" Miss Parker, we like what you have thought and planned for the launch of your very own channel. We even like how are you planning to go about it but the money you are asking for is high and we don't invest that much in companies starting something up." One of the investors told Olivia while she had pitched her idea. She did have a couple of investors who had already agreed and she was sure that these ones were just playing hardball. Men really love that game when they see a woman in business.
" Mr. Smith, you can have a look at the cost-benefit analysis and then decide for yourself. I am not going to tell you that my channel will start generating profits right from the first quarter but yes, we have a plan ahead of us that we aim to achieve and you investing into the channel will not only help us in the immediate future but will help you too in the longer run." Olivia said, forwarding the file of the cost-benefit analysis with a professional smile.
" My office will get back to you with our answer in a week Miss Parker. But yes, I am impressed with your vision." He took the file from her and got up, followed by Olivia. They shook hands and his team left.
" Freya I need a cup of coffee and a status update from the IT about the studio set up please." She requested her assistant as she walked into her office.
" Yes ma'am. One coffee coming right up and about the studio thing, you already are meeting the IT people today in an hour according to your schedule. I have set up the conference room two for the same.
" You are a life saver Freya." Oliva called out as she had walked out to get my coffee.
She then went on to check her mails and reply to the important ones as she sipped on the coffee. Meeting with the IT was going to end up long and then she had to work on the article for the newpaper tomorrow. Once again, she was up for a long day but she loved her work which made it a lot less hectic.
In the midst of it all, she had forgotten all about the Valentinis, contract and money but that didn't last long as her phone went off. It was her mother.
" Yes mother? Is everything fine? Kiana home from school?" Olivia questioned her mother as she was signing some cheques before the meeting.
" You need to come home now Livi. Alessandro Valentini and his father are here and they demand your presence for once at all." She replied and one could hear the trembling in his voice.
" What is actually wrong with these people? Why do they and their men always go anywhere unannounced? Mom hand the phone over to either of them. I cannot come home right now. I have an extremely important meeting in five minutes." She asked her mother which terrified Arla even more. Her daughter is doing to be the death of all of them with that attitude.
" Olivia you are coming home right now. Reschedule your damn meeting alright? Your sister is hiding under the bed right now because she is scared of them. They have guns." She whispered to her daughter and hearing this, Olivia's eyes widened.
" I'll be there in twenty." she replied, hanging up. She asked Freya to reschedule the meeting for tomorrow and also told her to cancel all her other meetings for the day. She had to deal with another problem today.
As promised, she was standing at her house's door step in twenty minutes. Taking a deep long breath, she knocked and waited.
" Oh Livi thank god you are here." Her mother attended the door and immediately hugged her.
" Mom it's okay. We will be fine, don't worry. They haven't done anything, have they?" She asked her mother, trying to calm her down.
" Not yet but they are so cold honey. It was getting suffocating." Her mother confessed honestly as they made way to the living room.
" Umm...." Olivia started to speak but froze when Alessandro Valentini's eyes met hers and she felt scared, like she hadn't felt in a very long time. His eyes were so cold, so threatening and lacked any emotion. It was as if she was looking at corpse with open eyes. Feeling uncomfortable, she looked away almost immediately.
" Miss Parker." The other one, the older one said as he walked towards me, extending his hand. He was the father, same looks same attitude just a lot less scary. At least his eyes felt alive.
You don't keep a Valentini waiting and Olivia had just done that. Not risking to anger either of them, she shook her hands with him.
" Why don't we all have a seat?" He offered and this had started to anger her. How dare they come to her place and then treat them like guests in their own house but her mother had seen the sudden change in her mood and had to stop her.
" Of course Mr. Valentini. Come Livi." Arla caught hold of Olivia's upper arm and dragged her to the couch as the other two men got back to the chairs they were sitting on.
" As I was told that my men had brought up the contract to you last night, what do you choose Miss Parker?" Senior Valentini asked Olivia and she knew he was mocking her the moment those words left his mouth. She was so tempted to give it back to him but her mother stopped her once again.
" Mr. Valentini, the amount to be paid is huge and the time, too less. Had we known about the contract earlier, we could have made some arrangements before hand but six months is too less." Arla held her nerves and tried to negotiate but who was she kidding?
