I knew from previous years when Henry attended that this gala that this was a big event, as it involved some of the biggest companies in Europe, but I didn't expect what I saw when we got there. There was a red carpet, photographers and reporters from magazines. I stayed way out of the way of the photos and let Clarke deal with that, but made sure we got inside quickly because I knew he couldn't answer too many questions. Someone like Clarke was important at these things though because with his company it helped these guys break into the American market, something that was usually a big deal.
Once we stepped inside I was kind of in awe. We were standing in a huge ballroom, the ceiling was so high you could fit a giant in here, well I wasn't why else they could build a ceiling so high but it was probably something to do with the two stairs cases that ran up either side of the ballroom to the balcony above. The ceiling had paintings on them, I couldn't make them out from here, but I knew anything about French history and they were good. There was also a massive chandelier made of what looked like crystals hanging above lighting up the room. The floor was made from tiles, but I was pretty sure the tiles were marble as I could hear the sound of my heels clang as I stepped. There were a combination of white and yellow mustard type colour, a theme to tie in with the gold edges around the walls.
The room was huge and spaned quite far. There were several round tables with white table cloths and large white flower centre pieces and big gold candle sticks and from here it looked like white china plates and silver cutlery. There was already a number of people here, all wearing suits and beautiful dresses and expensive jewellery. I was really glad I had gotten this dress now and not gone with the red one. I would've looked so cheap.
"What table were we seated at again?" Clarke asked.
He was standing next to me as I looked around the room and I realised he was very stiff. I realised this was Clarke terrified and nervous. His arms were tight to his side and I could see his chest rising high and fast. I almost sure his hands were shaking.
"Table six," I answered him. "Hey, calm down. It's going to be fine."
As I spoke I turned to face him. He didn't react to me first so I get to him to notice me and listen to me by touching his arm. It immediately got him to turn to me. He looked down at my hand before he sighed.
"Okay, let's do this then," Clarke breathed out. "Who should be start with?"
"Pierce Martin," I said confidently. "Your father and he were close. Henry made one of his first European deals with him, it helped both of them break into each other's market. Pierce will tell you who's looking to make a deal most likely."
"So he was a friend, not just business partner?" Clarke asked me.
"From what I can tell, yes," I shrugged. "They used to talk often, visit whenever they were in each other's country. I can't say I've met Pierce though."
"I think I did, once," Clarke admitted thoughtfully. "But, back then..."
"You didn't care?" I guessed.
Clarke curled his lips together and then nodded. "Guess I better make a better impression today."
I walked close to Clarke as we made our way through the crowd, eventually finding Pierce Martin, unsurprisingly surrounded by a group of people already. Pierce was a tall man in his early forties, but didn't look it. He had somehow managed to stay young despite running one of the biggest telco companies in Europe. He had dark hair which was now slicked back and olive skin and wrinkles now forming until his eyes, but the rest of him still appeared youthful. I wasn't sure Clarke was going to be brave enough to try and gave his attention now, but thankfully he didn't have to.
"Ah, Clarke Watson!" Pierce Martin rejoiced at the site of Clarke, moving through the crowd to shake Clarke's hand.
Clarke hesitated, most likely out of fear but managed to shake it quickly. "Mr Martin, thank you for inviting me tonight."
"Of course, and for you my boy, Pierce is fine," he told Clarke calmly. "Your father was such a dear friend that we have to be too, oui? I was very sorry to see him go by the way."
"Thank you," Clarke said immediately, like it was a reflex.
Pierce nodded as then stepped back to look at Clarke completely. "Gosh, last time I saw you, you were a teenager, barely looked at me. Now, though you seem like a man."
Clarke nodded slightly. "I wasn't ready when you last saw me, but I am now."
"And do I believe it, yes," Pierce said as he lent in and then turned to me and suddenly realised I was with Clarke. "Oh, I'm sorry my dear, how rude of me. Pierce Martin..."
He held out his hand and shook it like Clarke which was when he reacted too. "Oh, I'm so sorry. This is my assistant Aurora. She's here to help tonight. It is my first time after all and I want to get it right."
It was weird hearing Clarke use my full name. "Aurora, what an interesting name, but I feel as if I've heard it before. You worked for Henry too?"
"Yes," I nodded at him. "We most likely conversed in email at some point, I'm sure."
"Yes, that's likely it," he nodded and then looked back at Clarke. "Right, well I expect you want some insider tips to help you get a deal out of tonight?'
When it came to the 'big-boy-talk' I needed to stay out of it. I was just an assistant after all I couldn't make these deals that was up to Clarke, who seemed surprisingly confident when he spoke to Pierce. So whilst I waited I went and found some drinks, which to no surprise, was some expensive champagne which tasted amazing. No one really noticed me or spoke to me once I was by myself and I was glad because I had never felt so much like an outsider.
"There you are."
Clarke came back through the crowd to me and I held out a glass of champagne for him and he just looked at it first.
"Sure that's a good idea after last night?" he asked me.
I rolled my eyes. "You're not getting wasted. You can have a couple of glasses, it won't hurt."
He smiled slightly and took the glass from my hand, then sipping on it.
"So, what did you find out?" I asked him.
"Pierce gave me a couple of names of people who are looking to make a deal with American but there is one guy in particular I think will be our best bet," Clarke explained. "A man named Lesly Weser. He has a headphone company, wireless, set to be big."
