A Proposal on the Table

“Ashley, pass the salt,” her father’s deep voice cut through the clinking of utensils at the dining table.

Ashley blinked, startled by her thoughts. She handed over the salt shaker, barely registering her father’s scrutinizing gaze.

The proposal from Demitri played over in her mind, taunting her. Could she convince her father it was a good idea? Could she use it to her advantage without falling into his game?

Her father tilted his head, observing her carefully. “You’ve been unusually quiet tonight. Something on your mind?”

Ashley forced a smile, picking up her fork. “Work. Just a lot going on.”

“Good,” her father said, leaning back. “But don’t get complacent. If you want to earn your place, you need results. Real results.”

Ashley paused, setting her fork down. “I’m already working on it. The quarterly numbers are improving, and the annual revenue is trending upward.”

Her father raised a brow, unimpressed. “Not fast enough. I want to see a 200% increase in revenue before the year is out. Secure more partnerships. Strengthen existing ones. Do that, and I’ll hand over two more companies to you.”

Ashley blinked, her calm façade nearly cracking. “200%? That’s—”

“Ambitious,” her father cut in sharply. “But achievable if you’re serious about your role.”

Ashley nodded, swallowing her objections. “I can do it.”

“Good.” He returned to his meal, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “By the way, have you heard from Drey recently?”

Ashley froze, her grip tightening on her fork. Her heart skipped, but she forced herself to sound nonchalant. “Drey?”

Her father set his knife down and folded his hands. “Moreno. His company has been making waves lately. We used to do business together, but I haven’t heard from him in years. I thought he might reach out, but maybe he’s not interested in working with us anymore.”

The air around her seemed to buzz with opportunity. Ashley straightened, keeping her expression neutral. “How would you feel about a partnership with him now?”

Her father shrugged, sipping his wine. “Depends. His company is solid, but I’m not going to chase him. If he wanted a deal, he’d have to come to us.”

A smile played at the edges of Ashley’s lips. “And what if I could make that happen?”

Her father’s brows lifted in intrigue. “You’d convince him to reach out?”

“Not directly. I want him to reach out to us without me or you necessarily convincing them to.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “I’d be impressed, Ashley. But don’t waste your energy on pipe dreams. Focus on partnerships that are actually realistic.”

Challenge accepted.

****

The next morning, Ashley strode into her office, her mind already racing with strategies. Her secretary, Clara, followed behind, juggling a stack of files.

“Morning, Ms. Donaldson,” Clara said brightly. “Your schedule is packed today. Should I block off time for the meeting with Mr. Harris?”

“Yes,” Ashley replied without looking up.

“And about the proposal from Drey Enterprises—”

Ashley froze mid-step. She turned slowly, fixing Clara with a sharp look. “What about it?”

“Mr. Drey himself called earlier. He asked if you’d had a chance to review it yet.”

Ashley’s pulse quickened, but she kept her expression neutral. “Did you confirm anything?”

Clara shook her head. “I told him I’d check with you first.”

“Good.” Ashley resumed walking, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. “Block out an hour this afternoon for me to review it. And Clara—”

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Don’t take any more calls from Mr. Drey directly. Route them to me.”

Clara nodded, her face a mixture of curiosity and confusion. “Understood.”

By lunchtime, Ashley sat in her office, staring at the partnership proposal. She had made up her mind. She would accept it—not because of Demitri, but because it was a strategic move.

Her phone buzzed, pulling her attention away. It was a text from her father.

“Moreno called. What did you do?”

Ashley smirked, typing back quickly. “Still working on it.

Her gaze flickered back to the proposal. If Demitri thought he could use this deal to manipulate her, he was in for a rude awakening.

She would make the partnership work—on her terms, and for her benefit. And if Demitri tried to blur the lines between business and their tangled past, she’d be ready.

Ashley leaned back in her chair, a small smile playing on her lips. This wasn’t just about business anymore. This was a game. And she intended to win.