If Ivan wasn't Arsh's friend, he would have definitely given that woman a picture of Arsh from Aria or Arna or Rooney's social media accounts. So that she could fall for him.
Ivan glanced at Arna when she took a deep breath forcing herself to remain calm cursing the old man in her mind. Ivan provoked her by taking the client's words, "My dear assistant, what do you think? How is the offer? Should I accept it?"
He turned to the lady who was blushing without understanding why Ivan asked the question to an assistant. Her father's face was dark hearing him ask a mere assistant.
Ivan continued, "The lady is... Okay, she is beautiful." He hummed as he shifted his gaze back to Arna.
Arna gritted her teeth hearing Ivan. She slapped her hands on the table as she stood up. Glaring at the old man, she said through her teeth "Excuse me, sir, you are here for a business deal. The Vice President isn't included in it."
The employees controlled their chuckle understanding Ivan likes Arna too but the man wasn't speaking it out.
The client frowned at Arna. The lady snorted, "How dare a mere assistant speak in front of us!? I see the Vice President has given you too much leniency."
None had noticed the door ajar a few seconds back. The Skyline employees stood up when the door opened. Ivan glanced at the door and stood up while Arna sat down grumpily.
A lady in smart business formal sauntered in with a cold expression on her beautiful face. She nodded at her the rest to take a seat.
The client's eyes widened, he couldn't believe Aria Cooper, still looked so young and beautiful. It was like time had stopped for her. He stood up hastily with a polite, forced smile.
His daughter glared at the woman who got Ivan's attention and also a smile. "Who is she now?" She hissed in irritation thinking of Aria as another beautiful assistant of Ivan.
Ivan pulled his chair for Aria and stood behind her. Arna proudly answered the question for the lady, "My Mom." She stuck her tongue out at the lady.
'Mom?' The lady looked at Arna and Aria, they looked like sisters.
A smile threatened to appear on Ivan's face looking at Arna but he controlled.
The client: "..."
'Why the hell did President Cooper's daughter calling herself an assistant?' He thought and glanced at Ivan whose eyes had a hint of affection looking at Arna.
Remembering how protective Arna was about Ivan, 'Did I dig my grave?' He thought.
He snapped out and focused on Aria, "Pre-President Cooper, I am glad you could take your time out to attend the meeting." He was gracious despite Aria being younger than him.
"Meeting!?" She sneered. Her voice was dipped in the frosty air that froze the client from sitting.
"Why don't I know I have opened a matrimonial company?" She asked with a lift of her eyebrow. She didn't look fierce, she wasn't shouting but the effect of her presence and words had even shut the glib mouth of the lady.
Meanwhile, Ivan was forced to sit in Arna's seat. He didn't want to create a scene so he sat down while Arna went next to her mother.
Arna desperately wanted to add, even if they open a matrimonial company or website, there won't be Ivan on the list of prospective grooms. Anyway, she controlled because her mother was revolted by the company and their behavior at the project finalization meeting.
The cold sweat beads rolled on the client's face. He knew Aria was tough but over time, he had expected to see an old-aged woman nearing her fifties. So he thought he could convince her to hold the project and get the relationship.
Who wouldn't like to get more profit? Right?
Wrong. Aria did care about the company's profit but not more than her morals and principles.
"Did my team address you about the qualities, characters, talents, and eligibility of Vice President Ross in a three-hour presentation?" Aria's cold voice rang in the room. Even her employees held their breath. They know Aria was clearly annoyed at the conduct of the clients.
The client coughed awkwardly, looking at Aria. "President Cooper, it's not..." He froze.
He saw Aria scribbling on the contract papers in big words instead of signing, [Rejected]
She threw it in front of the client, "Pay the project cancellation fee."
Arna smiled in triumph. Her mother never deals with anything that causes loss at any stage of the project. She could guess that Aria signed a project initiation paper with tons of clauses as soon as her team started working on the project.
So the clients have to pay the employees' salaries and resources of Skyline used for the project. Arna knew, even if she wanted, she could never beat her mother in the business.
Aria continued, "If you want to offer a marriage proposal and company to Vice President Ross, keep it outside of my company business."
Arna: "..."
'Momma,' Her whine was at the tip of her tongue but she controlled it and sulked.
The client was flustered. It wasn't that there were no companies but he wanted the services of Skyline which was top notch and he doesn't have to worry about the work in the meantime.
"President Cooper, I am sorry about what happened before. Could you please reconsider the project?" This was the reason he wanted to speak privately with Ivan but the employees stayed behind and ruined everything.
Aria smirked, "Why should I?"
The employees hated the client but it was also the truth the profit and global fame were high with the project so they still hoped their hard work pays off. Anyway, everything was depending on the client's response now.
The client racked his brain to come up with a response that could satisfy Aria. He could pick profit as a response but Skyline wasn't lacking in projects. She doesn't care about how big the opposite company is, all she cares about is her own company. Importantly, who knew Aria was going to be even ruthless after so many years.
He stammered as it was the only response he could come up with in such a short time, "F-for your team members. Your team had worked hard on it for over three months."
The employees internally sighed hearing no-nonsense but well thought. It wasn't only them, Ivan and Arna too approved the words and looked at Aria.
Aria still had a cold face. She had the choice to skyrocket her profit by putting in her conditions but she didn't. She stood up grabbing her wallet that she had kept on the table.
"President Cooper..." The client pleaded. He personally made this trip so that the project could take off successfully.