"Okay, so you agree to finance the company, put a decent interest rate on it and make a good return?" I suggested.
"Yes, that part I get," Clarke nodded at me. "It's the getting him to agree part I'm worried about."
"You can be a smooth talker," I shrugged slightly as he frowned. "I mean, you do with girls. Yes, it's not exactly the same topic, but it's the same idea."
"Doesn't mean it's going to go well," Clarke said to me.
I rolled my eyes. "You're so negative. Look, mingle a little more, wait til everyone has had a few drinks and then find Lesly. These people don't want to talk business straight away, but will before the night is over."
Dinner came around and we all sat down to eat. We were on a table with people I didn't know, but had read about. Some of them own companies in America like Clarke, and others Europe. I left the talking up to Clarke as I was more interested in the food as it was damn good. Man, French people made good food. Our dinner was accompanied by a speech from Pierce. It consisted of talk of unity, and value between everyone here. Really it was a fancy speech on why people here should make deals with one another.
After dinner we mingled a little more in the hope it would calm Clarke down, but also allow others to see him. Henry's death was brought up a lot, with a lot of people offering their sympathy. The truth was though when Henry passed away the company went into a state of uncertainty, and frankly seeing Clarke here tonight was a sign the company could continue. Well, actually Clarke probably had to prove he was serious first, just the presence. It was going pretty well, until a conversation came up and Clarke quite obviously had no idea what they were talking about so I stepped in to make it seem like he knew.
"Thank you," Clarke sighed as we walked away from the group we had been talking to. "I know somewhere in my head I read about their company but there was so much to remember that I can't actually remember is all."
I shrugged. "Don't worry about. It's literally my job to remember this stuff. It's also my job to point out this would be a good time to try and make a deal."
"Right....okay, you're right. Here goes nothing."
I knew this would be another conversation I couldn't be a part of. I mean, it wouldn't look good if Clarke was trying to make a deal and his assistant was there holding his hand through it. No, Henry would've made this deal alone and Clarke needed to do the same. I knew this wouldn't be easy for him. A lot of these people knew his father and I had counted at least ten times someone had offered their sympathy. I was hoping it wouldn't affect the work Clarke needed to do tonight, especially since he had been trying over the last couple of weeks.
I sat myself down at the table and snacked on the food left there while I waited for Clarke. Even if he didn't make some sort of deal tonight he had made an impression on people here, and it was a good one, despite the article about him last night, but fortunately these weren't people who read those type of things, well I hoped so for Clarke's sake.
"Okay want to hear the good news or the bad news first?" Clarke suddenly appeared, sitting the chair across from me.
"The good news?" I frowned, still chewing on food.
"The good news is that Lesly wants to makes a deal with me," Clarke explained with a smile.
"Oh that's great!" I exclaimed. "Wait, what's the bad news then?"
"I have to wait til tomorrow to finalise it all, and we don't have a lot of time before we fly out tomorrow," Clarke told me. "Plus, I don't know all his figures yet. It needs to be a big deal to keep the board happy."
"Well, you just have to hope it is," I shrugged slightly. "I can move the flight around if need be by the way. You need this deal. We'll do whatever it takes, okay?"
He smiled at me and just nodded.
There was nothing Clarke could do for now expect enjoy the rest of the night, which I convinced him to do and gave him a few more drinks as he finally started to relax a little. So far this night had been good and went smoothly, and as it got late and close to leaving I was ready to get back to the hotel and get some sleep and rejoice over the successful night, but I shouldn't have spoken to soon.
Clarke got into a conversation with someone, someone I recognised. Her name was Claudia Benson and she worked with Henry, but she was also the last person Henry worked with, and the last person he made a deal with, and I knew Clarke knew nothing about her, or the deal.
"Your father was very generous with the way he treated me and my company," she explained to Clarke.
"He...was?" he said it as a question but probably meant to say it as a statement.
"Yes. Most people I saw wanted me to pay double what your father offered me," she told Clarke. "Most didn't see the value of investing in toys, but your father said ours was new and different."
"I...," Clarke was bombing this. He didn't know what say. She was a valued client, and I didn't want anything going wrong for Clarke, it had been going so well. I knew I had to step in.
"Yes, and twenty percent stake was rather reasonable," I spoke up quickly. "Henry saw the value in the product. If I remember correctly it was its safety features that stood out?"
Claudia then had the conversation with me and Clarke stood there awkwardly until she left. At first Clarke said nothing about it and we got ready to leave. I followed him as I realised he had tensed up, his face had gone blank and he wasn't happy.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" I asked him, once were outside.
"You embarrassed me back there," Clarke muttered, as people passed around us, leaving to.
"What are you talking about?" I frowned.
"With that woman," Clarke said firmly. "You made me look like an idiot. Like I didn't know anything."
"Well, you didn't," I reminded him. "I saved your ass, are you seriously mad at me?"
"I didn't need saving," Clarke insisted as the car pulled up.
I went to speak but instead Clarke got himself straight in the car. I crossed my arms and almost didn't want to get in. How dare he be angry at me for helping. I stored my anger in and got myself in the car. Clarke didn't look at me as we drove back to the hotel. I wanted to be so angry especially after he gave me that 'starting a fresh' speech earlier. Should've known nothing would change. Nothing had changed so far, why start now?