Chapter 36 Asher
ASHER
Sterling and I sit in a lavish club eating dinner with the executives of Lennox Rose Group, a UK based conglomerate that owns ten different luxury brands.
We’ve been working on this acquisition for two years, and we’re close, but our deal took a major hit last week.
An Italian based company is now interested in purchasing Lennox Rose Group, and gave them a more favorable offer—which is why I flew out abruptly last week.
This deal can’t fall through. We’ve spent too long on it to lose now.
My phone vibrates in my pocket with an alert, but I ignore it. I need my full attention here and now.
“The offer from Italy isn’t as viable long term,” Sterling says to the executives.
“Why not?” one of them says with a haughty shrug. “Europe as a whole is more known for high fashion than America. Many Europeans consider Americans to be sloppy dressers, and Europeans make up a large majority of our consumers.”
“While it can be true that Americans don’t dress lavishly in many places around the country, New York and LA are two major cities in the world for fashion. Most celebrities live in LA, and sponsorship deals with some A-list celebrities, if we can secure them, will push major sales.”
“We can get those celebrities whether or not we’re in bed with Americans.”
I almost snarl at him in frustration. We’re talking in circles.
Lennox Rose refuses to admit to the fact that their European markets are not as multidimensional as they need them to be in order to continue with growth in the long term, and that branching out into the American markets is where the real money is.
My phone vibrates again and again, so I decide to take a look while the executives are caught up in their own conversation. Alerts about news stories pop up one after another, all about Ella. Matthew is sending them in rapid succession.
The first few are from charity work she did this morning—or a few hours ago for her—at a school.
I skim over the headlines, which are glowing.
I don’t get into them, but they mention something about a friend from school she shared lunches with.
Not sure what that’s about, but Matthew also sends snippets of thoughts and tells me it’s all glorious news.
Then he sends some photos of the Vericom launch—why was Ella there?
—with more headlines, posts, and pictures of her wearing their new smartwatch.
I scroll through them, but stop when some pictures pop up of Blake Fucking Covington holding her wrist and latching the watch onto her himself.
I see red at his smiling, smug face. I text Matthew.
What the fuck is that with Covington?
Ella was at the launch to help the team, and as soon as the press realized it, he pounced.
Sterling gives me a look. “What are you doing?” he hisses. “Put your phone away.”
“Something has come up,” I snap.
I text Matthew back.
But why is Covington putting the bracelet on her like it’s a fucking engagement ring?
Covington asked her to model it; you know he isn’t one to pass up an opportunity. He jumped straight in so he could put the watch on her. I’m sure you hate that, but it made for good buzz. Although some outlets are asking whether you should be worried about him.
I want to throw my phone.
Matthew texts again.
Don’t overreact. It was actually a really good thing she was at the launch. Vericom’s sales on their last watch were shaky at best. Now their new watch got boatloads more attention because Ella was there. The buzz surrounding it is unreal, and pre-sales are through the roof.
I don’t like it.
You don’t have to like it, but you can’t deny the usefulness of it.
For instance, I just received a gushing thank-you email from Chanel because that’s what Ella was wearing today.
My rep at Chanel told me they’ve sold out of the items she was wearing, as well as any similar items on their website.
Jimmy Choo sent me flowers because she was wearing their heels, which are now also sold out, along with half a dozen of their other designs thanks to a huge uptick in online traffic.
And it doesn’t stop there. Knock-off styles, and anything that looks similar to what Ella has been wearing is also selling like crazy.
I know neither of us was thinking about this beforehand, but Ella has become a walking human billboard, and everything she wears, and everything she does, blows up with attention.
“This is our solution!” Sterling says, over my shoulder.
“What are you talking about?” I turn. “Why are you reading my phone over my shoulder, you prick?”
“I had to see what was all-so-important as to distract you in the middle of a business meeting.”
“They’re discussing things among themselves; they don’t care that I have my phone out. This isn’t school.”
“Well, anyway. We have to use this.”
“Use what?”
“Ella, you stupid prick,” he says, throwing my insult back at me.
“Did you read what Matthew texted? We’re here trying to persuade a luxury brand company to let us buy them, but they are hesitating because they aren’t sure about sales potential.
Why don’t we show them what your beautiful girlfriend is capable of sales wise. ”
“I’m not using Ella as some bargaining chip.”
Sterling rolls his eyes. “You’re a fucking idiot. A besotted, blind, fool. Tell Matthew to send details on those sales. Now. As fast as possible. And don’t you dare argue with me, or I swear to you, I’ll kick your ass when we leave this meeting.”
I roll my eyes. “Like you can kick my ass.”
Sterling snatches my phone from me and starts to text Matthew. “You’re getting old, and I’m still in my prime.”
“I’m only four years older than you, dumbass.”
Before I can grab my phone back, Sterling scoots away so that I can’t retaliate without looking like a complete fool in front of the executives. Sometimes I hate being in business with my annoying younger brothers.
The gentlemen turn back to us, ready to pick our discussion back up.
“Give us one moment,” Sterling says to them. “We’ve got another piece of information we’re sure you’re going to love.”
My phone vibrates over and over with alerts.
“Get out your tablet,” Sterling orders me in a quiet voice.
“I don’t like this,” I growl at him.
“I don’t give a shit whether you like it or not. You want to close this deal? Let’s fucking close it.”
“Fine.”
I pull my tablet out of my briefcase and pass it to Sterling. He pulls up all the alerts Matthew sent on the tablet and sets it on the table in front of the executives.
“Asher here has run into a bit of good fortune as of late,” Sterling says, clapping me jovially on the shoulder. I want to punch him. “He met the most extraordinary woman.”
