The Perfect Intern

Chapter 31.

Dante

"So, you're saying the most recent place Nicholas is seen at is a state dinner?" I was leaned back in my chair, my right ankle crossed over my left leg, as Karina sat at my computer in front of me.

"That's all that's here,"She responded, staring at the screen.

The state dinner was a week away. It would be at the White House to celebrate the union of the U.S and a foreign country. There would be way too many people there for me to stop every deal Fausti could potentially make.

The only thing that would be easy about this is getting an invite.

I twirled my pen in my hand as I thought, not particularly focusing on anything.

"The only way we could do anything sooner," she started, facing towards me as she placed her hands on top of eachother on my desk. "Is if we go directly to Sinagon Headquarters. And we both know that's uncharted waters. Hence; very slippery."

"We'll go to the state dinner and figure it out from there, " I told her. It wouldn't be easy, but it had to be done. Nicholas' words had never left my mind. He was going to trick Ariella.

How do you trick someone that works for you?

At the time, I hadn't really acknowledged what he said as I roughly bumped his shoulder and left with a grin coating my features as I shook my head. But the more I thought about it, the more it didn't make sense. What could he trick her about? Working for him? Or something else?

What the fuck do I care?

Point is, I was only just beginning with Nicholas.

For years, he and his family have taunted SEO, starting with Levi Fausti, and my father was too much of a drunk to do anything about it.

The minute they found out he had a drug problem, they went straight to the public. He had to go to rehab once he crashed his Ferarri Testarossa and paid thousands to make the whole sham go away, leaving the board no choice but to make him pass his company to me.

Woohoo.

Luckily, this year would be very different.

This time SEO Limited was going to fight back. And if all goes how it's planned, which it almost always does for me, I'll be the CEO for Sinagon Headquarters, too. That or, Nicholas will simply just be out of a job. Which either is perfectly fine with me.

I may not have chosen to be CEO, but I was pretty damn good at being one. Not that my father wasn't. He was brilliant, paid handsomely for the best education, he just took the wrong path.

The worst possible path he could have chosen. And because of his choices, he, and everyone around him.. paid for it.

"Especially my-"

I closed eyes tightly and my teeth pressed together in an effort to rid myself of my thoughts. "Dante, are you good?"

My eyes opened to see Karina eyeing me, worriedly. "I'm fine. Disregard," I demanded in an authoritative tone.

"So, it's settled, " I said, standing up and heading towards the door. "Monday, we oppress."

-
Ariella

"I never said CEOs didn't have talents," I rolled my eyes and laughed at Nicholas' comment. "I said, it's surprising that they have any-"

"Outside an office," he finished for me and I cupped my face in embarrassment as I smiled. "It's the same thing!"

"Fine," I sighed, finally giving up, and looking around again. "I guess it's obvious I was wrong."

He stood behind the easel with a paint pallet and brush in hand. His grey suit and black button up forbid him from giving off the artist vibe, but he seemed to know what he was doing as I sat on the stool in front of him.