Chapter 234 Sneak Peak 3#
Chapter 234 Sneak Peak 3#
Sneak Peak 3# - Rowan
I was fairly certain every person in this room thought I was joking.
Unfortunately for them... I wasn’t.
The conference room sat perched on the top floor of one of our temporary office buildings while the new Ashcroft Industries headquarters rose steadily across town. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed a sprawling cityscape, the skyline glittering in the morning light. A massive walnut conference table stretched through the center of the room, polished to a mirror shine that reflected the tension in the air.
Around that table sat the key players. Six investors, three developers, two architects, a city planning committee representative, my legal team, Devin, and my new assistant.
The poor bastard still hadn’t figured out how things worked around here.
Most people didn’t.
My assistant glanced nervously at his watch, then toward the empty chair at the far end of the table, and finally back at me. The confusion on his face was becoming impossible to miss.
“Sir?” he ventured.
I looked up from my coffee, meeting his uncertain gaze. “Yeah?”
“Are we waiting for someone?”
Several heads around the table exchanged amused glances.
I smiled, calm and deliberate. “Yes.”
The assistant blinked, clearly caught off guard by the simple answer. “Should we start without them?”
“No.” My response was immediate, unwavering.
A few investors blinked in surprise.
One chuckled softly. “We don’t want to keep Mr. Ashcroft waiting.”
I leaned back in my chair, eyes sharp. “No.” The room quieted, the hum of whispers fading. “You don’t.”
The investor’s smirk faltered. “Excuse me?”
I took a slow sip of coffee, savoring the moment. “Just remember, you’re not here to convince me.”
The silence that followed was perfect.
Absolutely beautiful.
The developers exchanged confused glances. An architect frowned. The city representative shifted nervously. My assistant looked utterly lost.
Across from me, Devin lowered his coffee with a grin spreading across his face because he knew exactly what was about to happen.
Poor idiots.
One developer finally broke the silence with a nervous laugh. “I wasn’t aware anyone else was involved.”
I smiled, the edges of my mouth curling with unmistakable confidence. “Oh.”
The doors swung open.
My smile widened. “Now you are.”
Every head turned.
And just like that... The entire energy in the room shifted.
Violet walked in like she owned the place.
Which, technically, she did.
Her cream-colored knitted dress hugged her figure perfectly, falling just below her knees. The high turtleneck added a touch of refined elegance while her white heels clicked confidently against the polished hardwood floor.
Her dark hair cascaded in soft waves over her shoulders. Professional. Sophisticated. Beautiful. Dangerous.
Especially dangerous.
The room hadn’t figured that part out yet.
Behind her strode Camille.
My sister-in-law commanded just as much attention.
Her deep red dress contrasted vividly with her dark hair, and her black strappy heels clicked assertively.
In one hand, she carried Violet’s briefcase, in the other, a tablet already loaded with notes.
Theo once joked marrying Camille was like adopting chaos.
I believed him.
I rose slowly as Violet approached.
Everyone else followed suit.
Well trained... Good.
Violet’s smile landed on me, and it nearly wrecked my ability to think.
Three years later. One child later. Still a problem. A very beautiful problem.
When she reached me, I leaned down and kissed her cheek, professional enough for the room, possessive enough for me.
Then I turned to the others. “Ladies and gentlemen,” I announced, my voice steady. “I’d like to introduce my wife and business partner.”
Several faces shifted, surprised.
The investor nearest the window blinked.
The architect looked confused.
My assistant looked terrified.
Excellent.
“Mrs. Violet Ashcroft.”
Violet nodded politely.
Then she crossed the room with calm authority. Not beside me. Not behind me. Opposite me.
Equal.
Exactly where she belonged.
Camille sat beside her, opened the briefcase, removed a folder, and placed it neatly before Violet.
Then she settled back, ready.
The room held its breath. Waiting. Watching. Trying to decipher why I looked so relaxed.
Violet opened the proposal. Flipped calmly through the pages. Read quietly. No one spoke. No one moved.
Finally, she lifted her gaze.
Her green eyes locked onto the lead developer. “Why?”
The man blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Why?”
He frowned, confused. “Because it’s a luxury condominium project.”
Her expression remained neutral. “That isn’t what I asked.”
The room grew palpably tense.
I hid my smile behind my coffee cup.
Devin looked seconds from laughter.
The developer shifted uneasily. “We believe it would be profitable.”
“Profitable for who?”
Silence.
“Your investors?”
More silence.
“The city?”
Another pause.
“The residents?”
He opened his mouth. Then closed it.
Violet pressed on. “What community services are included?”
The developer blinked. “What?”
“What childcare services?”
Silence.
“What transportation accommodations?”
Another pause.
“What affordable housing percentage?”
The room was frozen.
“What environmental impact studies have been completed?”
The developer swallowed hard.
“What local employment programs are included?”
No answers. Because no one had thought that far. They had expected to pitch a building, get a signature, and collect a check.
Instead, they got my wife. Which was infinitely worse.
Violet closed the proposal with deliberate calm. Folded her hands. “Let’s try this again.”
Nervous energy filled the room.
Good.
They should be.
Because Violet wasn’t asking whether the project could make money.
She was asking if it deserved to exist. And that was a much harder question.
My assistant leaned toward me, voice barely a whisper. “Should we help them?”
I glanced at Violet, watching her dismantle six grown men without raising her voice once.
Then I smiled. “No.”
At the opposite end of the table, my wife looked up from the proposal.
“Next question.”
God.
I loved that woman.