CHAPTER SIXTY–TWO–Who Will Face the Fire?
“Good,” Bo nodded “Now, the preliminary outline for the presentation is in that folder. Review it, expand on it, make it shine. Any questions?
Laura shook her head, already itching to dive into the materials, Aiden, however, raised his hand slightly. “Um, do we know anything about the yacht? Like, seasickness protocols or
Bo’s expression softened slightly. “All the travel details will be sent to you shortly. If you have any specific concerns, address them. with HIL Anything else?”
When they both shook their heads, Bo dismissed them with a wave “Tet to work, then. And remember this is big. Don’t let me down.
As they exited Bo’s office, Laura’s mind was already whirling with plans and ideas. She was so lost in thought that she nearly collided with someone in the hallway.
“Whoa there,” a familiar voice chuckled. Laura looked up to find herself face to face with Ryan Callis himself.
“Ryan” she exclaimed, then quickly corrected herself. “I mean, Mr. Callis. We were just…”
“Hearing about the trip, I assume?” Ryan’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “I’m glad you’re on board – pun very much intended.”
Aiden let out a nervous laugh, while Laura fought to keep her composure.
Ryan continued, “We leave in three days. My assistant will email you all the details, but I wanted to say how excited I am about this opportunity. This investor could really take Sivarra to the next level.”
Before Laura could respond, Ryan’s phone buzzed. He glanced at it and sighed. “Duty calls. I’ll see you both soon. Get ready for an adventure!”
With a wink, he was gone, leaving Laura and Aiden standing in the hallway, still processing the whirlwind of information.
As they made their way back to their desks, Laura noticed Zaya Patel practically vibrating with curiosity. The moment Laura sat down, Zava pounced.
“Spill it, McKenna,” Zaya demanded, her eyes sparlding. “What was that all about? Why did Bocall you in? And why did Ryan Callis himself stop to chat?”
Laura couldn’t help but smile at her friend’s enthusiasm. “Well, it looks like Aiden and I are going on a little trip.”
“A trip?” Zaya leaned in closer “What kind of trip?”
“The kind that involves a luxury yacht and a billionaire investor,” Laura replied, enjoying the way Zaya’s eyes widened
“No way!” Zaya exclaimed. “You’re kidding, right? A yacht?”
From the next desk over, Kira Volkov’s head snapped up, her perfectly manicured eyebrows drawing together in a frown. Laura could practically feel the waves of envy radiating from her coworker.
“It’s a business trip,” Laura clarified, lowering her voice. “We’re preparing a presentation for a potential investor. It’s a big deal tor the company. ”
Zaya nodded sagely. “Oh, I bet. But still… a yacht! That’s so cool. You have to tell me everything when you get back.”
“If she comes back,” Kira muttered, just loud enough for them to hear. “Sounds dangerous to me. Anything could happen out there on the open sea.
Before Laura could respond, Larry Goldstein’s booming voice cut through the tension. “Congratulations, you two!” He clapped both Laura and Aiden on the shoulder. “First big investor presentation, eh? Boy, do I have some stories for you.”
Laura exchanged a glance with Aiden, who looked both grateful for the interruption and terrified of what Larry might say.
“Now, listen up,” Larry said, pulling up a chair. “I’ve been doing this longer than you’ve been alive, and I’ve learned a thing or two about wooing investors.”
He leaned in conspiratorially, “First rule: know your audience. These big shots, they’ve heard it all before. You need to surprise them. show them something they haven’t seen”
Aiden nodded eagerly, pulling out a notebook. “What else, Larry?”
“Second rule; confidence is key. Even if you’re quaking in your boots, never let them see it. Stand tall, speak clearly, and for God’s sake, don’t fidget.”
Laura made a mental note, thinking of Aiden’s tendency to tap his foot when nervous
“Third,” Larry continued, warming to his topic, “visuals are your friend. These folks are busy. They don’t want to read a wall of text. Give them charts, graphs, something to look at while you’re talking
“That makes sense,” Laura mused. “Anything else?”
Larry grinned, “Oh, I’m just getting started. Fourth; practice, practice, practice. Know your material inside and out. Be ready for any question they might throw at you. “
He leaned back in his chair. “And finally, remember to breathe. It sounds simple, but you’d be surprised how many people forget when they’re up there presenting.”
“Thanks, Larry,” Laura said sincerely. “This is really helpful.”
“Anytime, kids,” Larry replied, standing up. “Just remember old Larry when you’re sailing off into the sunset on your fancy yacht.”
As Larry wandered off, Laura turned to Aiden, “We should probably get started on this presentation. Want to grab a conference room?”
Aiden nodded, already gathering his things. “Definitely. Let’s do this.”
They spent the next few hours huddled in a small conference room, laptops open, papers spread across the table. Laura focused on crunching numbers for the financial projections, while Aiden tackled the technical specifications.
“How’s it going over there?” Laura asked, loolding up from her spreadsheet,
Aiden ran a hand through his hair, leaving it sticking up at odd angles. “Uh, yeah, good. I think. Maybe.” He shuffled through his papers, frowning. “Where did I put that market analysis?”
Laura watched as he frantically searched through his notes, his movements becoming increasingly erratic. “Aiden, are you okay?”
He let out a shaky laugh. “Yeah, tine. Just… you know, big presentation. Yacht. Billionaire. No big deal, right?”
Laura stood up and walked around the table, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, we’ve got this. Remember what Larry said about confidence?”
Aiden took a deep breath. “Right. Confidence. I can do that.”
“Good,” Laura smiled. “Now, let’s take a break. We’ve been at this for hours.”
As they packed up for the day, Laura’s phone pinged with a new email. She opened it, her eyebrows rising as she saw the sender: Julia
Florent.
“Oh boy,” she muttered, opening the message. She began to read aloud:
“Dear Laura and Aiden,
I hope this email finds you well and excited for our upcoming adventure! As Ryan’s personal assistant, I wanted to reach out with some helpful information about our yacht trip.
First, the basics: We’ll be departing from the New York Harbor on Friday at 10 AM sharp. Please arrive by 9:30 AM to ensure a smooth boarding process. The cruise will last for three days, returning on Sunday evening
Now, onto the fun stuff! I’ve put together a suggested packing list to make sure you’re prepared for every occasion:
1 Business attire for meetings and presentations
2.Casual wear for daytime activities
3.At least one formal outfit for our gala dinner on the first night (think cocktail dresses and suits!)
4 Swimwear and beach essentials (sunscreen is a must!)
5.A light jacket or sweater for cool evenings on deck
6.Comfortable shoes for walking around the yacht
Remember, while we want you to be comfortable, this is still a business trip. Always err on the side of professional!
I’m so looking forward to meeting you both and ensuring this trip is a smashing success. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Best wishes,
Julia Florent
CHARTER JUOVTWO Who Will Face the Fire!
Executive Assistant to Ryan Callis”
Laura finished reading and looked up at Aiden, who seemed to be turning slightly green. “Well, that was… informative,” she said, trying to keep her tone neutral despite the slightly condescending undertone she’d detected in the email.
“Yeah,” Aiden mumbled. “Informative. Great.”
Laura patted his arm. “Come on, let’s call it a day. We can tackle this with fresh eyes tomorrow.”
As they left the office, Laura’s mind was already racing with thoughts of what to pack and how to prepare. By the time she reached her apartment, she was bursting with news.
