THE ALGORITHM

9.

"Don't get me wrong, Dixon is a nice guy, but his presentation was all over the place. I just wanted to contribute—that's all."

"Contribute by keeping your mouth shut and silently supporting me." Bilal countered sternly. "I need a partner, not someone challenging my authority. Our success depends on unity and trust. Can you at least give me that?"

Victoria scoffed while blinking a few times, unintentionally showcasing her lashes. She crossed her arms and said, "Perhaps I could have handled the meeting differently. I didn't intend to invade and...make things cringy."

"It's not about your intentions, Victoria. It's about respect and understanding your place. I expect you to follow the rules. Your impulsive actions can cause more harm than good. From now on, unless instructed otherwise, you stay out of matters that don't concern you directly. Understood?"

"Oh wow." She scoffed and looked off. "And that's how you're going to handle me? Like, I'm one of those people who work for you?"

Bilal stayed silent.

"You barely said anything to me throughout this entire trip." She continued with bitterness in her voice. "You've been so busy with that folder."

Victoria pointed at the folder resting on Bilal's lap. He glanced at it and asserted, "This is business."

"Business?" Victoria reiterated, scoffing and rolling her eyes. "You call that business?"

"Business?" Bilal responded, his voice carrying a weight of authority. "Absolutely, it's business. I have matters to attend to, things that require my full attention. You need to understand that. You need to understand that running a business like this demands focus, not idle chatter about vineyards and meetings. This," He gestured toward the folder, tapping it, "Is part of the responsibility that comes with my position, and I don't need distractions."

Victoria took a moment to calm herself down. However, frustration was etched across her face. "Well, excuse me for wanting to be involved in your life, for trying to contribute." She retorted with a hint of sarcasm. "I thought...we were partners in everything, but it seems like I'm just here to fill a seat."

Bilal met her gaze without flinching. His facial expression was unyielding. "There are things you don't need to speak on."

"If you're so against me being involved in your business, then why would you allow me to come on this trip with you, huh?" Victoria badgered him. "Why would you allow me to tag along to the meeting?"

"I wanted you with me," Bilal answered with no hesitation. "But wanting your company doesn't mean I want you involved in every aspect of my affairs."

###

Settling in wasn't a priority for Penny. Following her brief conversation with Decon, it became evident that they had no intentions of releasing her. She was to remain there, awaiting a meeting with Bilal. Penny hadn't given much thought to Bilal until she was guided to her designated room.

Penny wandered about the mysterious figure. Questions swirled in her thoughts—who was he? What did he do? Was he approachable, or did he carry an air of intimidation? Her curiosity extended to his appearance, wondering if his exterior matched the enigma that surrounded him. As the anticipation for their meeting grew, Penny couldn't help but ponder the unknown aspects of the man she was about to encounter.

After dinner and showering, she lay in bed thinking about her life. It weighed heavily on her mind, evoking a surge of emotions within Penny. Despite her emotional turmoil, she managed to refrain from shedding tears. Penny opted to maintain resilience. She felt the need to conceal her gloominess. She needed to figure out how to play her cards right and survive within the mysterious walls of the mansion.