• h e r e • c o m e s • t r o u b l e •
P a r t I
The Sweetest Decisions
-impulse
*•*•*
» 3 YEARS AGO «
The mundane social events were the one part of the job that James Knightly could've done without.
Unfortunately for him, Arthur Summers was a man who found every reason to celebrate, and the End-of-the-Year Banquet was the biggest cause for carefree merriment among the Grand Season's elite. As Arthur's newly esteemed 'second-in-command', James had no choice but to reluctantly show face—even if for a short while.
Intentionally arriving late with some half-hearted work excuse, he was disgruntled to find the venue still ripe with drunken liveliness. Arthur always did know how to throw a proper party, usually involving ample amounts of food, fine wine, and over-eager schmoozing.
James's umber eyes uneasily searched through the chaotic sea of flashing lights and formally clad guests, but the shorter stature of his eccentric boss was nowhere to be seen. The delicate echoes of clinking glass reminded him to at least look the part of enjoying himself, and he gracefully accepted a flute of champagne from a wandering caterer.
The bubbling liquid had barely wet his lips when he heard the caustic sneer from behind.
"You're late."
The voice simmered with too much resentment for it to be Arthur, and James calmly swiveled to face two of the six members of Grand Season's executive board. The elderly Chief of Operations and the Chief Financial Officer—pals of Arthur long before the creation of the five-star chain.
He knew they'd be coming for him as soon as he'd waltzed in.
Snakes. Both of them.
"Gentlemen," James cooly greeted, masking his distaste by laying the charm on thick. "Regrettably, duty called. Most of the submitted reports needed to be redone after being riddled with so many errors."
That part was true.
What James didn't mention was that redoing everything would've only taken him an hour at most. But he'd spent extra time checking and re-checking his work, sapping time away from the absolutely cordial gathering.
They'd tried to sabotage him, but really, they'd done him a favor.
"That's not good," the skinnier one clucked. "You're . . . what? Only twenty-three? You work too hard."
"Young and talented," the other added in mock admiration. "Arthur chose you after all. But what's the rush in outranking us older folk so soon?"
The fat-cat attempted to play off the barbed remark as an offhand joke, but he did little to hide the poison behind each word.
James relinquished a thin-lipped smile, barely restraining a scowl.
It was easy for them to hate the youngest appointed board member, one who'd unbelievably surpassed them in only a few years time.
Starting in the finance department as an intern at twenty, his unparalleled charisma and intelligence quickly landed him up the ranks on the fast track to success. It didn't take long before Arthur noticed James's exceeding potential. The hotel mogul saw himself in the younger man, even favored him, and it surprised no one when months earlier he'd announced that James was to be his newest protégé.
ВИ ЧИТАЄТЕ
The Sweetest Decisions
Романтика» Whosever name she picked out of the jar, he would become her future husband.« Madison Summers, wealthy heiress of the Grand Seasons Hotel, is getting married. At twenty-one years old. To a man she's never met before. You would think she'd reali...
