"Damn it!" Drew slams the phone back down on the dock, making his secretary, Owen, flinch.
"Is everything okay, Mr. Drew?" Owen fearfully asks. Brianna had specifically asked for Drew to only have male secretaries and receptionists. Drew doesn't understand her jealousy, though she says it's because she loves him too much. Feeling guilty for not loving her, he complies with her wishes and spoils her.
Groaning, he glares at the phone. He's been trying to contact Dawn for a week now, but she won't pick up. At first, he had one of his secretaries do it, but the secretary couldn't get past the receptionist at Berlitz Beauties. Eventually, Drew took it upon himself to reach out personally because he wants this relationship. Every time he'd call, he'd get a little further before being hung up on. However, he's never reached Dawn Berlitz. How dare this company be so rude to him, the heir of Hayden Corporation!
Standing up, he grabs his coat. "Let's go, Owen."
The secretary frantically walks after Drew. If calling won't work, then Drew will go to Berlitz Beauties himself. Why is the heir of Hayden Corporation minding himself with this trivial matter? It was first about business, but now it's personal. What nerve does this beauty company have to ignore calls from Hayden Corporation, especially the heir?
Berlitz Beauties
"Ms. Dawn!" Dawn's secretary, Ursula, comes sprinting into the room. Dawn doesn't like Ursula because Ursula has a huge crush on Paul. Ursula has been trying to flirt with Paul for years now, but Paul remains stoic and uninterested. Dawn hopes it's because he likes her, though she can't really tell what her bodyguard is thinking most of the time. The only reason Dawn hasn't fired Ursula is due to the board wanting her here. If Dawn gets rid of Ursula, the board will get rid of Paul. Dawn figures Ursula is also a spy for the board, so Dawn will play their game.
"Yes?" The bluenette smiles sweetly at her panicking secretary. Seeing Paul always makes Ursula blush, and irks Dawn. "What is it, Ursula?" Dawn is really tired of being fake around this woman, which is why Dawn rarely tries to interact with her.
As if shaking herself from her stupor, Ursula quickly says, "Drew Hayden is here!" Ursula is inwardly smirking at her acting skills. Of course, the guards know not to entertain Hayden Corporation workers, but Ursula managed to convince them to let Drew through. Plus, he's very handsome and more rich than Paul. However, Ursula likes a strong bad boy.
Dawn's eyes open wide in shock. How had security allowed this to happen? Everyone here should know about the unspoken rule that Berlitz Beauties will never work with Hayden Corporation or Wakana Enterprises. "Get him out of here!" Dawn orders Ursula.
Paul watches the bluenette with concern. Ever since Drew's wedding, Dawn has been very angry. Her anger has fueled her to grow the company on her own to try and gain more stakes in it. She's been working very hard, hard enough that Paul fears she will faint some day. She has told Paul countless times about how she will never be like Drew. Yes, she still goes on the occasional forced dates, though nothing develops from them. Now that her business is booming, she has the excuse of meetings to avoid these dates the board suggests she goes on.
Moreover, after Drew's wedding, Dawn cut ties with everyone related to the Hayden Corporation, including Solidad and May. Dawn is glad the women haven't contacted her. When she heard about Drew's accident, the bluenette wanted to say it's because he deserved it. Nevertheless, Dawn isn't that cruel. She, instead, sent support mentally and watched the news to make sure he was okay.
Once she found out he was fine, she resumed her hatred for him. Despite those apologetic eyes years ago, he still chose to sell out. He still chose to marry Brianna and be unhappy. He deserves to have lost his memory so that he doesn't bother May anymore. He doesn't deserve to have ever loved her or to ever think about her again. Wherever May is, Dawn hopes she's happier now.
As Ursula rushes out of the office, the secretary can't help but smirk. She will lead Drew straight here just to torment Dawn. Everyone knows about Dawn's hatred for Drew, but they think it's because she loved Drew. The two were very close and danced together often. Ursula hopes that having Drew and Dawn meet will cause the bluenette to perform poorly on her business, giving the board more power again.
When Ursula exits the office, Paul lets out an annoyed breath. He hates the woman's eyes on him. Even though Dawn gives him similar looks and worse ones, Paul doesn't mind it. Ursula makes him cringe and shiver. Eyeing the frustrated bluenette, he says, "You know you could never avoid him."
