Paul glanced at Jeffrey, then at Maisy, his expression unreadable. He knew exactly why they were here and what they wanted, but he wasn’t in the mood to entertain anyone, especially when it came to matters related to his brother Joe.
“I don’t have time for unnecessary meetings,” Paul said curtly, his tone still impassive. “I’m sure you understand that we have our priorities at Martin Group.”
Maisy’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of irritation crossing her face. She had never been brushed off so easily, and it seemed Paul had no interest in entertaining her charm or status. She took a deep breath, trying to regain control of the situation.
“My father’s company has been loyal to Martin Group for years. It’s only natural that we seek to maintain our relationship,” Maisy said, her voice dripping with a mix of condescension and politeness. “Mr. Ziegler, if you’d just give us a few minutes of your time, I’m sure we can come to an understanding.”
Jeffrey, sensing the tension rising, stepped forward to smooth things over. “Please, