Billionaires At War

CHAPTER XXXIX

As the preparations for Mr Coopers launching fashion line event was coming to a head, Harrison found himself saturated with work all week long. Maria and Julia had a meeting two weeks before alongside Cooper's assistant. They took care of booking all the necessary media for the coverage of the event began. Harrison had to rush home after he finished with work, so he could change out of his clothes and drive to the venue with his mother and Maria.

Now, he sat in his car, a suit hugging his body as he watched Maria swipe through her tablet. She was a joker, always teasing him when she had a chance and had somehow become a close friend, but he knew she could be deadly serious when she wanted to be. He left her in charge when he went out for three days, and she didn't disappoint him in any way. For the past weeks, she worked nonstop for the project to succeed, he was glad to have hired her.

Mark, on the other hand, didn't take his friendship with Maria well, since she began working with him. Mark joked that Maria was trying to steal him away, and they fought over that every time. Harrison made them call a truce for the event. Even though he knew they weren't actually on bad terms, he didn't want to watch them bicker the night away.

Everything was set for the long but hopefully fun night ahead of them. From the tables, down to the music, it was all thanks to Maria and Julia's planning. It was a sizeable room, fitting for the number of people the party was hosting.

Maria had her hair pinned up above her head with a gold necklace resting delicately below her neck. The gown she wore had no hands, so her shoulders were open and exposed to the cold, but she had thought of that, he noticed the small white shawl folded on her lap. The bracelet and ring that decorated her finger glimmered whenever a streetlight managed to get a ray of light on it.

"You look beautiful."

Not even bothering to look up, he saw a smile stretch over her blood-red lips, "Well, thank you so much." That lasted a moment until she turned back to work. "From the message I just received, it seems that we are going to be early, so we are in luck."

"Any other report?"

Her finger played with the dangling earrings that danced as the car hit a speed bump, but her face still didn't waver from the tablet. "One and a quarter of the guest have arrived, and they have been ushered to their seats. The models are practising in the backroom, and you have to make sure your presentation with Miss Hernández is complete and in order."

With a flick of his finger, his suit jacket fell open, and he dug into the pockets so he could drag his smartphone out and check for any new messages from Cassandra. There was none. As he sighed, he clicked the phone off and dropped it back into his pocket.

"Haven't heard from her yet, but I am sure she has practised it like sixteen hundred times within the last minute."

At that, she lifted her eyes, the faint glow from the tablet-casting half of her face in a sarcastic scowl, "Really?" she scoffed and turned her eyes to her tablet but was still smiling. "This relationship you guys have is truly remarkable."

"What do you mean?" he quizzed, leaning towards the door then giving her his full attention.

"Nothing, I just love to see that you guys are working out even while working together. You've been very professional with the project and with other things as well."

"I see your point. Thank you."

The tablet slipped between the zippers of her purse, followed by the shawl and then securely strapped down before she zipped it up and sent the purse strap over her shoulder. Turning her eyes to the rear-view mirror. He watched as she patted her hair down with her palm. Maria's phone rang, and she apologetically answered, listening carefully then ending the call.