to be terrifying.” She’d become a living target at a gala in Los Angeles to play the role of Julian’s girlfriend.
She waived it off as ordinary. “My pleasure, Lucie. Besides Oliver is a good friend of my husband, so when he reached out, I knew I had to help. Do you know that I protected a few US presidents in the past?”
It didn’t surprise me. “That’s impressive, Evy.”
“Public service. It feels good to make a difference in a world full of evil. We can both agree there is a lot of it around us.”
I gave it a nod. “Julian still can’t seem to move on from it all,” I opened up to her.
“Yes, the whole thing was traumatic for him.” Her voice was full of empathy and kindness.
“I still wish he had told me when he found out there was a threat.” She had a husband, so she’d be able to relate to this yearning.
She shook her head with fervor. “Lucie, he did what was best for you two to stay alive. At one point we managed to convince Tarnakis that you two were but just another meaningless relationship.” She then began to recount an exchange that took place between the two men in his office. Tarnakis essentially warned Julian that any woman he loved would soon pay for the death of his wife.
“Evy, do you think there’s a chance I could still be a target?” I felt compelled to bring it up. Julian’s paranoia had a way of rubbing off on me. Just because Tarnakis was in prison didn’t mean he suddenly had anything to lose. I wouldn’t let fear get in the way. But staying informed could sometimes mean staying alive.
“We don’t believe so, Lucie.” She confirmed calmly. “We’ve struck a deal with him in regards to his son. Thankfully he does have one person he still cares about.”
Julian hadn’t mentioned this part. I felt sudden relief wash over me.
“A deal?”
“His son will be taken care off, financially, as well as otherwise.”
I didn’t really care to ask that otherwise entailed. Was that how Julian managed to finally make it go away?
“And even if I told you that he was still a threat, would you walk away from your marriage?” She glanced at me. “After all, we cannot read the minds of criminals. We can only come close to it, which was my job here.”
It didn’t surprise me she knew that we were engaged.
“No, I’ll never walk away from Julian,” I affirmed.
“Have his team worry about it then. He’s doing everything possible to keep you safe. Also, because of who he is, he’ll always attract a certain amount of danger to himself. And you know that. You’ve accepted that.”
“Yeah,” my voice wavered. Maybe I needed to become more mindful of my surroundings and learn how to protect myself, too. It had been many years since I went to karate classes and resuming could potentially be a valuable step.
It didn’t feel right to keep this chapter open any longer. My main purpose for visiting Evy was to say thank you anyway. So, for the rest of our conversation, we kept things light as she shared that she was expecting her first baby—and most likely her only one, given her age. She planned to retire from fieldwork and start a mentoring program focused on body language once her maternity leave was over.
As I walked out that evening, I couldn’t help but feel like I’d gained a solid lifelong friend. It eased the sting of knowing she wouldn’t be continuing with the case. Honestly, it made sense; there wasn’t much left to worry about now. We were all moving on.
“Lucie, I’d still love to hear how you and Julian are doing,” she let me know, walking me to the door. “Stay in touch.”
“I will,” I promised, suddenly realizing that with her pregnancy, it was probably best for her to keep some distance from me. Hanging out in public wasn’t going to be an option anytime soon. “I’ll write updates.”
“And congrats on the engagement. I hope to see a wedding invitation.” She winked, now fearless.
If anyone deserved to be there on our special day, it was her. “You’ll be the first to receive it,” I promised.
Then, Will opened the door for me, and soon enough, we were headed back to our empty three-story apartment. Without Julian around, it felt lonely, almost too much space for just me. Only a few more days, I reminded myself.
I decided to make the most of the solitude, so I spent the rest of the evening brainstorming ways to turn my ideas into real income—around 13 million, to be exact.
“You could publish a book, Tell It All ,” Sophie suggested during a catch-up phone conversation.
“At 25?” Even though some artists have achieved enough milestones to make that work, I certainly wasn’t one of them. “I am just a generic corporate girl, remember?”
“Absolutely not. You’re the modern Cinderella,” she objected, her voice rising with excitement. “Babe, there’s probably a whole readership of girls out there who would love to know how you managed to lock down a serial billionaire playboy like Julian.”
“I’ve never been a fan of the trope where the poor girl marries the prince,” I sulked. Besides, my life definitely didn’t feel like Cinderella. It felt like the combination of Fast and Furious (due to Julian’s driving style) and Hitman (thanks to Tarnakis). Maybe also a bit like Fifty Shades of Grey, without the kinkiness. Except for the one time we’d gotten a purple feathered whip as we cruised around a sex shop for fun…
“A biography like that would be a hit. Everyone would want to know who Julian’s future wife is. You’ll make your dream money, guaranteed.” Her ideas flowed.
I rolled my eyes, though she couldn’t see me over the phone. “It’s a hard no.” It still involved monetizing my relationship with Julian. I could have as well ask him for the funds directly.
“What are your other ideas then?” She let out a frustrated sigh.
