Chapter 45: The Negotiation Test

IZZY’S POV

Izzy frowned. “That’s what I told them. That I’d take whatever test they throw at me and pass it.”

Janet blinked. “You said that?”

“Yes,” Izzy said, frustrated. “What else was I supposed to do? Sit there while they laughed in my face?”

Janet shook her head slowly. “Izzy, you realize what that means, right? They’re not going to hand you something easy. They’re going to try and set you up to fail.”

“I know,” Izzy admitted. “And I don’t care. If I back down, they’ll eat me alive. At least this way I get to fight.”

Janet studied her for a moment. “You really sound like your father right now.”

Izzy stiffened. “Don’t compare me to him.”

“Why not?” Janet asked softly. “He’s the reason they’re all scared to make a move. He built everything they’re trying to pick apart and now you’re standing in his place. Like it or not, you’re carrying his shadow.”

Izzy looked away. “I don’t want to carry his shadow. I want to build something of my own.”

Janet stepped closer. “Then do it, but stop thinking every word they throw at you defines you. They want you rattled. They want you second-guessing yourself. Don’t give them that satisfaction.”

Izzy let out a humorless laugh. “You make it sound easy.”

“It’s not easy,” Janet admitted. “But you don’t need it to be easy. You just need to survive it.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The hallway was quiet except for distant footsteps and muffled voices from other rooms. Izzy finally broke the silence.

“What if they’re right?” she asked in a low voice.

Janet frowned. “Right about what?”

“About me not being ready,” Izzy said. “I don’t know half the things my father knew. I’ve never run a meeting, I’ve never negotiated a deal, I’ve never…” She trailed off, frustrated. “I don’t even know what I don’t know.”

Janet crossed her arms again. “So what? Nobody’s born knowing. You think your father was an expert when he started? He learned. You will too. The difference is, he had the council backing him. You don’t, so you’re going to have to learn faster.”

Izzy shook her head. “Faster isn’t enough. They’ll test me, Janet. They’ll set me up to fail and if I fail once, just once, I’m done.”

“Then you won’t fail,” Janet said firmly.

Izzy looked at her, searching her face. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because I know you,” Janet said. “You don’t stop once you decide on something. You didn’t let teachers push you around in school. You didn’t let guys treat you like trash when they tried. You don’t even let me win arguments half the time. That same stubbornness? That’s what’s going to keep you alive in there.”

Izzy gave a small smirk despite herself. “You always think you know me better than I know myself.”

“Maybe I do,” Janet teased. Then her smile faded. “But seriously, Izzy. You’ve got to play this smart. Don’t take their bait. If they tell you to do something, do it better than they expected. And if they try to laugh at you, laugh back harder.”

Izzy sighed and leaned against the wall. “So basically, you’re saying I need to fight fire with fire.”

“Exactly,” Janet said. “And if the fire gets too big, I’ll be there with a bucket of water.”

That made Izzy laugh for real this time. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Maybe,” Janet admitted with a grin. “But you’ll thank me later.”

Izzy’s laugh faded into a thoughtful look. “You know, I thought walking into that room would be the hardest part but it wasn’t. The hardest part is walking out and realizing I’m actually stuck with all of this now.”

Janet tilted her head. “Scared?”

“A little,” Izzy admitted. “But not enough to quit.”

Janet nodded. “Good. Because if you quit, I’d have to slap you.”

Izzy smirked. “You’d try.”

“Oh, I’d succeed,” Janet shot back, playful but firm.

For the first time all day, Izzy felt the tight knot in her chest loosen just a little. She still had no idea what test the council would throw at her, or how brutal it would be. But at least she knew one thing, she wasn’t walking into it alone.

“Thanks, Janet,” she said quietly.

“Don’t thank me yet,” Janet replied. “Wait until after you pass their little test. Then you can buy me dinner.”

Izzy rolled her eyes but smiled. “Deal.”

The council chamber smelled like old wood and coffee when I walked in again. The same men sat at the long table, their eyes following me as if I was a child walking into the wrong room. Marco smirked first, like he always did.

“Well,” he said, tapping his pen against the table. “You wanted a test. We’ve got one for you.”

I crossed my arms. “Good. Let’s hear it.”

Councilman Vance leaned forward. His voice was calm, but I could see the amusement in his eyes. “There’s a man named Ricardo Leone. He owes this family money. A lot of money. We’ve been patient, but patience has limits.”

Ricardo. I had heard the name. A small-time supplier who’d grown cocky when my father got sick. He thought no one would dare press him.

“And you want me to collect it,” I said flatly.

Marco chuckled. “Not collect. Negotiate. If you walk in there guns blazing, you’ll get nothing. If you walk in there weak, he’ll laugh you out the door.”

Councilman Russo added, “Your father always said, ‘Money talks. Ego listens.’ Let’s see if you understand what he meant.”

“So what’s the deal?” I asked. “How much does he owe?”

“Two hundred thousand,” Vance said. “Overdue by three months. He’s been dodging calls, sending excuses.”

“And if I fail?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

Marco leaned back in his chair, smug. “Then we’ll all know you’re not cut out for this. Simple as that.”

My jaw tightened, but I didn’t look away. “Fine. I’ll meet him.”

“Tonight,” Vance said. “His office. We’ve arranged it. He thinks he’ll be meeting with one of us.”

Marco grinned. “Imagine his face when

he sees you instead.”

I didn’t give him the satisfaction of reacting. I just nodded once and walked out.