" Oh but you had fifteen years for time at your disposal Mrs. Parker. That, according to me is a pretty generous amount of time according to me." The man shot back at her.
" Mr. Valentini we literally just found about this damned contract last night. Neither of us were aware about it." Olivia tried her luck but the outcome was the same.
" And how is that my problem Miss Parker? We had expected your father to tell you about the deal. That wasn't our job to do and a word was given by my father to yours and now that the time has come, you have to pay in either of the ways." A heavy yet silky voice rang in Olivia's ears. It was ice-cold, just like his eyes and it was the first time he had addressed her and spoken.
Olivia looked at his face once again, trying to figure out if that man was for real but once again, she couldn't look at him for too long. There was something extremely scary about him according to her.
" Time Mr. Valentini. That is only one thing I ask from you. Give me one year and pay off all your debts." Olivia pushed for it once again but Alessandro just stood up.
" You have your six months Miss Parker, as promised in the contract. That is all you get." He said and started to walk out of house but Olivia dared to stop him.
" With all due respect Mr. Valentini, we are not as rich like you if you haven't noticed already. That sum is a ridiculously huge amount for us." She stood up too, a bile of anger rising within her and this time, even her mother could not stop her.
" My time is money Miss Parker and I don't lose it, any of it. Six months is all you have and get. No extensions. And the next time I'd be careful about how you go on talking to me if I were you." He said those words in such dangerously calm voice that a shiver ran down Olivia's spine. He didn't move closer to her, nor did he hold her but she was frozen at the spot due to his gaze.
" That is no way to talk to a lady, son. Mrs. Parker, one week is all we can give you for you to come up with an answer. After that, it is us who decide what we want. Until then." Valentini senior got up from his seat. Arla accidentally dropped the glass of water which was in her hand, grabbing everyone's attention. She muttered an apology and bent down to pick the pieces when Kiana came running to the living room.
" Please don't hurt my mom and Liv." She ran near next to her mother and sister with huge tears in her eyes and her favourite soft toy tucked safely in her left arm.
" Kiana hey, it's okay baby. Momma accidentally dropped the glass. No one is hurt." Her mother tried consoling her but Kiana just kept crying.
" Kia. Come here. Brave girls don't cry and you are a brave girl, aren't you?" Olivia took her sister in her arms in attempt to console her.
" But I am not a brave girl Livi. I hid under my bed when the bad men came and didn't protect momma like I should have." A fresh set of tears came over in her eyes as Olivia wiped the ones running down her cheeks.
" It's okay baby. It's okay to feel scared. I was too and look how old I am. It's okay Kia." She consoled her sister lovingly, completely unaware of the fact that by doing this, all she was doing was proving how good she was with kids. The only thing Alessandro was concerned about to take a wife, he was seeing with his eyes.
Alessandro only had one weakness. His daughter who was also his only strength. The only reason he woke up in the morning and surprisingly, he was good with kids, despite his own stone self, kids warmed upto him.
Alessandro walked over to where Olivia was standing with Kia in her arms and extended his arms forward for her to give Kia to him and her sisterly instincts kicked in as she shielded her sister, turning her away from him.
" Mr. Valentini please, not my family. She is too young and not a part of any of this." Olivia forgot all about the warning he had given her just a while back. She always will forget anything when it comes to her family.
He didn't say anything, just kept looking at Kiana and Olivia was scared for her. His eyes had scared her, an adult person. Kia was still just a kid.
What happened next was just out of anyone's imagination. Kia moved and tried to get to him while Olivia pulled her back once again.
" No Kia." She said sternly, securely wrapping her arms around her tighter.
" Let me go Livi. I like him." She announced and Olivia looked like she had just seen a ghost. She couldn't believe what was happening at that very moment. Here she was, twice looking at the Mafia don and didn't dare for the third time and her baby sister wanted to go to his hold.
Alessandro had kept his arms open for Kia to hop on and so she did, leaving her mother and her sister in shock.
" What the actual heck is happening?" Olivia heard herself muttering as she placed herself on the first seat she found, still looking at her sister and Alessandro who was now looking at her like she was one of the most precious things in his life and she actually giggled looking at him.