The elevator up to the party was suspiciously empty. The only other person in it, besides Rufus and Senna, was Tseng. The Turk stood to the side silently as Rufus reached out to hit the button to keep the door closed once they stopped. He ignored Tseng as he faced Senna and said, "This is a meeting that is held once a quarter. Most Shinra executives and directors will be here. There are a few that do not regularly attend but be mindful. You will be watched even if I am not by your side. Keep that in mind, and don't cause a scene."
Senna had thought that Rufus had started to understand she wasn't a helpless child, but it seemed he still needed a reminder. Her face did not betray her aggravation, but her tone was still icy when she said, "I am no fool. Despite the invitation, I am not stupid enough to believe for one moment that all the extraneous issues have been resolved. I am well aware of what could happen and the terms of our agreement. My plan is to keep my head down so I can leave here unmolested, especially since I still have not been told what your father said. Is that good enough for you?"
Rufus watched her eyes for a few moments before he leaned past her and hit the button to open the doors. Senna waited until he was past her to roll her eyes but regretted it almost immediately. She had forgotten Tseng was right behind them, and one of his brows lifted as their gazes locked. The staredown lasted barely a second, but it was a reminder that she needed to be more careful.
There was no doubt in her mind that Tseng was loyal to Rufus, but that was all the more reason to be wary. Out of all the Turks she knew about, he was the most cunning and observant. She wasn't exactly hiding anything from Rufus, but she didn't want to give the Turks any reason to doubt that, either. At least he didn't say anything as she caught up to Rufus, and Tseng fell into step behind them as they entered a room full of buzzing conversation.
Almost as soon as the door closed behind the two of them, the volume dropped before picking up again. The weight of the stares aimed at them was a nearly tangible thing, and it took Senna's utmost concentration to ignore it. Yes, she had been the center of attention during the few trials she had helped arbitrate, but nothing of the same sort. The curiosity focused on her was too much. Which also made her regret not asking about Rufus's matching shirt. He wasn't the type to do something like that without reason, and suddenly his reason seemed a lot more important than it had when they were alone on the elevator. Especially when she finally caught sight of Shinra Sr., and there was a sharpness to his gaze that looked less than pleased.
If that was the case, it didn't show in the man's voice when they reached the table where he was seated. He stood and held out a hand to Senna as he said, "Welcome, Miss Rhodes. I must admit I was hesitant to believe your claim, given the circumstances of our first meeting. However, the summary Rufus shared this afternoon was quite thorough. It addressed many things my son has been sorely lacking and too ignorant to ask about."
It took all of Senna's control not to jerk her hand back with a glare. How dare the man be so insulting to his own son while complimenting her—all while Rufus was right by her side. At least Rufus didn't seem to be fazed by it. Though, if anything, that made Senna angrier. No one should have to get used to that level of callousness.
Somehow she managed to keep all of that from her voice as she smiled and responded, "While I do thank you for your vote of confidence, none of it would be possible without Mr. Shinra's input, cooperation, and understanding."
It looked like Shinra Sr had something to add, but Rufus smoothly interrupted. "Miss Rhodes, please feel free to call me Rufus. Mr. Shinra is my father."
The man in question shot his son a slight frown, but Rufus ignored it as he gestured to the table where Shinra Sr. had been sitting. "Please have a seat."
Senna's eyes widened when she saw there was another person at the table—just one. A woman that was older than herself but not by much. Plus, she was quite beautiful. Her red hair stood out against her creamy skin, and she epitomized sophistication—or she would have if she hadn't been nearly falling from her dress. By comparison, Senna felt childlike and ill-prepared, a foreign sensation that she did not care for.
Her discomfort was made worse when she belatedly realized the woman must have been Shinra Sr's date. How awkward would it be to converse with the stranger with both Shinra's there? Especially after that greeting from Rufus's father.
Somehow Senna managed a polite smile. "I appreciate the offer, but I wouldn't want to intrude."
To her shock and dismay, it was Shinra Sr. that answered, "It is no imposition. After all, my son clearly intended you to be his escort for the evening. Besides, I would like to discuss some of the options you laid out in your plan to help my son."
That sharp something ran through the president's eyes as he spoke, and it made Senna wish she could walk away, but that wasn't an option—not anymore. She only hoped that Rufus understood her irritation when she looked at him before she smiled at Shinra Sr and said, "Of course, sir. I would be happy to go over any questions you might have."
Rufus pulled out one of the chairs while his father gestured toward the woman still sitting at the table and said, "Miss Rhodes, please meet my associate, Ms. Lidia Harmon."
