Billionaire's Second Chance At Love

Chapter Fifty-One

Carmen let out a deep, frustrated sigh as she leaned against the wall, her gaze fixed on the group of company directors mingling and catching up with one another.

As it turned out, their initial purpose was far from the agenda she had anticipated. Instead of diving into pressing matters, they seemed content with showering Carmen with congratulatory remarks and extending a warm, albeit prolonged, welcome to the company. Any more serious issues they were supposed to discuss were conveniently pushed to the next board meeting.

To say Carmen was bored out of her mind would be an understatement.

The air around her was filled with polite conversations and the tinkling of glasses as the other attendees indulged in their teas, coffees, and snacks, seemingly enjoying this opportunity to socialize. Meanwhile, Carmen found herself cocooned in a corner, her fingers idly tracing the rim of her glass of water.

It was only when Jessica Temples, one of the women directors and the one who also showed up at Asheville when Grandpa had made the huge announcement, approached Carmen, she felt as if she had something to look forward to.

Jessica, holding her own champagne glass, greeted Carmen with a smile. "You look utterly miserable."

Carmen playfully rolled her eyes. "Is it that obvious?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

Carmen shook her head, sighing. "I can't believe how you all manage this. It's been over twenty minutes, and all I've managed to discuss is Mr. Jonathon's daughter's upcoming wedding and Mrs. Chen's dog winning this year's dog race."

Jessica laughed and shook her head. "You get used to it. Plus, it's not always about work with these folks. Frankly, I'd be surprised if you can coax them into discussing work even during an official board meeting. They've been spoiled by Edgar for far too long. He used to bring a sense of fun to everything. But it's been years since he stepped down, and these people are still carrying on his legacy. Some things are just deeply ingrained and hard to change, I suppose."

Carmen chuckled, a knowing look in her eyes. "So, it's a challenge to get them to focus on business. Is that what you're saying?"

Jessica looked over her shoulder, nodding at one of the other directors who asked her to join them. She turned back to face Carmen once again.

"You could say that," she shrugged, taking a sip of the champagne. "But trust me, they're good people. They've just developed a knack for mixing work with a lot of personal anecdotes and socializing. It's a bit of an art to navigate those conversations and still get things done. Ronin was good at it. But I'm sure you'll learn your own tricks in time."

The mention of Ronin stirred a twinge of discomfort within Carmen, a feeling she brushed aside. "Well, I guess I'll have to learn that art sooner rather than later."

Jessica's glass clinked against Carmen's water glass. "You're handling it just fine. Especially, when you've already made a bold statement by canceling that staff meeting."

Carmen raised an eyebrow, wondering if Amy Everett had done her job already. "You heard about that already?"

Jessica winked. "Word travels fast in this place. But honestly, it's a good thing. It shows you're not afraid to steer things in the direction you see fit. I can't speak for everyone else, but I'll be honest, I was impressed."

Carmen didn't know what to say; she had always struggled with receiving compliments. But then she recalled Grandpa's advice, and a brief smile crossed her lips. "Thank you. I'm just trying to follow my instincts."

"I get that." Jessica's smile dimmed slightly, and Carmen picked up on the shift in her demeanor.

"Is everything okay?" Carmen inquired, concerned that Jessica might be uncomfortable. She didn't want anyone to feel uneasy around her, especially not Jessica. She seemed like a decent person. At least, that's what Carmen thought until proven otherwise.