"and what would you know about any of this, miss alvarado?" he raises his eyebrow.
"i know numbers, hood." i sigh. "that, and your company is going to fall deeply under mine if you don't let me help you."
"i really don't like the sound of this." he...
"is that what you told sephora?" i questioned. "4.5% increase working what, three days now? that was quick from a 9% downsize after you lost garfield as a customer, no?"
"that's exactly what i told them." rachel smirked. "because unlike you, hood, i know how to make people do what i want."
"what are you implying, miss alvarado?" i ask, walking up to the young CEO now standing mere inches from me.
"what i'm saying, that if you approached others as i did my customers and partners, then you wouldn't have the problem you're facing now." she states. "you have to be assertive to get what you want, calum. i may have watched it as my childhood progressed, but it seems as though you're attempting to learn that the hard way."
"assertive, huh?" i questioned. "so if i were to pull you close to me like this." one. "tilt your chin towards me like that." two. "and inch in towards you like this." three. "that it wouldn't be assertive in any way?"
"you're rather close for my liking, hood." she said quietly. "this won't bring you any leverage in this."
"but it'll bring me a sense of satisfaction." i mumbled before pressing my lips against hers, releasing after a fair moment. "until tomorrow, miss alvarado. it was nice chatting with you."
rachel's pov
"you look great, rach." bella smiles as she adjusts my papers for the press release.
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"let's get his over with, shall we?" i sighed, eying luke at the entrance as i entered the small venue. "hemmings, you clean up rather nice."
"care for an escort, m'lady." luke winked, causing me to laugh.
"why the hell not!" i smiled, taking my arm in his.
walking down the carpet that lead to the press stand, my name was called dozens of times over, luke's only a few. i allowed luke to take his place whilst i made my way up towards the front, awaiting calum's arrival. time passed, calum never showed. in doing so, i begun things in my own.
"good afternoon, everyone." i said into the microphone. "thank you for joining me today. as you all know, alvarado incorporated is a complex cosmetics company at the top of its game. and today's announcement may come as a surprise to many. in recent affairs, many of you know about the long-running competition over the past year with hood enterprises, chief executive officer being mr calum hood himself. today's press release is to discuss the two companies newest adaptation in the cosmetics industry, as i would like to present alvarado enterprises newest division, the beautiful & the damned; alvarado x hood. and this is a contract already having been set in stone on behalf of myself and mr hood. questions will now be taken one at a time in an orderly fashion, thank you."
"miss alvarado, where is mr hood at the time of said press conference?"
"that's neither mine or your concern." i laugh.
"miss alvarado, any comments on your stepmother's latest schemes to have you turn over your empire under her own division?"
"no comment, next." i sighed.
"who was your dashing escort this evening, miss alvarado?"
"that would be a good friend of mine, mr luke hemmings." i smiled at the blonde boy who could only stand and blush.
"calum hood has finally arrived near the end of the press conference!" a reporter shouts. "and he's with..."