The woman's eyes were like ice and instantly made Senna wish she wasn't trapped. Somehow, she managed a smile as she shook the woman's hand and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am. Please feel free to call me Senna."
There was no indication whether the woman was pleased with the interruption or not as she took Senna's outstretched hand. "It is a pleasure, Senna. I have heard some interesting things about you. Though I ask that you call me Lidia—it would only be fair."
Once the greetings were over, Senna sat in the offered chair and gave Rufus a polite smile when he helped her scoot it in. She knew the gesture was for appearance's sake, but her smile softened when he sat beside her. Though her aggravation returned with a vengeance as soon as she looked over to Shinra Sr.
He had barely returned to his seat before he pinned her with an intense expression. "So, Miss Rhodes, please explain how you managed to get my stubborn son to listen to your suggestions. How did you meet?"
That last question had been totally unexpected, which instantly made Senna's palms start to sweat. At least she wasn't unfamiliar with how to navigate a question she didn't have an answer to. She clasped her hands under the table to hide their shaking and spared a quick glance at Rufus. He only lifted a brow. There would be no rescue from that front.
Senna had to clear her throat once before she faced Shinra Sr. She only hoped her calm façade wouldn't fail her and allow her frantic thoughts to show as she said, "Well, actually, our first meeting was quite random. It was in a park as we were both passing through." Since it wasn't a lie, she hoped it would suffice.
The disbelief was apparent in Shinra Sr's eyes, but Rufus finally stepped in. "It's true. I didn't realize her occupation at the time, but we spoke briefly. It wasn't until later, when I looked into increasing my role within the company, that I found her consulting firm and reached out again."
Lidia made a sound almost like a coo as she clasped her hands together in front of her. "Well, isn't that romantic! And they say love at first sight isn't real." Despite the words, there was nothing but ice in the woman's eyes as she looked back and forth between Senna and Rufus.
Senna wasn't entirely able to hide an uncomfortable shiver and was doubly grateful when Rufus was the one to respond. "You are mistaken about the nature of our relationship. Our first meeting was barely in passing. Had it not been for the references that went along with her firm, I would not have reached out. Since then, she has more than proven her worth."
The smile Senna shot in Rufus's direction was not faked. Not that she believed he was being truthful, but it seemed that he may have saved them both from further awkwardness as Shira Sr said, "Well, after the outline you handed over today, I am inclined to agree."
He then paused and focused on Senna. "So, Miss Rhodes, could you please go into a few more details about your suggestions as to my son's position within the company? Why did you lay out further involvement in the company's day-to-day running instead of focusing on the war effort?"
Now that was territory Senna was far more familiar with. She smiled confidently as she responded, "Several reasons. I'd be happy to lay it out and answer any of your questions."
The rest of the dinner passed by much more quickly than Senna had anticipated. Shinra Sr had plenty of questions, but after their first meeting, they were focused on the plan, which was a plus. Lidia remained cordial but icy, which didn't help Senna's nerves, but she felt proud that she managed to keep it together and act professionally.
Once dinner was over, Shinra Sr headed to a small podium at the back of the room, where he gave a speech about the current state of affairs and profitability margins. Senna used it as an excuse to ignore Rufus and the other woman at the table and was thankful when it was all over.
Unfortunately, that was not the end of the night. A frustrated scream rang inside Senna's head since she couldn't let it out as Rufus stood and gestured toward the rest of the room and the people that had started to mingle along the edges of what was evidently a dance floor. As he assisted her to her feet, he whispered, "I have a few things to attend to. Feel free to look around, but do not draw attention to yourself, and do not leave."
Senna was frustrated by his continued need to boss her around, but just this once, she wasn't going to complain. He had given her the perfect excuse to get away from the uncomfortable gaze of Lidia and any chance that Shinra Sr might be able to corner her alone if she was still at the table.
She nodded in understanding before Rufus walked off. She then turned to Lidia and did her best to mimic the woman's cold smile as she said, "It was a pleasure to meet you, but if you would excuse me, please."
Senna didn't bother waiting for a response before she turned and tried to melt into the crowd. Several times she had to avert her eyes when it looked like one of the people caught her gaze and looked interested. At least they all seemed to have gotten the hint that she wasn't interested in talking. It took nearly fifteen minutes for her to reach the corner of the bar nearest the wall, where she leaned against a stool and turned to watch the crowd.
The bartender had looked busy, so Senna wasn't expecting him to be at her elbow within minutes. She almost jumped before she turned to him with a wry smile. "Sorry."
