This chapter is dedicated to Ellie C.V because I think she's lovely.
Chapter 5
"We're planning on expanding outside of France," Said Stefan Narcisse, one of the members of the board committee. The Valois' owned several luxury hotels around France. Mary read the numbers of properties as she sat in a boardroom with her brother, Henry, Francis and other members of the board committee. It was impressive, their holdings were colossal but because of the incident that involved her and Francis, their investments and the number of guest were decreasing.
"And I want it to be in Greece," Henry stated. He looked confident and smug at his choice.
"Greece?" Francis repeated, "Why there? Don't you think it's too far?"
He wasn't sure what his father was planning but he didn't want to be a part of it. He was already dragged into this meeting. He didn't want his father to ruin his only sanctuary in Greece.
"On the contrary, no." Louis Condé, another member said, he was also the cousin of Francis. "I've done my research about the hotels or at least luxury hotels around Greece and well, as far as I could tell, all of them have the same theme. It gets too boring after a while for the guest. Becomes a little too mundane."
"But isn't that the point of visiting Greece?" Mary countered; the others seemed surprised that she was actually voicing her opinion. "People go to Greece to experience the Greek life for a week or two. Why build a hotel if it has nothing to do with Greek?"
"That's not what he said," Henry said, he was starting to get very annoyed with Mary. She made things very difficult.
"I'm sorry gentlemen, but Mary is right." Jem said, "If you build a business in a place that isn't going to be flocked to by consumers, then why do it?"
"Mr. Moray, are you undermining my idea?" Henry asked, offended. "I've been in the business for a very long time; I think I know what I'm doing."
"Mr. Valois, all I'm saying is that Stuart enterprise needs a steady business partner." Jem defended, "If our companies ever decided to merge, we need a steady state for us to fully invest in this project development. And with the decreasing number of guest you have, Mr. Valois, I'm sorry to inform you but this is not a steady state."
Henry was losing his patience. That seemed to happen a lot when he was around the Stuarts.
"We have a number of investments from Italy –"
"Oh, you mean from the Medici's?" Jem cut in, "Mr. Valois, we all know that Catherine's money is the only thing keeping your company afloat. "
Catherine de Medici came from a very wealthy Italian family, she was the reason why the Valois Corporation was not in bankruptcy, but it was on the brink of it. The Medici's money could only sponsor so much of Henry's hotels.
"Mr. Moray, your father has said many times about how he would like to do this project," Henry stated, "And well, let's be honest. The only reason he sent you over here to discuss this issue is because he wanted Ms. Stuart to come back to France."
Things were getting personal. Mary didn't like it, neither did Francis.
So far, he just made side comments about the plans but never fully committed himself to it. Sooner or later when things get too personal, his name would be thrown in to it. He knew it.
"I'm sorry but I don't know what you mean." Mary tried to play it cool. She was an awful liar.
"Ms. Stuart. Mary," He corrected, "Ever since the incident between you and Francis, both of our companies have been losing its investors, and I think that it should be you and Francis who fix it. It has been seven years. You two are old enough to do it."
"Father," Francis said, "If they don't want the project, we can find other companies who will be willing to participate in this deal."
"Well, if that's so," Jem said, standing up. "We can end this meeting and Mary and I can go back to Scotland and inform our father about this.
"Sit," Narcisse ordered, "We have other plans." Jem looked at him for a second then turned to Mary. Her eyes begged for them to get out but Jem needed to think like a businessman. He sat back down and he could feel Mary curse. "Good. There is this resort in Santorini that Francis is running. I thought why not buy it and then do some renovations and run that resort instead. It's a lot cheaper than a hotel, so you wouldn't lose much if you sign with us on this deal."
Narcisse handed a folder to Jem and when he opened to read the documents, he wasn't wrong. The chances of them losing profit were slim. The place was at the center of Santorini, tourist could come and go as they pleased. It was a wiser investment than a luxury hotel that was still going to be built.
While Jem continued to read the file, Francis spoke up.
"You can't do that." He said, "I don't own the resort. It's my friend and I just run it because he's away. "
"And we've talked to the owner and we're in the talks of buying it from him." Louis explained. "It was your father's idea.
It all made sense now, the puzzles were now being put into place.
Francis wanted to punch his father but he was going to stay silent until the end of the meeting.
"Okay." Jem said, closing the folder.
"What?" Mary asked surprised, her brother wasn't seriously agreeing so fast?
"I'll discuss this to my father," He explained, "After all; we still need to his final approval before I can sign anything."
The members of the committee didn't look pleased with Jem's decision but Henry seemed to be happy about it. He smirked and it made Mary suspicious. What was he planning?
