Chapter 7: Prodigy
Karen knew the kind of woman Giselle was, she was someone who had a lot of self – esteem “That’s OK. Just make sure you are careful and take care of yourself”.
The two of them finished talking, and within seconds of disconnecting the call, Karen sent Giselle her brother’s number. Giselle called Karen’s brother and he provided her with the contact number of the client and asked her to speak with his client, Maverick.
When Giselle called Maverick as he was forwarded Giselle’s details and asked her to bring a set of clothes that were suited for business “See you at the Four Seasons Hotel at six in the evening” Giselle made a note of the details on her phone.
Getting this opportunity at the right time was a blessing from God. Even if she were to borrow, she could not have gotten 280,000 in one day!
Since the client was specific about the business attire, Giselle rummaged through her closet until she found the right one. A black pencil skirt with a white button-up shirt and a black suit “Perfect!” she mumbled to herself as she got dressed and gave her reflection a once over.
Though this was a temporary job, Giselle took it seriously. She took a quick glance at the clock and went out to catch a taxi. In about fifteen minutes, the taxi arrived at Four Seasons Hotel.
Giselle mentioned the client's details to a waiter. The waiter knew which guest she was referring to and led her to the third floor. The long corridor was covered with a soft red carpet, and it muffled the sound of footsteps.
** Giselle’s PoV **
When I entered the room, I found four men in the private room. I could see at a glance who the client was, so I went up to him and stretched out my hand “Mr. Alfredo, I am the French translator, Giselle. We talked earlier”.
“Oh, Giselle. It is a pleasure to meet you” Seeing that I had taken the initiative to greet him myself, Mr. Alfredo got up from his chair to shake my hand.
Mr. Alfredo introduced the people around him in a few short sentences and a piece of brief information on today’s negotiation meeting. He then glanced at his watch and spoke to me in Italian that they were waiting for his Legal Advisor. It did not take long for his Legal Advisor to come.
The man that walked in looked a bit familiar to me, but I could not recall where I had met him. The man obviously recognized me and greeted me with a smile, “Ms. Smith”. Looking at his smiling warm eyes, I finally remembered who he is.
Tanner Knight, a former student of my father, had also worked in the court. He was considered my father’s prodigy but Tanner later moved to Australia because of his family business and never came back.
“Tanner” my lips tugged up in a smile seeing his familiar face.
Because we were here on business, we could not greet each other informally. We nodded our heads at each other and sat down to begin the meeting.
I sat next to Mr. Alfredo, listening carefully to their each and every word, and then translated it to Mr. Alfredo. After Mr. Alfredo heard the replies, he would put across his points in French, which I would then translate for the other party.
I had to listen attentively as the language and dialects of each country is different, and there may be some misinterpretation in translation if I did not pay attention. I tried my best to make the translation as concise as possible so that both sides can understand.
In the middle of the negotiation, everyone got excited and clinked their glasses. I had no choice but to drink to their toasts and I could feel my face heating up. They kept toasting and at one point I started feeling a little dizzy.
I had no choice but to plead with Tanner to get me out of this drinking spree. Luckily, he seemed to have understood my pleading, he leaned in and whispered something to Mr. Alfredo, after that, they seemed to have reduced their pace of drinking.
I sat down more comfortably and enjoyed the food that was being served. In less than an hour and a half, the negotiation basically ended smoothly, and the two parties signed the contract.
As the formal business was now concluded, I started talking with Tanner. I drank a little too much and had to use the washroom, so I got up and excused myself to go to the bathroom. I also wanted to take a moment to smoke a cigarette but remembered that I had not brought my bag with me.
I washed my hands and stepped out into the corridor, I happened to run into Tanner. He had helped me back there, in the meeting, so I wanted to thank him “Tanner, thank you for helping me back there. If it were not for your help, I might have been throwing up right now while holding the toilet with the way those guys are drinking!”
Tanner laughed wholeheartedly “You are welcome”. His eyes darted to my hands, I had not bothered drying my hands completely so they were still kind of wet. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it over to me, “You need to be more careful, it is cold out here, and not drying your hands will make it easy to catch a cold”.
I knew I was in the wrong so I took the handkerchief and wiped my hands and tried to make light of the situation “I remember seeing you carrying a handkerchief with you all the time, but I did not expect that you would still have this habit now”.
Tanner shrugged his shoulders “Well, you never know when and who might need it, plus it is more hygienic than those toilet papers”. He tucked the handkerchief back in his pocket “Also, I am used to it now”.
Tanner followed her to the private room, and they stood shoulder to shoulder “I heard about your father when I came back, but I could not contact you as I did not have your phone number. How are you and how is he doing?”
A defeated sigh left my lips at the thought of my father in jail. Though I am trying to pay off the amount, I have come to doubt him with time “I don’t anything anymore, Tanner. My father has always been this honest man that I looked up to and suddenly that image has been shattered, shredded into pieces”.
My father has always been my role model, a man that taught me to stand tall with my head held high by being honest and not being greedy. He taught me that no matter what kind of curve balls life throws at you, you should never deter from your values.
Tanner sighed softly giving me a gentle smile as he took out his business card and handed it to me “I heard that Prof. Smith has not been sentenced, yet. If there is anything that I can help you with, you can tell me. After all, I have been your father’s student” I hesitated, but took his business card.
The thought of asking Tanner for money to pay off the debt the news claim my father owes but considering that two million is not a small amount after all and the fact that I just met him, I felt that it would not be right for me to ask him for money.
“Well, I will let you know if there is anything” I dismissed the idea of borrowing money and decided to change the subject, “I heard that you went to Australia to take care of your family business. How are you doing?”
Tanner raked a hand through his hair “I can’t say that I am doing good but at the same time it won’t be right to say that I am doing bad! So far things are going smooth, a little bump here and there, nothing I can’t handle”.
Tanner’s grim face showed a wry smile, “My father’s mistress wants full control of his family business, but she is forgetting the fact that it was my mother’s family business in the first place!” heaving a sigh he paused “Let me not bore you with all my family drama!”
Tanner is a handsome man, 6ft tall with broad shoulders and an athletic body. His amber eyes could alone attract any woman. I did not expect his life to be like this, “I have a family drama of my own, and my family’s dirty laundry is aired for the whole nation to see, hell our dirty laundry has been aired for the whole world for all I know! So, you have nothing to worry about”.
We had a bit of a laugh “Why don’t we catch up sometime over coffee? Of course, if you are ok with that! My private number is on my business card, you can reach me there”.
“Sure, Tanner…” I paused, hesitating as I wasn’t sure if I should meet him outside of work, for a second I thought of how I am going to meet him and if I have to tell Colton about this meet.
He stood in his pot staring at me meaningfully “Marriage is a burden to bear even if the person you married is someone you once loved” Tanner spoke out of context, and I wondered if he knows about my marriage to Colton.
Sighing he raked a hand through his hair “I was married before”.
His confession made me gasp, not because he married but because of the way he spoke about his marriage in the past tense “What…” I could not bring myself to finish that sentence of mine.
Tanner scoffed defeatedly “It is a story for that coffee conversation you promised”.
Leave it to the man to make light of a topic that seems like a serious one!