The Royal Contract

Ria had stepped her best foot forward, trying to be confident despite her inexperience. She was intelligent, not to brag about the scholarship that had helped her secure a good education and this job.

Still, compared to her partner and competitor, she felt inadequate as he appeared natural and in his elements as he charmed his way to their client’s heart and mind.

“Honestly, I had some skepticism about meeting the two of you. I thought Alex might have been slacking in his decision-making by sending you to convince me to invest in this project.” Mr. Whitman said as he sipped his wine, looking fascinated at the two of them.

“I assure you...” Ria was about to say.

“We are...” Zach was also about to say his opinion.

“But...” The older man stopped them from saying more as he held his free hand before them. “I think I saw what he saw in the two of you. Both of you are young minds exhibiting much potential, with creativity and determination.”

.....

“I agree.” The other man sitting beside their client seconded the compliment. “I think Alex had landed a landmine by hiring you in his company.”

“Thanks.” The two simultaneously answered, both overwhelmed by their praises.

“I think I like what you have presented. Both of your proposals are great.” Mr. Whitman pointed at the two young interns. “Let me work on a counteroffer and send it to your boss. I am sure that this will be one lucrative joint venture.”

The two could not help but smile at the man’s proposal. It meant that they did well in representing their boss and their company. They could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Soon, Mr. Whitman and his associate excused themselves after a successful and delicious dinner, leaving the two on the table. Both were still on the high of their first successful negotiation. Suddenly, it did not matter who won the proposal, but both were happy to make the client happy.

“Shall we drink to that?” Zach offered, seeing that the bottle was still almost half full. It would be a waste to leave it unfinished.

“I...” She was about to decline since she already had a glass and was not a drinker.

She did not intend to drink, knowing she had a low tolerance for alcohol, but it might seem rude to their client if she declined a toast. Besides, it had calmed her nerves even for a bit, so she finished the one glass.

“Come on. We need to celebrate.” He urged her, seeing the hesitation in her eyes. “It is not every day that we have an opportunity like this.” He reasoned, also feeling elated by his achievement.

Somehow, he felt like he had accomplished something through his merit, not because of who his father was or because he carried his family name. Truthfully, he was ecstatic that nobody even mentioned his father.

He was glad, as far as their clients were concerned, he was just an ordinary person with a typical common name. And it was great.

“Ok!” She finally accepted as he refilled their glasses with the expensive wind.

She would admit it was far better than the wines she had tasted beforehand. Of course, she and her few friends could only afford the cheap versions. She believed this one must cost much, much more.

But it was no problem since the company would take the tabs of this meal. At least they had some good news that would come with the bill, justifying their expense.

“Wait!” He said as he raised his hand to catch the server’s attention. Quickly, a man in his black and white uniform stood before him. He ordered a chocolate cake for dessert.

“I think the celebration will not be complete without something sweet.” He announced when the waiter moved away.

Their clients declined the dessert part since they still had other arrangements. But it seemed her partner was keen to have one. But who was she to say no to a delicious treat, having a sweet tooth herself?

“I think you did great,” Ria stated, unable to think of anything else to say. She suddenly felt awkward, realizing that they were now dining alone. It suddenly felt like a date as her heart quickened and butterflies swirled around her stomach.

Nonsense! She reprimanded herself for putting a different meaning to the situation. She quickly shoved the idea away, concentrating on their jobs instead. It was not the time for her foolish thoughts.

“But honestly, I do like your proposal. I think yours is so much better.” Zach admitted as he took half of his drink in one gulp.

He was not just saying that to please her, but he believed that his ideas might be good, but hers was innovative. However, he would admit that she was a novice, as seen in her performance. It was transparently clear earlier that she was very nervous as she presented her game plan.

“Is it that good?” She asked hesitantly, still doubting herself, unable to believe that she had come up with that proposal in such a short time.

The project was not that simple, but Alex already gave them the backbone of what he wished to happen in the proposal. All they had to do was add something to it that would make it exceptional and present it to the client.

“Yeah, it is. So, stop doubting yourself.” Somehow, he wished to help her gain the confidence she lacked but would need to excel in this job.

Like Alex, he also saw the potential in her. Maybe she could be a great competition to him someday, but for now, he outdid her in showmanship. That was not surprising since he had grown up entertaining people in his father and mother’s circle.

On the other hand, he believed he had to work more on his creativity. He could not be complacent in the word “good enough.” He had to work harder next time. But it seemed that Ria was already natural in that department.

He raised his glass to her, praising her for a job that was well executed. It was a toast to success.