Filed to story: Watch Out, I’m The Lady Boss (Eleanor & Sebastian) Book PDF Free
I’d have to ask. Are you hoping he’ll invest?”
“At this point, I’d welcome a divine miracle or a solid injection of capital. The bankers are basically living on my doorstep. I’d like to get home without tripping over one.”I blinked.
“I didn’t realise it was that bad.”Everyone knew Valmont had cash flow issues, but I assumed it was manageable. This was a well- established house. They must have assets, property… things they could leverage “We’re not going under tomorrow, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Fabrizio said with a shrug Louis-Fran?ois and Peter Carl had disappeared inside the caf?. I caught sight of Peter craning over the ice cream counter like a kid on a sugar hunt Fabrizio led me to a table on the pavement and ordered two glaces caf? li?geois.
He picked up the thread like he hadn’t missed a beat.
“Iou were part-owner of Valmont, maybe Mr Laurent would be a bit more motivated to see us succeet”Third time in two days he’d brought up the joint venture idea. I was starting to think this cash flow issue was more urgent than he let on I liked Fabrizio. He had an eye for design, a solid name in the business, and his work was genuinely elegant.
And as a person, he was charming, polite to a fault.
But none of that meant I’d throw millions of euros at him just because he asked nicely.
“Could you send me the company’s financial reports for the past five years? I’ll need to go through them first, just to get a sense of things,” I said.
“Sure.” Fabrizio’s eyes lit up.
“I’ll email them to you tonight. They’re confidential, as I’m sure you understand.”
“Of course. Though, do you mind if I ask a financial analyst to look them over with me? I’m hopeless with numbers.” Even back in school, I’d rather run a marathon than solve for eigenvalues.
Fabrizio hesitated.
Finally, Fabrizio said, “That’s fine. Just keep them private, that’s all.”He perked up noticeably after lunch, and I liked to think had something to do with that.
I planned to show Sebastian the reports tonight. Who says a fianc? can’t double as your financial analyst?
If he said everything checked out, I’d invest in Valmont & Cie. I had enough money-well, technically Sebastian’s money, but he’d said it was mine to spend however I wanted. Still, I’d run it by him first.
The afternoon drifted by pleasantly. Paris lived up to its reputation as the gourmet capital of Europe. Fabrizio picked a restaurant with zero Michelin stars, and I still ended up going back for seconds.
Okay, fine. Thirds. Plus two slices of cake. The mille-feuille alone could make a grown woman weep.
Which explained why I asked Fabrizio to drop me off a few blocks from the hotel. That, of course, meant offering an awkward explanation for why I’d moved out of the lovely, work-adjacent house he’d set up for me and into a hotel.
I couldn’t exactly say “Sebastian made me.” Though that’s what happened.
Thankfully, Fabrizio was too polite to pry. He just smiled in that painfully gracious way and let me off the hook.
I thanked him for the lift, said goodnight, and walked the rest of the way to help digestion.
“Keep eating like this and you’ll need a bigger wedding dress,” I told myself.
Then it hit me-I had no idea what my wedding dress even looked like.
Sebastian and I had set the date, and that was the sum total of my involvement. Then I’d flown to Paris.
So… who was sorting out the dress? Shouldn’t there be fittings? Measurements? Fabric choices? When was ! meant to do that? There were two months to go. That was enough time… right?
Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t even asked Sebastian who he was inviting.
My list had about three people: Yvaine, and maybe a couple of colleagues.
Neither of my parents was on the list: one hated me, and the other was in jail.
Sebastian’s family situation wasn’t much better: his dad was taking illness to avoid being shipped to some godforsaken post in Africa, and his stepmother had finally learnt to keep quiet and stay out of sight.
I doubted he’d want either of them there. And if he did,’d find a way to keep them on a leash.
Yvaine was obviously going to be my maid of honour idn’t asked her, but it went without saying. Just like I’d raise hell if i wasn’t hers But Sebastian’s best man? Maybe Cassian. They were close But Cassian was Yvaine’s ex, and those two still had leftover beef Her new boyfriend-the young, paintly bot internet sensation Cade Lawson-was bound to be there too Ex meets current. Cue drama.
I pictured it and realised, to my horror, I was actually looking forward to it.
Not that I wanted a disaster, but a bit of chaos at a wedding made it memorable, didn’t it?
“You’re insane,” was Yvaine’s response when I rang her and shared my thoughts.
“If anyone causes a scene at my wedding, they’re cut from my life. Permanently. And that’s me being generous.”
“It was just a passing thought,” I said.
“Not like I WANT to happen.”
“Getting cold feet?”
“What? No. Why would you say that?” I frowned, suddenly remembering Sebastian asking me the same thing just days ago.
“You’d rather daydream about a possible fistfight than focus on your actual wedding.”
