her audacity

her audacity
Violet’s P.O.V. (Continued)

“Are you sure that your attitude towards us is right, Ms. Stanley? As far as I remember, it’s your team who approached us first, and we have laid all our conditions in front of your team. Furthermore, Mrs. Whitemore is the CEO of our company, not the project manager or in charge. Her presence isn’t required in the initial phase when there is still a chance that we won’t work together.”
I furrowed my brows when I heard Victoria’s cold reply.
I grabbed the sleeve of her suit jacket and tugged it lightly. She looked at me with furrowed brows.
“Put the call on the speaker.” I mouthed her while signaling towards the phone.
She rolled her eyes but put the phone on your speaker. She put the phone on the table between us.
“What do you mean by that, Ms. Mannon? Are you refusing? Are you sure that you have the authority to do this?” Ms. Stanley asked Victoria in an angry tone.
“You don’t need to be concerned about my authority, Ms. Stanley. The general rule of every negotiation is that a team from both sides discussed the initial terms and conditions of the projects before reporting the negotiated terms to their superiors. Anyone from the higher-ups enters the negotiation when the project gets the approval of the project manager. As an executive assistant, above all the skilled ones, I am sure that you already know this. So, on what basis are you questioning our professionalism and demanding for our CEO to attend the second round of the meeting personally?” I gave Victoria a thumbs up, awed by her skills in roasting other people.
“You got me all wrong, Ms. Mannon. Our CEO, Ms. Hawthorne, is serious about working with your company, and that’s why she is attending this meeting personally. Given her status as the heiress of a prestigious family, Mrs. Whitemore surely can give her a face, right?” I was really marveled by this Ms. Stanley's audacity.
I guess she didn’t know that Victoria wasn’t just the executive assistant of mine but also the assistant director of the project department.
After remarrying Dominic, I hired two interns for the executive assistant’s post who are now under Victoria, and Victoria was also getting her training to take over the next position.
“Giving a face? Okay…. If you say this, can you assure the Whitemore family that nothing will happen to Mrs. Whitemore if she gets off the bed against the strict medical instructions of her OB just because Ms. Hawthorne wants her to be at that meeting? The Hawthorne family is a prestigious family; this is a world-known fact and I believe that they will also not put two innocent lives in danger just to boast their ego.”
I admit that Victoria is a much better CEO than me. Her skill of putting unreasonable people in their place is top-notch.
“She is just pregnant, and she is not the first woman on the earth who is carrying a child in her womb. If she is this fragile, she shouldn’t have been pregnant in the first place, or she should let anyone capable hold the CEO position.” The venom and taunt in Ms. Stanley’s tone ignited my anger immediately.
“I didn’t know that a mere executive assistant like Ms. Stanley has the right to question my eligibility as the CEO or whether I should be pregnant or not.” I remarked sarcastically without hiding my disgust and anger for Ms. Stanley.
There was silence on her side for a few seconds.
“What? Cat got your tongue, huh? You are berating me so furiously that I momentarily felt that I am nothing but an intern in your company. I guess my company is too small to meet the demands of your project, Ms. Stanley. It’s better for us if we stop now. We only had one meeting earlier. If you believe that it’s unfair for your team to waste their time and efforts on that meeting, we can only compensate you if you think that' possible,” I continued in the same manner without showing any mercy to her.
“My apologies, Mrs. Whitemore, I misspoke earlier.” She apologized hurriedly, but I didn’t give her any chance to continue saying things.
“No, Ms. Stanley, you didn’t just misspeak. You cursed my unborn child and disrespected my family. I didn’t know that the Whitemore family is looked down on by people like you. Thanks for opening my eyes, Ms. Stanley. Please don’t send your people to my trashy company anymore.” I almost roared at her in the end before cutting off the call.
“Don’t work up so much, love. She doesn’t deserve your anger.” Victoria coaxed me but I was now fuming in anger.
“How dare she curse my child. I may not be an heiress, but I am a mother. I will not allow anyone to curse my child just because she has princess syndrome,” I ranted angrily, feeling an urge to hit someone.
“Mrs. Whitemore.” Luna entered the room while calling my name in a warning tone.
“I know.” I yelled and closed my eyes. I put my hand on my belly when I felt a slight pain in my belly.
“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have taken that call in front of you.” Victoria mumbled, pulling my head on her belly.
“You did nothing wrong, okay? We shouldn’t have entertained them in the first place. What the fk they think they are? Some sort of royalty?” I yelled angrily but didn’t open my eyes.
“Okay…. Okay…. Calm down.” She continued soothing me.
“Here…. Take this medicine, Mrs. Whitemore.” Luna spoke to me anxiously. I slowly opened my eyes and saw Nadia entering the room.
I sighed and slowly lifted my head from Victoria’s stomach. Luna had already removed the table from the bed.
“What happened?” Nadia asked us in a serious tone. I didn’t answer her but took the medicine from Luna.
“She got worked up at some work issues.” Victoria explained to Nadia briefly, still holding my shoulder to the other side.
I flushed down the medicine with water and gave the glass back to Luna. Nadia came forward and took my wrist.
“Are you feeling pain?” Nadia asked me while holding my wrist. “Yeah…. But the upper side.” I answered her, still trying to calm myself down.
Nadia asked me to lie down. Victoria helped me, but my mind was still reeling from Ms. Stanley’s words. She was just an assistant. She can’t be this arrogant if not supported by her boss, Ms. Amber Hawthorne.
Until she got the backing of her boss. It might be a possibility that Amber was also present with her when Ms. Stanley called us.
I needed to find out more about Amber Hawthorne. She approached both me and Dominic at the same time, and now her assistant was showing disrespect towards me as if I were beneath her.
“Try to stay calm while dealing with business matters, Mrs. Whitemore. Although your physical condition is much better than before, you know very well that its mother’s emotional state affects the fetus more.” Nadia instructed me calmly.