“I heard she was an employee,” one of them says.
“Indeed, she is. Anyway, this employee, Ms. Hale, is now dating Asher, and it’s created quite the media sensation. She’s become a bit of an overnight celebrity.”
“We’re aware. What does this have to do with the deal?”
Sterling directs them to the tablet. “One unexpected aspect of Ms. Hale’s sudden celebrity is the public’s fascination with her.
” He pulls up a headline of Ella. “Just six hours ago, Ella was at a charity event at an elementary school in New York. And four hours ago, she was at a product launch for one of our subsidiaries. With those two public appearances, in a matter of hours, Ms. Hale has made a huge impact on an assortment of sales.”
The men look at Sterling now with interest.
“Vericom’s smartwatch has already sold out of its pre-sales.
Something they’ve never even come close to achieving.
And Asher’s assistant just informed us that Vericom is now planning to release two months earlier than expected because the interest is so much higher than anticipated.
Vericom is now scrambling to triple their initial production of the watches. And that’s just the watch.
“The clothes Ms. Hale was wearing? Sold out from Chanel. Her shoes? Sold out at Jimmy Choos. And all retail or knock-off brands that look similar? Sold out or are still flying off the shelves. Within just six hours, every part of Ella’s outfit has been picked over in online sales.
Asher couldn’t have known this when he started dating her, but it seems we’ve accidentally stumbled upon our own little marketing miracle with Ms. Hale.
You’re afraid your brands will have a hard time breaking into the American market?
All we have to do is put Ella in your clothes, have her wear your accessories, and have her photographed buying your perfumes.
No ads necessary—the products will sell themselves. ”
The men all look impressed as Sterling flips through the pictures Matthew sent him. The screenshots of website after website with “Sold Out” written beneath shoes, shirts, pants, and jackets. Then he shows them two more articles on Vericom.
Holy shit, Matthew wasn’t exaggerating.
The men turn to one another and discuss among themselves again in hushed tones. After a minute, they turn back.
“We’d like to meet Ms. Hale. And if it goes well, I think we’ll have a deal.”
“Done,” Sterling says. “We’ll have her here by our meeting tomorrow afternoon.”
I open my mouth, but Sterling kicks me under the table. “Don’t you fucking dare,” he whispers through clenched teeth.
The meeting ends, and we walk out to Sterling’s waiting car.
“You’ll need to call Ella and tell her to pack.”
“You can’t use my girlfriend as some pawn.”
“She’s not your real girlfriend,” Sterling says in a low voice so that the driver doesn’t hear as he opens the door and we climb in. “She’s your employee, so put her to work.”
“You’re an asshole, you know that?”
“I’m an asshole who’s going to land the fourth biggest deal in Langford Holding’s history.”
“Yeah, using Ella to do it.”
“Who cares if we use Ella to do it as long as we close?”
“I care, and she’s going to care. She’s not a little puppet I can order around.”
“You’re not asking her to perform sexual favors, you’re asking her to wear clothes and be photographed in them when she’s out and about. It’s not like it’s some hardship. We can pay her and give her a sponsorship contract if that makes you feel better. This could be a win for all of us.”
I rub the back of my neck, taking in his words. “I might be okay with it as long as she’s paid.”
“Better get calling. And I’ll call and get the jet squared away.”
I sigh and pull out my phone. But I don’t call Ella.
“I literally just walked off my plane from vacation,” Matthew groans after I explain the situation to him, “and now I have to get on another one?”
“Sorry, Matthew, but I need Ella here by tomorrow for a meeting.”
“What time is the jet set to take off?”
Sterling tells me to put the phone on speaker. “Eight,” he tells Matthew. “The pilot wasn’t expecting a flight, so he’s driving back from his cabin upstate.”
“Ugh. That is going to be tight. I can’t just bring this suitcase; my island wear won’t do me much good in dreary London.”
“We appreciate it. And make sure Ella is packed with clothes dressed to impress the Lennox Rose executives. I think the only way we’re going to close this is if she agrees to a sponsorship.”
“You cannot call it a sponsorship,” Matthew clucks. “That’s gauche. Brand ambassador is what we’ll call it.”
“Okay, brand ambassador—whatever we call it—is the only carrot the execs are going for right now.”
“That’s a lot of pressure for Ella,” I argue.
“She’ll be fine. She’s handled all the shit you’ve thrown at her so far. A brand ambassadorship is nothing in comparison.”
I want to continue to argue, but a thought occurs to me. This might be a lot of pressure, but it could be a great thing for Ella.
“At least this will provide her an income outside of Langford Holdings,” I muse aloud. “Which gives her a stream of revenue that’s not tied to me. That’s probably healthy, right?”
Matthew snorts. “Look at you, evolving from your baser caveman ways. Yes, of course it’s healthy and necessary for her to make money that doesn’t come from you. It will make parting at the end of this that much easier.”
A stab of anger pierces me at him mentioning the end of our relationship, but I don’t comment on it.
I don’t know what the fuck to make of it myself, and I definitely don’t need to turn Matthew onto the scent of it.
He’d never stop badgering until he’d wrung all the answers to his questions out of me, and I’m not about to go down that road.
“Okay, I will make sure Ella is packed to impress and on your private jet by eight.”
“And help her understand what being a brand ambassador involves. I’m going to call her now and explain it, but I’m sure she’ll have more questions later on.
I don’t want to try to answer her questions and risk something being lost in translation with shitty cell service on the plane between London and New York.
Ella and I have been on enough shaky ground already. ”
“Done.”