“I said it was just a thought.” I was feeling a touch defensive.
“You haven’t sent out the invites.”
“Sebastian’s sorting that. You know I’ve got work.”
“You haven’t even asked me to be your maid of honour.”
“You ARE my maid of honour. That’s so obvious, it doesn’t need saying.”
“You’re missing the point.”
“Which is?”
“You’re just waiting for the wedding to happen, like some passive bystander, instead of the bride. Other women go full-on bridezilla with only two months left. You don’t even care if the dress fits.”
“Sebastian’s handling it. I trust him-“
“Yeah, yeah, I know. He’s got taste, he’s got connections, he’s run a business empire. Surely he can stage- manage a wedding in his sleep. That’s not the point. It’s always Sebastian this, Sebastian that. Where’s your hand in any of it, Elean?”I…I got up and stepped out onto the balcony.
I’d had a shower after getting in, and the night air was sharp.
Still, I felt suddenly flushed, like I couldn’t breathe I need the cold.
“What’s the matter? Cat gut your tongue? Wi-Fi cut out Or did I just hit a nerve?”
“You don’t have to sound so bloody subterest “That’s what friends are fur, darling To bust your bube when you get cocky and slap some sense into you when you’re being dind Ireathed in the night aired fully with like a wateria. Fine. I’ve not really been paying attention to the wedding. There, Jaaid it but d’an I’m getting cold feet, all right?”
“You trying to convince me or your self?”
I-My gaze drifted towards the street, and I paused.
A car had pulled up outside the building. Not Sebastian’s red convertible, but it was definitely him stepping out of the front passenger seat.
Then the driver stepped out too.
A tall, curvy blonde in a fitted red dress that made it impossible to pretend she wasn’t stunning. Even from eight floors up. Even in crap lighting..
I couldn’t see her face properly, but the way she carried herself-the clothes, the heels, the way she moved -made it painfully clear she was the kind of woman who didn’t get ignored.
And right now, that goddess was wrapping her arms around Sebastian’s waist and looking up at him like she was expecting a kiss.
“Hello? Elean? You still there?” Yvaine said through the phone.
“Don’t tell me you’re playing the bad signal card again. You’re not in a tunnel. Don’t dodge the subject.”
“I’m not. I’ll call you back.” I hung up.
I don’t know what possessed me, but I raised my phone and snapped a photo of Sebastian and his mystery woman.
Something was off.
I knew it the moment I walked in.
Elean wasn’t curled up on the sofa bingeing dramas or tucked in bed with her phone.
She was sitting at her desk, back to me, staring at her computer.
But the real giveaway was, she didn’t kiss me when I came through the door. That had become our thing since the engagement.
I bent down for a kiss.
She turned her face away.
“You smell like wine. Go shower, brush your teeth, get ready for bed. It’s late.”
“I had a couple of drinks,” I admitted.
She made a vague sound that meant absolutely nothing Even after I came out of the bathroom-freshly scrubbed, de-wined, and slightly hopeful-she was still at her desk.
“Aren’t you coming to bed? It’s nearly eleven.” I glanced at the screen. Not jewellery design software, just lines of numbers.
“You’re reading financial reports now She finally turned to face me.
“About that… I’ve got a favour to ask.”Sure. And stop calling it a favour. You know I’d do anything for you. We’re married,”
“Are we, though?
“What?” I pulled back Something was definitely wrong Are we really married? I mean, in the eyes of the public The announcement went out weeks ago. Don’t make dig out the certificates.” I studied her face She was blinking too fast, biting her lower lip-she has did that when she was stressed or unsure Right Cold fest Os at the very least, latest case willing lillers Te so friends and families way worth Vraine koje prsiering me te cantion has end of wThing As BFA pick angsur tar part but be our friends, it doesn’t feel real Even Mika gas mal smile she wants it in I nearly said, “Male 41’s a user shy think yay’s sing the esshling sinusly, but thought better of it That’d uuly make things wor bo I kapt my mouth sh Anyway, I put asked out today’s stuke tagad alw “You’re wearing a ring,” I said, instantly on guard.
“Was it Fabrizio? Wouldn’t put it past a Frenchman.”
“Not him. Someone else at the company. He didn’t know I’d taken the ring off because I was using the laser cutter.”The ring was back on her finger now. That soothed me. little.
I liked that she told me things like this. It meant she trusted me.
But the darker part of me-the part that hadn’t unlearned jealousy-was unsettled.
She didn’t even flinch when she told me. Either she knew I wouldn’t be upset, or she knew I would, and didn’t care.
Neither option sat well.
“Anyway, that was my day. How about you? Anyone hit on you?” she asked, tone light. She looked up at me, backlit by the streetlamp outside the window, lashes shadowing her eyes. Hard to read her.
My mind jumped to dinner, to Lea’s tears.