Victoria arrived early.
She wore the same ivory suit, now pressed, with her champagne blouse and diamond studs.
Her coat remained folded over her arm.
Malcolm met her at reception.
“I’m glad you made it.”
“So am I.”
His expression was serious.
“Sloane contacted me this morning.”
Victoria nodded.
He led her into the meeting room.
The hotel team was already there. On the screen appeared the presentation Victoria’s office had sent.
Her firm’s name was back where it belonged.
Ethan arrived just before the meeting began.
He paused when he saw the screen.
“Before we start, there’s been some confusion about the commercial structure.”
Malcolm looked at him.
“There has.”
Ethan sat.
Victoria placed her notes on the table.
“I’d like to distinguish the design proposal from any separate financing discussion. My practice prepared the work being presented today. We have not agreed to the partnership described in yesterday’s email.”
Ethan gave a small smile.
“We can settle the internal details later.”
“They are settled,” Victoria said. “There is no agreement.”
Nobody rushed to fill the silence.
Malcolm asked Ethan whether he had written authority to represent her firm.
He did not.
Sloane was not present.
Her written correction was.
The discussion remained professional, which made Ethan’s attempts to dismiss Victoria sound worse.
Eventually, Malcolm asked him to leave the design portion of the meeting.
Victoria did not watch him go.
She opened her notes.
Then she explained the project.
She spoke about the building’s history, the rooms that needed light, the materials that could be repaired rather than replaced.
Questions followed.
Real questions.
About her work.
By the end, the team wanted a revised scope and a schedule for the next stage.
She had not been promised a contract simply because someone hurt her.
She had earned the chance to continue by showing what her practice could do.
