A Bet worth Billions

Alexander's Point of View

The conference room had the aroma of the strong smell of costly leather and freshly ground coffee, but the room was chilled. The huge screen before me had slides of Mia's work—raw, beautiful, and unlike anything the business world had ever seen before. I sat back in my chair, arms crossed as I watched the board members and investors' reactions. A couple of them leaned forward, interested. A few of them sat stiffly, arms crossed, waiting for their turn to pounce.

"Gentlemen," I began smoothly, "what you have before you is corporate art's future. Mia Carter is no ordinary artist. She is a revolution waiting to happen." There was a silent murmur through the air.

One of the older members of the board, Richard Lawson, coughed. "Alexander, I admire your vision, but please. Art has never been a force in corporate life. It's a nicety, not a necessity."

I grinned. "And yet, brands are built on looks. Why else are luxury brands pumping billions into graphic branding? Art sells. The only thing is that they've been selling formulaic art. Mia Carter is the disruptor this industry needs.".

A snort on the other side of the table. "You're spending money on a nobody," scoffed venture capitalist Carter Hayes, a fellow with more money than sense. "There are dozens of established artists that you could be putting your money on, and what you're doing is laying a bet on some girl nobody knows?"

I leaned forward, eyes stinging. "That's precisely why she's worth it. Established names are tied up in their own credibility. Mia? She knows no bounds. She can be molded, her art can be labeled revolutionary, groundbreaking. She'll be on everyone's investor's, collector's, businessman's lips a year from now." Lawson frowned. "And what happens if she screws up?"

"She won't." "Or maybe she will?"

I breathed slow, my own patience as thin as diminishing. "Then I'll accept full fault. Give me a year. You'll have your backup plans if I'm wrong. But if I'm correct?" I let my words hang between us, their gravity speaking for itself. "You'll all be part of something that will become legend."

The men sat in silence, looking at each other. And then, after what felt like an eternity of minutes ticking by, Lawson finally acquiesced. "Fine. One year, Alexander. No more."

"Fair enough." I stood up, adjusting my suit jacket. "Meeting adjourned."

I could still hear their grumbling of disbelief behind me as I walked away, but I wasn't listening.They would learn soon enough. I'd never made a bad investment in my life. And I wasn't going to make one now. I sat in my office with a whiskey glass, the acrid burn calming my head.

Twenty-four hours. That's how long I gave her. I glanced at the clock. Time was close. Half of me wanted to call her—to demand she make her decision then and there. But pride closed my mouth. She would call. If she had an ounce of sense, she would call. I leaned back in my chair, spinning the liquid gold in my glass. Why had this specific deal, this one, tasted. differently?

I'd made business deals enough times in the past, all of them calculated and emotionless. But with Mia—there was something more. Something that I couldn't quite pinpoint.

I recalled when I saw her stand in front of her painting in the loft. The way she looked at it, as if it held a secret that she herself had not remembered. She had passion. And passion could be shaped into power. I looked at the clock once more.

No call yet. I scowled and set the glass down on the table a bit harder than was necessary. Time enough had been wasted. I had other matters to see to.

I stepped out of Knight Enterprises and into my gleaming black Aston Martin. My driver, Jensen, gave me a look in the rearview mirror. "Where to, sir?"

"The building site," I answered curtly. Jensen nodded and onto the street he drove, weaving through the city traffic.

The rest of the day was spent with me being surrounded by work. I visited one of my structures—a tower building, intended to reclaim the city skyline. I met with my attorneys and sealed a high-ride merger. All was well, but my thoughts kept going back to one thing.

She hadn't called. It was getting close to the twenty-four-hour mark. I scowled at my phone, frowning at the empty screen. Stupid obstinate woman.

Was she getting cold feet? Or, worse still, was she contemplating rejecting my offer? The notion irritated me more than it should have.

I was Alexander Knight. Nobody rejected my offers. I was reaching for my phone to stuff it into my pocket when it rang. I answered it at once. "Mia."

 There was a pause, as if she hadn't expected me to pick up so quickly. Then, her voice came through, slightly hesitant. "I've decided." I remained silent, waiting.

A breath. Then... "I'm in." Satisfaction curled in my chest. "Good choice." 

"I'll be coming to sign the contract now," she continued. "I assume that's still on the table?"

"Of course." My tone was smooth, but inside, something else twisted, something dangerously close to relief. "Okay," she said. "Soon." The phone died.

I dropped my phone, the evil grin widening on my face. She had called.

And now… I'm one step ahead of my competitors.