The man gave her a rakish smile and lifted a brow as he said, "And why would I leave a pretty woman all by herself." He leaned forward with both hands on the bar as he said, "What can I get for you?"
Senna wasn't sure if he was actually being flirty or if he wanted a good tip. Not that it mattered. She opened her mouth to order a drink but stopped with a sigh. "I'll just have water, please."
The bartender gave her a doubtful look and seemed to be waiting for her to change her mind. Finally, Senna gave in and admitted what the issue was. "Sorry, I won't take up space here if you want me to leave. It's just that I forgot my wallet."
Of course, that was a lie. She didn't have any money at all, but that was not worth mentioning. Although, it seemed to have done the trick. The bartender chuckled and gestured toward the other side of the room with his chin. "You came with Mr. Shinra. No need to worry about the tab."
Senna felt an icy chill despite the man's warm smile. It shouldn't have shocked her that everyone must have noticed she came in with Rufus. It explained the man's actions too. Currying favor with the higher-ups was probably second nature to the bartender. Still, perhaps it would be okay for her to have a couple of drinks while she waited for Rufus to finish whatever he was doing. So far, no one had tried to approach her, and she hadn't been accosted. She would take what she could get.
There was no way she could bring herself to relax, but she did go ahead and slide onto the stool as she smiled. "In that case, get me an extra dirty martini, please."
The bartender's grin turned a little roguish, and he tapped the bar once as he said, "You got it."
A few minutes later, she sat with her back to the bar, sipping what was probably the best martini she had ever tasted. For the moment, her plan was to people-watch. Maybe she would overhear something useful, and doing so from the bar would hopefully keep her inconspicuous.
Unfortunately, she was halfway through the drink when the woman from earlier sauntered over. Senna had to remind herself Lidia wasn't worth the trouble it might cause if she left. Instead, she smiled as the woman sat beside her. "Have you decided it was boring out there too?"
Lidia waved off the bartender when he headed in their direction before she scanned Senna from her head to her feet. It seemed as though the woman had tasted something sour as she leaned back against the bar and looked out into the crowd. "Rufus isn't known to bring his playthings anywhere near his father, so—"
When Lidia cut off, she faced Senna with a sneer. "What makes you so special?"
One of Senna's biggest pet peeves was catty women. She had never understood why they needed to tear their peers down instead of working together to lift each other up. Still, she had plenty of experience, so she held onto her smile as she said, "It seems you still don't believe me, but I was telling the truth. My relationship with Rufus isn't of that nature."
Lidia scoffed as she looked away. Though there was no hesitation as she said, "Honestly, everyone here is thinking the same thing. Not only did you dress to match the son, but his father has barely taken his eyes off you. What did you hope to accomplish by hiding? Surely you don't think playing coy will work on a man like him?"
The animosity in Lidia's glare was expected, so it was easy for Senna to ignore as she shrugged. "I've already told you I'm not playing any games, and I don't really care if you believe me or not."
That was enough to have Lidia standing stiffly from her seat. "You bitch! Don't think I'll let you just waltz in and take what you want."
Senna was at the end of her patience. She finished the last of her martini and set the glass down before squaring off against Lidia. "I will try to sympathize with how difficult it is for you to understand that not every woman is conniving and greedy. The concept is probably challenging for you on multiple levels. But believe me when I say, you can keep that."
For a moment, it looked as though Lidia was about to have an apoplectic fit, but before she could, a familiar voice cut in. "Ladies, is there a problem?"
Senna turned to Rufus with a bright smile. He might grate her nerves sometimes, but at least he had damn good timing. She moved to his side as she said, "Not at all. Are we ready to leave?"
His gaze flicked between Senna and Lidia, who had managed to calm enough to smile, before he said, "Not yet. Plus, we have not had a chance to dance. It would be a shame to leave before we shared at least one."
Senna's smile dimmed, but she clung to the last of it. There was no telling what Rufus was up to, but it had to be better than dealing with Lidia. So, she took his outstretched hand before she glanced back at Lidia and said, "It was lovely talking to you. I hope you get everything you desire."
The smile instantly fell from Lidia's face, but Senna didn't get to see more than that. By then, Rufus had guided her to the partially filled dance floor. A waltz was playing, and the two of them fell into step easily. She was just grateful that Natasha had convinced her to take dancing lessons on the off chance that she had to attend a client party or corporate function.