Sitting on the third floor in what was mostly my office, I had Amanda’s folder in front of me. In her letter, she’d asked me to examine the numbers from her publishing business and reverse them. I glanced at it for the millionth time.
“I got a preliminary plan, but first have to research it before it turns into reality,” I volunteered.
I heard a giggle, then a male voice. She was most definitely making out with Mark during our conversation. I didn’t mind she was so distracted. Seeing Sophie in love soothed my soul.
“Why don’t we meet this weekend, and talk about it?” I proposed, now giving her a way out so she could focus on him.
“Yeah,” she rejoiced. “Let’s do a proper girl’s night out. Just me and you.” It sounded almost like a moan.
We ended the call quickly, and after laughing it off, the silence of the apartment closed in around me once more. I sank into my thoughts, pondering whether this was truly the right move. I didn’t have much time to decide, though—the IPO was coming up too fast to hesitate.
So, I made up my mind to send Amanda a bold email, one that would definitely make her think. I was certain that my offer would benefit her, and I trusted that she’d seriously consider it.
Subject: Proposal
Hi Amanda,
I hope you’re enjoying your time in New York!
I’ve reviewed the documents you left with Kali, and I have a plan for your publishing business. I also find myself needing to make some extra money this year. Here’s my proposal: if I can increase the revenue of Hart and Quill by the amount needed for the A shares, would you be willing to pay that out to me?
Looking forward to your thoughts!
Lucie
Asking Amanda such a significant question made my stomach feel queasy. But she’d asked me to level up knowing well that I didn’t have the means. The worst she could say was no, but as a businesswoman, she would evaluate carefully what I had to bring to the table.
Next, I went through my student portal and added my new class schedule to my daily calendar. It looked like the following months would be nothing short of hectic. Yet, it didn’t feel overwhelming because I was always up for a challenge. Besides, working had to some extent turned into a passion, one more reason why my English major had paid off in the end contrary to what my father had predicted.
I browsed my emails to fill my calendar, only to be astounded by the briskness of Amanda’s response. I opened it too fast to even give myself time to be nervous.
Subject: Re: Proposal
Hi Lucie,
I’m glad to see you’re staying productive! You’ve got yourself a deal. Any profits at Hart & Quill above the number from last year will be yours.
I’ll send you the contact info for the current Managing Director. Please let them know you’ll be replacing them. I really think we should…
Best,
Amanda
Naturally, she had to remain the draconian boss we all knew and loved, throwing an extra hurdle in my path to test my resilience. She expected me to toughen up, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t suppress the emotions bubbling up inside me. I’d tackle the specifics later—maybe I could find a workaround for whatever the managing director needed. But for the moment, my heart was racing with excitement. I had finally seen a clear path toward my dream. Sure, I had no prior experience in publishing, and the clock was ticking to generate revenue from scratch. But I had something now that I hadn’t before: a tangible sense of possibility.
The next day, I was so caught up in my new venture that I decided to skip the office. I texted Kali to check on the offline access, then slipped into my comfy black baggy sweatpants and matching tank top, and brewed a cup of alarmingly strong coffee. Next, I browsed the folder that Amanda provided for ideas how to improve our fiction sales. In just a few hours, I’d compiled a list of twelve goals that I planned to hit within a year. I also shot a quick email to the current managing director, with a heads up that we needed to meet asap.
Got a dress already? Julian texted while I was posting a new employment ad for a marketing director.
Oh hey, baby! Not yet, but when the time comes, it’ll be the most beautiful dress you’ve ever seen, I vowed.
It’s the woman who makes the dress , he flirted. I am coming home tomorrow. Just wanted to check in and wish you a beautiful day. I miss you like hell.
We’d both had some separation anxiety. Me too. Next time, I am going to try to make time to come with you, Julian. In the meantime, I’ve got news . I couldn’t wait to tell him.
Yes?
Amanda is having me run the publishing branch of her business. She’s going to pay me a hefty paycheck at the end of it, assuming things go well. And I want to use that money to buy into Apogee . It almost felt silly to share this with a billionaire who could probably initiate an immediate transfer and make my pain go away. But I was proud of it.
How many books do I need to buy?
Of course, he would respond with something like that. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could throw at him. Julian!
Just kidding, I am incredibly happy this is happening for you. Let’s go out and celebrate tomorrow?
Can’t wait , I felt such relief that his trip would finally be over.
Love you, Lucie , he texted at last. I quickly followed up with the same, my heart warming at our exchange. Now, feeling like I was on Cloud 9, I dove back into work. I was confident that with enough hard work, I would not fall short of my ambitious goal.
I didn’t get much more done, though.
My phone dinged again, and I quickly checked it, expecting it to be still from Julian. But, it was Valentina this time. Lu, is there anything you want to tell me? She included a sad emoji with her strange message.
I didn’t have anything in particular to share, so I hesitated for a moment, unsure how to reply. What could she be hinting at?
Almost at the same time, another message arrived. Are you sure you’re over Bradley? The photos say otherwise.