"You can't possibly agree to the deal, right?" Mary asked her brother as they enter his room. "We could lose so much if you do."
They went straight to the Valois's mansion while the others stayed at the office.
"Mary, I know what I'm doing." Jem answered as he loosened his tie.
"Jem, the plans are ridiculous!"
"Mary, enough." He commanded, "I have another meeting with Henry later tonight, after I talk to father."
"'I'?" Mary repeated, "What about me?"
"I know what I'm doing," He answered, "Trust me. For now you can go shopping or whatever you want. Have you talked to Francis?"
That shut Mary up. Francis was a topic that always made Mary's mouth run dry.
"Yes," She answered.
"And?"
"Nothing." She replied, "We talked and we didn't agree upon anything and that's that."
Jem looked like he was about to lecture Mary but thought better not to. "Okay. Fine. Now, go somewhere, I need to rest before reading some files and talking to father."
"Father, you can't do it!" Francis said to his father. Henry sat at his desk while Francis stood, anger visible on his eyes. "Is that why you made me come back to France? So you could worm your way to the owner of the resort?"
"Took you long enough," Henry said, a smirk on his face. "Seriously Francis, I think your time away from us has made you less suspicious. That isn't good."
Francis was beyond the point of being crossed with his father.
"No." Francis said, "I won't allow it. I'll talk to me friend and tell him don't sale it."
His threat seemed to unfazed his father.
"He already sold it to me," Henry said, "Before I sent your mother to pick you up from Greece, I already contacted the man and he signed the papers I sent to him on the spot."
"What?" He couldn't believe it. He was bluffing. That couldn't have had happened without his knowledge?
"It was no big deal," Henry said smugly, "He sold it at a pretty low price. A price we could easily still afford."
"You're mad," He said, his father had gone crazy with power, which was ironic because he was slowly losing it as it is. "Why are you doing this?"
Henry looked at him and stood up, his eyes glaring daggers.
"I'm doing this to fix your mess!" He yelled, "It's been seven years and I'm still on the brink of bankruptcy because of the scandal. I need to save this company in any way possible. The Medici's are pressuring me to pay them back soon; your mother can't control her relative anymore. They're becoming impatient and we need to make money fast."
Francis cringed at his words.
"And if you have any gratefulness towards me," He continued, "You should help by marrying Mary Stuart."
Mary tried to relax by going to the kitchen and asking for some tea but stopped in her tracks when she saw Catherine there drinking a mug of coffee.
"What do you want?" Catherine asked when she saw he enter.
"I just…I" Mary stuttered. She needed some tea. She was way too nervous for her own good.
"Never mind." Catherine waved her hand, "I don't care anymore. How was the meeting?"
"It was fine," Mary lied, she knew it wasn't fine but it wasn't her place to tell Catherine that.
"Hmmm…" She hummed into her cup. "So this means you can leave now."
"Well, no" Mary answered, that made Catherine look up at her once again. "Things didn't go as planned and I don't know when we'll leave. But if we're an inconvenience –"
"Of course you are," She cut her off, "But that's only to me. Henry would want you here forever if that means you'd help him save his company."
She didn't know what to say after that and she just stood there. She watched Catherine and then suddenly she remembered her times spending summer time with the Valois. Catherine was a strong woman, Mary knew that but everyone had a weakness.
"Catherine, can I ask you a question?" Mary asked cautiously.
Catherine eyed her for a moment, debating to entertain her or not.
"What is it?" She decided.
"Why do you stay with Henry?" Mary asked, ever since she was a kid, she always wanted to ask that question. She saw that there was no love between them but they still stayed with each other. Even when Henry had Diane, he still went home to Catherine.
"You have no clue what life is like, do you?" She countered the question.
"Answer me, please," Mary pleaded, her curiosity was killing her. "Do you still love him?
"Love?" Catherine repeated, "My dear, if there's a force greater than love, it is time. Timing. It's such a bitch. Lucky, are those who find true love at the right time."
"Catherine." She said sternly.
"How about you?" Catherine asked, putting her mug down on the marble top of the large counter island. "Do you still love Francis?"
It was a question that Mary was sure she knew that answer but the past few days, she's been questioning herself that too. Did she still love Francis?
"No," She answered.
Catherine smiled, taking a few steps closer to Mary, placing a hand on her chin. "Mary, my dear, I grew up in a world filled deception and lies." She looked so smug at the moment that Mary was both scared of what Catherine was going to do next. "I know when a person is lying and you, my dear, are lying."
AN/ Hello
Thank you for reading
Please review.
I reread the first few chapters and I've decided that it need more Frary
So next chapter I'm going to add more Frary and possibly a kiss.
If you review!
REVIEW!
It makes me happy.