While Paul isn't sure why Drew decided to come by, unless he regained his memories, Paul knows that this world of the wealthy is too small for people to completely avoid each other. Whatever Drew's reason for being here, Paul knows he will protect Dawn no matter what. Even though Drew didn't do anything to Paul, Paul knows the effect Drew has on Dawn, and Paul doesn't like seeing his heiress upset. It's his job to protect her anyway.
"I was hoping I could." Dawn mutters. Maybe she should've moved to the Petalburg City branch a few months ago? However, she didn't want to leave the main headquarters in LaRousse City for fear that the board would completely take over again. Despite Johanna helping with the business, Dawn can't let her mother suffer from the board alone. They're a team, especially after her father passed away.
"Want me to keep him out?" Paul offers.
Sighing, Dawn tells him, "I should see him. To let him know I won't do business with him." She's heard about Drew's reason for trying to contact her all week. Apparently he wants to form a contract together, but Dawn will never work with him. While a part of her wants to tell him about May because he's lost those memories, Dawn won't, May doesn't deserve to suffer from Dawn's selfishness again.
When there is knocking on the door, Dawn gives Paul an annoyed look. "Come in."
The two look to see that green haired man they haven't seen since his wedding. He walks in with a male secretary and one bodyguard. Paul sizes them up. Yeah. He can take them. He's trained for this. Once Drew reaches Dawn's desk, he gives her a fake smile.
Despite being heavily annoyed with her ignoring him, this is how the wealthy behave. They're very fake and passive aggressive. Extending a hand to her, Drew greets her. "Hello, Ms. Berlitz. I'm-"
"Drew Hayden heir to Hayden Corporation. I know." Dawn cuts him off uninterested, which further irks Drew.
However, seeing the purple haired bodyguard glare at him keeps Drew calm. "I have a business proposal."
"Not interested." Dawn shrugs. She doesn't shake his hand or even stand from her desk to greet him. Instead, she's doing some online shopping on her computer, and Paul can't help but smirk at this woman. Gosh, she's so troublesome.
Retracting his hand, Drew angrily glares at her. Why is she treating him so insignificantly? His company is far larger and can shut her down if they wanted to. Granted, it'd take some time, but he could do it. Or he could help the board gain full power so he can work with them rather than her. Drew looks over at his secretary, bodyguard, and Dawn's secretary and bodyguard. "I'd like to speak with Ms. Berlitz alone." Drew's people nod and leave, but Dawn's do not.
Dawn nonclanalty says, "You heard him, Ursula." Frowning, the female secretary leaves too.
Drew coughs to try and get her attention, though she's unfazed. "Can you excuse your bodyguard too?"
"Why?"
"I'm not gonna hurt you." Drew tells her. He's not that kind of person. He just wants to talk in private.
Dawn shrugs. "He goes wherever I go." Her irritated midnight blue eyes glare at Drew's green orbs. "If you don't like it, leave. And never come back."
"Why won't you work with me?" Drew asks. He doesn't care that the bodyguard is here anymore because Drew needs answers. Who wouldn't want to work with Hayden Corporation, especially a smaller business like Berlitz Beauties?
Dawn shrugs while returning her attention to her screen. "I don't like you."
"You don't have to like me. It's business." Businessmen hate each other all the time, but they still work together to feed their greed. Business and personal are somewhat separate in this world. People are naive to think otherwise.
Nevertheless, Dawn has always been a strong proponent of not being someone from this world. Her parents had raised her to never lose her values or herself, which is why the business is smaller than other large corporations, though Berlitz Beauties is a leading beauty company. Dawn's father had prided himself in his values, even though he would lose potential large incomes from it.
Therefore, Dawn won't sell out like Drew. If she sells out in business, then she'll sell out in happiness too, and she wants to be with Paul. She will never be like Drew. "It's more than business." Dawn seethes. "But you wouldn't understand."
"Did I do something to you?" Drew doesn't recall ever formally meeting her. Did he break her heart or something during those three years he can't remember? She seems to despise him, and he doesn't know why.
Dawn scoffs at him. "I just don't like you."
"I have lots of money, and I can bring Berlitz Beauties to the next level." Drew offers. Money solves all problems in this world, especially outside of the wealthy world. Since Hayden Corporation is prepared to invest a lot into Berlitz Beauties, Drew already knows they'll be able to earn even more money back.
Dawn snaps her angry attention back to him. "Do you really think money solves everything?"
Drew rolls his eyes at the naive girl. No wonder why she's being so annoying. "You know it does."
Shaking her head, Dawn chuckles to herself. "I think it's time you leave, Mr. Hayden."
