Serena’s POV
I haven’t answered any of Ryan’s calls or ssages since the Sophie incident. How could I possibly face him?
The betrayal cut too deep, especially seeing how easily Sophie had manipulated him. Every ti my phone lit up with his na, my stomach twisted into knots.
Thankfully, Dreamland Studio received exciting news that pushed personal drama to the back burner.
A prestigious international jewelry company, Celestial Gems, was looking for a partnership in the Arican market—a golden ticket to global expansion that Maya and I couldn’t ignore.
"Serena, I’ve got confirmation! Their representative will arrive in New York tomorrow evening, and we’re scheduled to et," Maya announced, practically bouncing with excitent.
I felt a surge of excitent. Dreamland was gaining recognition dostically, but this international opportunity was exactly what we needed to take things to the next level.
"That’s perfect timing! I’ve nearly finished our presentation materials," I replied, already ntally reviewing my notes on their company profile.
Maya nodded approvingly. "I think Celeste should join you for this one. Her international experience could be valuable."
"Good call."
Before the eting, Celeste and I were frantically finalizing our materials while researching Celestial Gems’ background.
Their CEO, Lucian West, had built an impressive empire in just a few years, dominating European and Asian markets with his forward-thinking approach to jewelry design.
"I’m so nervous," Celeste admitted as we waited in the private dining room of an upscale restaurant. "Who knows what kind of representative they’re sending? These international executives can be intimidating."
I squeezed her arm reassuringly. "Don’t worry. We’ve prepared thoroughly. If we’re not ready, then Dreamland just needs to keep growing before we tackle international markets."
The door opened, and my heart skipped a beat when a striking man in an impeccably tailored suit walked in. There was sothing commanding about his presence that imdiately told this wasn’t just any representative.
I stood up and extended my hand. "Hello, I’m Serena Quinn, founder of Dreamland Studio."
His eyes assessed both of us briefly before taking my offered hand. His grip was firm but brief.
"Lucian West."
I heard Celeste’s sharp intake of breath beside , and my own pulse quickened. The CEO himself had co? This was huge!
"Mr. West, what an honor! Please, have a seat," I said, suddenly much more hopeful about our prospects.
"Dreamland has an excellent reputation in the dostic market. I wanted to see for myself if it lives up to the buzz," he said, his accent subtle but distinctly European. "I’d hate to waste a trip to New York."
His deanor was refined and cultured - quite different from the ruthless businessman portrayed in business magazines.
With renewed confidence, I presented our portfolio and outlined Dreamland’s design philosophy. I also shared my analysis of potential new market segnts we could explore together in Europe, which seed to capture his interest completely.
The atmosphere beca surprisingly comfortable as Lucian occasionally interjected with insightful questions. The conversation flowed much more naturally than I’d anticipated.
"It seems the reputation precedes the reality in this case," he remarked with the hint of a smile. "Dreamland is even more impressive in person."
My heart leapt. This was my opening.
"What exactly are you looking for in a partnership, Mr. West?"
Lucian studied for a mont, clearly appreciating my direct approach but not rushing his decision.
"My criteria for partners isn’t one-dinsional, but I must say, Ms. Quinn, you certainly et many of them."
I smiled but didn’t push further. In business negotiations, you need to leave room for the other party to elaborate on their own terms.
After a thoughtful pause, he continued. "However, New York is such a beautiful city, and I haven’t had a chance to explore it properly. Business matters can wait a little."
I jumped at the opportunity. "If you don’t mind, I’d be happy to show you around. New York is my hotown - I know all its most beautiful spots."
His smile deepened, transforming his serious face. "Aricans are so refreshingly direct. Is that a New York woman trait, Ms. Quinn?"
"New York won are all unique," I laughed. "I certainly can’t speak for all of them."
"Well, it’s been a pleasure eting you tonight. A toast to new possibilities," I added, raising my teacup. He graciously returned the gesture.
After the eting, Celeste was practically hyperventilating as we walked to the car.
"Oh my God, that was THE Lucian West! People rarely even get to see him at major industry events, and we just had dinner with him!"
"He was nothing like I expected," she continued. "So calm and polite - not intimidating at all."
I felt the sa, though years of business etings had trained to maintain my composure better than Celeste.
"I have a good feeling about this partnership," I admitted. "I think we have a real shot."
"You were amazing in there," Celeste gushed. "If it had been just , I would have frozen completely."
I laughed and playfully poked her forehead. "Co on, you’re one of the top designers in the country! You need to build your confidence. Tag along with Maya to more etings like this - you’ll be seeing plenty of them in your future."
The next afternoon, I was surprised to find an unexpected visitor waiting in my office when I returned from a eting.
Lucian West sat casually on my office sofa, legs crossed, looking completely at ho. He barely glanced up when I entered.
"eting finished?"
His casual tone and posture made him look like he owned the place.
I approached him with a professional smile. "Mr. West, have you been waiting long? My assistant should have notified ."
He took a sip from the teacup in his hand. "The tea is excellent. Waiting wasn’t a problem."
I sat on the sofa opposite him, impressed that he’d chosen to wait rather than rescheduling. Very gentlemanly.
"What brings you here today, Mr. West?"
He set down his cup and gave an amused look. "Have you already forgotten what you said last night?"
Last night? I froze montarily, trying to recall. Was he referring to the partnership discussion, or...
"You offered to show the sights of New York. How quickly important people forget their promises," he teased.
I smacked my forehead playfully. "Of course! I’m so sorry. Are you sure you don’t need ti to recover from jet lag first?"
He shook his head. "I often work late hours. New York’s ti zone actually suits quite well."
"You must be quite the workaholic."
I set aside my files, already ntally planning our tour. Soone of Lucian’s caliber wasn’t really here to sightsee.
This was clearly another opportunity to evaluate Dreamland as a potential partner.
It was a test, but one I was more than willing to take.
Any chance to secure this partnership was worth pursuing. Besides, showing a handso, successful man around my city? There were certainly worse ways to spend an afternoon.
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