It didn’t take long for me to connect the dots. Shit, we hadn’t been discreet during dinner, and someone from the media had probably caught a glimpse of us. Bracing myself for the worst, I typed my name into the search bar. I’d been right with my assumption—our seemingly friendly outing had spiraled into an online disaster.
Love Triangle: Lucie Benton Moves On with Young Hot Mechanic While Ex-Boyfriend Tours the Middle East
Shit, shit, shit. The story was going viral, with pictures of me next to Bradley’s motorcycle. They even got a few shots where our faces were uncomfortably close. I’d have to explain to Valentina that isolated photos didn’t exactly tell a thousand words. I’d also need to explain it to the world now.
I ran into him while driving to Hillcrest. We went to grab sushi and catch up . I summarized. It annoyed me that she, of all people, would suspect me of being unfaithful to Julian.
Sorry I don’t believe you , she retorted. He told me that he couldn’t get dinner the same evening, Lucie .
Come on, Val . I suddenly felt terrible. I am happily engaged. This doesn’t have to turn into animosity between us. You know I would never betray you or him .
She didn’t say anything after that, so I kept searching online to gauge the damage. What if my grandma saw it? I needed to call her and explain my side before it all blew up in my face. I quickly skimmed the content of the articles, as my anger with them grew progressively worse.
San Diego – In a surprising twist, social media sensation Lucie Benton has been spotted getting cozy with a young mechanic, sparking rumors of a blossoming romance. This comes just as her ex-boyfriend embarks on a tour of the Middle East, leaving many questioning the timing of these new developments.
Witnesses report that Lucie and her new companion have been seen enjoying intimate outings around town, fueling speculation that she’s ready to move on from her past. Meanwhile, her ex, currently navigating the bustling streets of the Middle East, may be left wondering what could have been.
It’s no secret that Lucie Benton spent two weeks in Hawaii with the mechanic last year when her relationship with the billionaire hit a rocky patch.
What about Julian? Would he be angry? But I hadn’t done anything wrong, so he shouldn’t feel betrayed.
In panic mode, I dialed his number just minutes after our text conversation. I didn’t want him to feel hurt, and he deserved at least an explanation. His phone rang several times before going to voicemail. My anxiety spiked as I quickly tried again, but this time, it went straight to voicemail. Damn it, he’d seemingly rejected my call, a sign that he’d most likely just found out and got pissed.
I shouldn’t have felt embarrassed about my deep friendship with Bradley, but I did. Still, I wasn’t willing to give it up to please anyone. Just then, Bradley’s name popped up on my screen—he was calling me now as if he had read my mind. “Hey,” I answered. At least we could sort this out together.
“You okay, Lucie?” he asked, his voice tinged with concern.
My heart was still throbbing in my chest, my life exposed again in ways I didn’t appreciate. “Not really. Valentina is agitated. And Julian hasn’t picked up my calls.” I sighed. “I planned to get a lot of work done today, but instead, I think I need to figure out how to stop this PR disaster.” The media sure knew how to turn my life into hell.
“Breathe, Lucie,” he reminded me, his voice steady. “I’m sorry how this turned out. I should’ve considered the possibility that the press might be lurking. You’re a lot more well-known now than when I left.”
“It’s not your fault,” I exhaled, trying to calm the nerves that still jittered beneath the surface. “Besides, I wouldn’t take it back now. Aki’s salmon roll was out of this world.” I let a hint of humor slip back into my voice, grasping at something light-hearted to hold onto. What I really wanted to say was that seeing him again after his long stay in Kauai meant more than I could express, and I had every right to spend time with him as a friend, no matter the complications.
I heard him laugh just a little bit. “I’ll talk to Val.”
“She really likes you,” I remarked, feeling the weight of the truth in my words. “I meant to tell you the other day, but I think she has stars in her eyes whenever she talks about you.” I cleared my throat. “Maybe take her out to dinner.”
A quiet moment hung in the air.
“I know.” He acknowledged.
It further confirmed my feelings—he wasn’t looking for anything serious right now. I understood that much.
“You worry about taking care of Julian,” he said, shifting the topic.
“Yeah,” part of me felt incredibly frustrated that they had to stir up rumors that could hurt him.
“I gotta go now, Lucie,” Bradley continued, his voice softer. “I’m trying to make a deadline for the truck I’m rebuilding. I mainly wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Of course,” I murmured.
“If there is anything I can do to help all this, let me know. I figured if a reporter approaches me I should say nothing?”
“Yeah, that’s the stance of most PR departments,” I sighed. “Bradley?” I blurted out before he had the chance to kill the call.
“Yes, Lucie?” His deep voice was as comforting as it always had been.
“I don’t want to lose our friendship over this,” I said firmly. “You’ve been there for me through my hardest times, and I don’t want to let this get in the way of everything we’ve shared.”
There was a pause on the other end, and I could almost hear him processing my words, the weight of the situation settling in. Finally, his voice softened, carrying a hint of reassurance. “I had no intention of that anyway.”