The thought of Natasha left Senna's chest feeling suddenly hollow. She hadn't really been given any time to mourn her losses yet. Unfortunately, the dance floor wasn't the place either. At least there was no one nearby to see her blinking rapidly to keep back the tears. Well, no one but Rufus, and he seemed to be focused on other things as he said, "Whatever Lidia said, feel free to ignore it. Her greed is only rivaled by her insecurity."
His statement was unexpected enough that an unexpected laugh escaped before Senna could stop it. It also distracted her from her worries as she grinned at him. "I gathered as much. Tell me, is it just her looks?"
Rufus's responding smile was just a little crooked. "She has lasted longer than most, but I believe it is only because my father wishes to get his money's worth out of the assets he paid for."
Senna did not need an interpretation, and the thought of it made her giggle. At least she was quiet enough not to draw stares. Rufus's responding chuckle was unexpected and was a sudden reminder of why she thought he was attractive. With everything else going on, it was easy to overlook, but his hand on her waist as he guided her across the dance floor felt a little too warm through the sheer back of her dress.
To keep her thoughts from betraying her, she clung to the first thing she could think of. "Speaking of what she had to say, our matching outfits were mentioned. Care to explain what that is about? I somehow doubt it was a coincidence."
Rufus's smile edged into a smirk. "I thought that was obvious. You are mine, and this sends a clear message to anyone who might think otherwise."
That possessive response was enough to make Senna freeze as she stared up with wide eyes. Thankfully, all it took was a nudge for her to start moving again. She ignored the curious stares but refused to look back up.
Although, she almost wished she had when his whisper was right next to her ear. "Don't tell me you have no objections. Does the thought of belonging to me not displease you as much as it did yesterday?"
Her head instantly shot up with a glare, but the expression fell when she saw he was smirking. It didn't look mocking at all. That was when she realized he must have immediately understood the discrepancy between what he meant and her interpretation and was teasing her for it.
Senna couldn't stop the slight blush that formed, but she did keep her shoulders straight as she looked him in the eye. "I do not belong to you. We merely have an agreement." She then looked away and tried to ignore it when Rufus chuckled again. It wasn't until the sound tapered off that it struck her. If Rufus was teasing her, he had to be in an excellent mood. Which begged the question—why?
The heat was gone from her cheeks when she focused on him again and gave him an evaluation look. "I must admit, I wasn't expecting you to wear more than a frown tonight. Doesn't seem like the environment for it."
One of his brows rose as he smirked down at her. "Oh? Were you worried about me?"
Senna didn't bother hiding her rolling eyes as she gave him a deadpan look. "Are you avoiding the subject?"
Something that almost looked like humor passed through his eyes, but the music changed before he could answer. However, he didn't let go. Instead, he pulled her closer as the two of them adjusted to the new rhythm. Once they were going, he said, "My father has agreed to allow me to handle the governing within Midgar as he focuses on the war effort. Starting tomorrow, I will have almost exclusive oversight."
Senna wasn't sure why that put him in such a good mood, but perhaps it was one step closer to her figuring out how to stay in one piece. The thought was enough to sober her but not enough to make her pull away. Especially since Rufus's slight smile was still there.
After that announcement, the two talked a little more about his new responsibilities since she would be expected to be kept in the loop with her 'position.' That conversation took them through two more dances before he finally stopped and gestured toward the bar. He waited until they were out of earshot of most before he said, "Stay in this area. I will have Tseng stationed nearby, so you will not be bothered again. There are a few more things I must take care of before we can leave. Until then, try to enjoy yourself."
Senna wanted to be upset by the order, but she couldn't bring herself to even frown. Not after his statement about Tseng and his sincerity. She wasn't naïve enough to think that he had suddenly started trusting her, because she still didn't trust him. Still, maybe this was an olive branch. If so, she planned to take it. "If there is no threat of me being bothered, then I am sure I will. Thank you."
His eyes widened slightly when she said thank you, but there was no other outward sign of what he thought as he said, "I should be less than an hour." That was all he said before he walked off, but Senna didn't let it bother her. Instead, she headed to the bar and ordered another martini. A few minutes later, she saw Tseng approach and grinned at him as she held up her drink in a toasting gesture. There was no response from the stoic Turk, which only made Senna's smile widen as she took another sip.
A/N: Ah, I am so excited about this for a few reasons, and also a little disappointed. There was a scene I wanted to add to this chapter, but as per usual, the characters will not be rushed. That being said, the next one should be fun! Also, I love the interactions between the two of them there at the end. They are adorable when they aren't at each other's throats. I think I may add the enemies to lovers tag. What do you all think? Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed it! Cheers!