Drew flicks his hair while smirking at her. "Call me Drew." Even though he is married, the Drew Hayden charm always works. It's not like he plans to be with Dawn. Just flirt with her a little to get her to work with him; however, the bodyguard takes a step towards them.
Dawn raises her hand to stop him. "Leave, or I will have Paul throw you out."
"Who's Paul?"
"Me." gruffs out the annoyed purple haired man. Despite seeing Drew flirt with Dawn on their date years ago, the Drew back then didn't irritate Paul as much as the Drew now. This Drew seems more arrogant and annoying. Nothing like the more down to earth Drew from years ago. He really did lose his memories.
Shaking his head, Drew throws his hands up in defeat. He places a business card on the desk. "If you change your mind, you know where to find me." Drew winks before walking out of the office.
"You were right." Paul annoyedly says while grabbing the businesscard. He rips it up into pieces over the trashcan. "Don't do business with him."
Even though she was just heavily annoyed with Drew, Dawn can't help but giggle at her bodyguard. "Jealous, Paul?" Sometimes he'll get jealous on her dates, like when men try to touch her, but Paul intervenes as her bodyguard.
Scowling, he mutters, "You're troublesome."
Dawn has already vowed to never work with Drew or Hayden Corporation. Hopefully, Drew gives up on pursuing her business soon because Dawn really doesn't like seeing him. She does have a business trip in a few weeks to the reopening of her Petalburg City location. Maybe she'll leave early to help oversee that? That way, she can make sure everything is exceptional for the opening, and she can avoid Drew. Plus, she can be freed of the board for some time while she's with Paul. Johanna can handle the board for a few weeks, so Dawn isn't too worried about leaving her mother here to fend them off.
Grabbing Paul's hand, Dawn makes him blush. "What do you want for lunch?"
Petalburg City
"Wow. They've been working on that for weeks now." a teenage girl says in awe at the store across from them.
"Fiona, we need your help." May knowingly tells the young girl. Working in retail at the mall, there are a lot of teenagers May is surrounded by. It reminds her of the orphanage, though time has helped quell these aches a bit.
Sighing, the black haired girl folds up a shirt by May. "What do you think they're doing there?"
Berlitz Beauties was there for a trial run, but shortly after, the space was put under construction. May really hopes it isn't Berlitz Beauties because that reminds her of unnecessary emotions. Shrugging, the brunette replies, "I'm focused on our store and our sales."
"Okay, May." Fiona has wondered a lot about May. The two have been working together for almost a year now, but May rarely talks about herself. Sometimes, her boyfriend Brenden comes by to help close up since he drives her home. Brenden is very good looking, which makes all the female employees love having him around. While the employees share a lot about their lives, May does not. Sometimes, she talks about Brenden, though that's only when she's prompted to.
Brenden had been gone for a week now, which always makes May lonely. The employees know this too, so they try their best to keep her company. Sometimes, they invite her out with them, but with the employees mostly being high school students, May passes on the invitations. "How's school, Fiona?" May likes checking in on her student workers since she wants them to have a good life. A life better than hers.
Smiling, Fiona replies, "I got a date to homecoming!"
May giggles at the excited girl. "Are you gonna bring him by for us to interrogate him?"
Fiona views May as an older sister, so she also giggles. "My dad is doing that already, but if you want, maybe I'll bring him by." As the two talk some more while folding up clothes, Fiona says, "He's better than my ex, May. My ex was terrible. He was so selfish. But Carter," Fiona's lets out a relieved breath. "He's so nice."
May nods. "That's good. I'm happy for you, Fiona."
Grinning, the teenager asks, "What about you, May? You must have some exes too?"
This question causes May to freeze up, and Fiona worriedly looks at her. Fiona reminds May of Betty because the two would constantly ask innocent questions that affect people like this. Gosh, May hopes the children are doing fine. Tyler should be in his second year of college now while Betty is finishing up her last year of high school. Maybe she'll join Tyler in college? Did the two ever date?
"May?" Fiona's worried voice gets the woman out of one of her many dazes.
Giving Fiona a small smile, May replies, "Yeah. He was selfish too."
Fiona continues folding the last of the shirts. "Sorry, May. I didn't mean to ask that if it was too painful."
May shakes her head at the girl. "No, Fiona. It's okay. I have Brenden now, like how you have Carter." It's times like these where May hates being alone the most. This is why she doesn't like Brenden going off on business trips. She needs him, like how he was there for her every day when they first moved to Petalburg. Maybe she'll stop by her family's graves on the way home?