Rachel's office

Rachel was sitting in her office going through her schedule when Sam entered her cabin.

​​

"I have good news." Sam excitedly informed her.

Rachel never saw him so happy and excited in the two years she worked with him and nodded her head implying for him to go ahead and share the news.

"The Carlsons have made some changes to the project timeline and within this week or early next week we will know if our project made it through or not."

"How is that good news?" Rachel didn't find anything happy about it.

"If we get this project, things will progress quickly, wouldn't that be amazing."

"Yes it would be but 'IF' we get this project, we still haven't got it yet."

"I am sure we will, you worked so hard for it."

"Come on Sam, first rule of business, work hard but don't have hopes and expectations."

"I am feeling good about this project though."

"Keep your feelings away when you are working." She warned him.

"Oh god, you are always so serious." Sam complained as she was always so cold.

"Anything else apart from your so-called good news that you would like to discuss?"

"Yeah, when are you planning to submit our proposal, today is the deadline." Sam asked her.

"I am designing the mail, I am sending it soon."

"You mind if I have a look."

"Of course not, I was planning to send it to you first before sending it to the Carlsons."

"Great"

After a few minutes, she mailed it to him and he quickly skimmed through to check if all their files were attached correctly or not, after reviewing it he confirmed everything was fine.

"As always, your work is just perfect." Sam praised her.

"You are not going to get extra money for praising me." She coldly replied and sent the mail.

"I am genuinely praising you, why are you so difficult?" He taunted her.

Although Sam is her assistant, in these two years they grew closer and became good friends.

He never gets offended by her cold behavior and she never bothers herself with his taunts.

"Rachel we need to be prepared, there is a good chance we might get a call from Jessica Carlson this week to discuss this project."

"This week? that's too soon."

"Yeah the timeline changed and she wants to process the deal faster, I got to know she might be shortlisting very few proposals and would only meet those few people. But I am sure we will be shortlisted."

"Sam you are again being over confident."

"No, I have faith in you."

"Again I won't be paying you extra bucks for your words."

"Actually Rachel, if you start paying me for my words then I think I'll be super rich soon, what do you think?"

"I think you have no work to do and you are very free.?"

"No, I have a lot of work to do, I am very busy"

"Then please focus on your work"

"Is this your way of asking me to get out of your office?" He looked wronged.

"Yes"

"That's offensive"

"I know right, so please feel insulted and get out."

"You are impossible." He scoffed and was about to leave her office when she called him again.

"What?"

"Sam let us be more thoroughly prepared for this Carlson project if we indeed get a call this week then we might have to rush to meet Jessica" Rachel remembered something and further added. "Sam, also make sure that everything is perfect and we don't miss out on anything as I came to know she is very strict and particular about everything so we need to ensure there is no scope for a single mistake when one is dealing with her."

"Haha see you also know we will be shortlisted."

"No Sam, I am just being cautious"

Sam then replied, "Don't worry Rachel I have already double checked everything this weekend before sending you the final documents and also we are very thoroughly prepared, I ensured everything is smooth this weekend."

"Wow thanks, but were you that free over the weekend?"

"Hey, don't taunt me, I work overtime for you and yet you give me such an attitude."

"I am just pitying you as you are single and bored. It is also sad how you are spending your weekends."

"Before making fun of me, look at yourself, you too are single and bored."

"No I am not."

Her words surprised him and he looked at her in shock.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, no I am not bored."

"Oh goodness Rachel, you just scared the shit out of me."

"Why? Will it be a problem if I date someone?"

"Yes of course, it would be a big news in our social circle and you are a well known face in London. It will be huge."

"I think you are just over exaggerating."

"No I am not, if he too is a businessman like you then it would be great."

"And if not?"

"Well if at least he belongs to one of the known and richest families in our social circle, that too would be enough."

"Fine, if I date someone, I'll get him validated by you and we both will seek your permission."

"Sarcasm?"

"Can't you sense it?"

"Be nice to me Rachel Richardson or I'll quit."

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"Yes"

"Get out"

"Rude"

"Out"

"Okay bye"

Sam left the room. Rachel wondered, 'If we crack this deal my brand will be popular in the cosmetics as well as in the fashion industry too. It would leave its mark not only in London but in different parts of the world where Jessica's brands were very popular. It would really be a big jump for her cosmetics brand if she cracks this deal.'

Although she just told Sam not to keep any hopes but she couldn't help herself but really hope they get this deal.

Italy

A woman dressed in a black pencil skirt paired with a light blue shirt, with a Hermes scarf around her neck looked stunning. Her long golden coloured hair was left open, which added to her charm. She was seriously going through the proposals submitted for her new project.

She was wearing very light makeup, a light nude lipstick that made her look elegant and eye shadow which complimented her beautiful eyelashes.

Jessica emitted an aura of confidence and a cold vibe, anyone watching her would want to know her more but would not dare approach her. She gives a cold and complicated impression at first look.

She looks like a strong woman who would only listen to her own instincts and the one who makes her own decisions based on her own value system.

Many businesses submitted their business plan to collaborate with her. She is launching a new fashion line across the world and given her other brands' popularity everyone knows it is going to be a huge success and the exposure they would get through this project is going to be immense.

So, Jessica was carefully going through every proposal personally as it is an important project for her and she didn't want to be careless while taking important decisions.

She could have asked her other employees to go through hundreds of proposals she received and then forward the best ones to her which she can further shortlist but she didn't want to risk that, what if they let go of an amazing proposal or favour certain businesses, so she herself was going through it.

Jessica is very serious and passionate about her work. She inherited this passion from her parents, both are famous business tycoons in Italy and belonged to highly influential and leading business families there.

Her ancestors were Americans who settled in Italy and over the decades they entered different sectors and started their own businesses and later through marriage alliances with other business families the Carlson family only became stronger and more powerful. They were the strongest, most influential, powerful and the richest family there.

Carlson is a big family but they all don't live under the same roof, every son and daughter in that family handles different sectors of businesses so as to never overlap with each other. They live in different cities across Italy.

Jessica Carlson is the only child to her parents, they live in Milan. They have many branches of their company in different parts of the world but the headquarters is in Italy from where Jessica works.

While managing the businesses setup by both her parents, Jessica too set up her own company and created a fashion brand for women formals by herself which was popular not only in Europe but also in other parts of the world.

She is a strong woman with high moral ethics and integrity, she would never spare a person for making any ethical fallacy especially those who are disloyal to their work. This is what made her a strong business woman in the business circle.