Carol’s POV


    I can feel my heart racing as I make my way up the stairs. Despite Aiden’s encouragement to offer up my skill set, I can’t help


    I hadn’t yet changed out of my work clothes.


    but feel nervous. I’m just take


    1 step into the dining room. Auden immediately greets me at the door. The coach and the team owner are sitting at the table and turn to look at me skeptically.


    The coach is a shorter man, standing around 5’9 with messy graying hair. By the look of it, he’s been practically tearing it out throughout their conversation. He’s wearing a dark gray tracksuit that looks simr to the one he wears to games. The owner of the team is dressed a little more nicely in a button down and cks, and his ck hair is neatly parted. Neither of them look happy.


    I think I remember the coach’s name now- Henry Bower, I still don’t remember the name of the team owner, though.


    “Why, exactly, is your girlfriend joining us for an important meeting?” The coach grumbles. Aiden wraps an arm around my shoulders reassuringly.


    “She’s here to provide her expertise in sales and negotiating, Aiden says smoothly. I feel incredibly grateful that he’s willing to vouch for me, even if I feel like I’m doing something ridiculous.


    The coach looks like he’s about toin again, but the team owner speaks up first. “It’s nice to meet you, Carol, My name is Robert Whitlock, and I’m the current owner of the Statford Freeze. As you may be aware already, our biggest sponsor, ze sports drinks, is looking to decrease their sponsorship payments.”


    1 appreciate his willingness to be cordial despite my sudden appearance. I nod professionally. “I see. Have they ever threatened to decrease their payments before?” Robert shakes his head.


    “No. They’ve always backed us in the past, even when we haven’t performed at our best. Our fees have been steadily increasing over the years. They offered to increase their payment considerably when Aiden joined the team.”


    Robert leans back in his chair, thinking before he continues to speak. “Unfortunately, we’ve be somewhat dependent on their sponsorship over the years. This fee decrease could cause serious damages to our team. I guess we put too many eggs in one basket.”


    even bothering with this? If ze isn’t willing to work on The coach, Henry, throws up his hands in frustration. “Why are we


    there’s no need to keep them around. I say we drop them and get a better sponsor. I never liked them,


    our terms, then anyway.”


    Robert frowns. “As I mentioned before, this sponsorship is no small contribution to our budget. They are currently ourrgest benefactor. I don’t know if we could secure a recemen quickly enough to keep the team afloat.”


    “Did the representative tell you why ze is intending to decrease their fee?” I ask. I already think I know the answer, but I still want to confirm. Robert leans back in his chair.


    They said they’re going through financial troubles,” Robert exins. “That’s why they’re not willing to negotiate. They say they don’t have anything more to give us.0)


    1 hun to myself. I still have the nagging feeling that the representative isn’t disclosing the full story, but I know a hunch isn’t enough to base a contract debate on I cross my arms and think for a long moment.


    “Did they provide any information about their financial trouble task. “Whenrge businesses have financial difficulties. they always document exactly what went wrong. “They’ll most likely have the statistics ready for how and why production has decreased. If he doesn’t have the figures, be should at least have the numbers.”


    Robert strokes Ins chun thoughtfully. “No, he never mentioned anything specific. He didn’t lin


    bring up any statistics as far as I


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    15.16 Mon, Jun 10 MJ


    remember.


    Itch onto that detail in an attempt to justify my bizarre instinct. “That’s quite surprising. Most businesses would present


    I with their quarterly numbers in order to justify a contract change.


    Robert seems to mull over the idea for a moment. “What exactly are you


    ou proposing?” He asks eventually.


    “I’m proposing that ze is intentionally hiding information from you. I’m not sure that any of their ims can be trusted, at least not until they show some facts to back them up. If we press, there might just be room for negotiating”


    Any confidence I feel is dashed when Henry snorts dismissively We? Oh, please,” he scoffs. overconfident? Your only qualification to be here is that you’re Allen Cruz’stest girlfriend.”


    Aren’t you being a littl


    bit


    My face goes hot with frustration. My initial thoughts may havee from a hunch, but Henry’s anger feels unwarranted.


    “My expertise in saleses from years of work,” I argue as calmly as I can manage. “I have been a salesperson much longer than I’ve been in a rtionship with Aiden.”


    Henry lets out a derisiveugh in response. “Oh, sure. If your sales work is so legitimate, then why are you going on TV to use your boyfriend’s fame for your own profit?”Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    My heart drops. Any fight that had been building inside of me immediately crumbles. I feel like a deer in the headlights – this is exactly what I wanted to avoid. The ridiculous interview I was tricked into participating in was backfiring already.


    I feel a ball of nervousness knot itself in my stomach. My eyes can’t help but seek out Aiden for reassurance like they always do. Instead of findingfort, I see Aiden’s expression is heavy with worry. A chill goes down my spine.


    How could I forget? He’s the one whose fame I used. He probably thinks I’m nothing but a gold digger, I think with defeat. I purse my lips, unable to defend myself. Henry has only said what I’ve been thinking about myself.


    Luckily for me, Aiden speaks up despite his apparent distress. There’s no need to be rude, coach,” Aiden says, his voice low but stern. “Carol is providing her consultation to us, free of charge. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”


    Aiden turns to me and ces his hands on my shoulders. “Don’t listen to him,” he says quietly. “You’re the expert here. I trust you to step into negotiations, as long as you’re stillfortable with it.”


    Robert, who has been silently watching the exchange, slowly nods his head. “Well. There’s nothing to lose,” he deres. He ps his legs in a sign of decisiveness. “Carol, we would be extremely grateful if you would lend us your expertise. At least we’ll have a chance to crash and burn with some semnce of control.”


    A quick discussion between the four of us ensues. We go over a few important details and I mentally prepare myself for what is toe. After a few minutes of hushed debating, the representative re-enters the room.


    The representative appears surprised to see a new face in the room. “Oh? Do we have a visitor?” He asks. He looks at me appraisingly, I do my best to put on a brave face, rolling my shoulders back and standing all.


    “Not a visitor.” I say, “a consultant. My name is


    e is Carol Miller, and Ell be taking the negotiations from here”


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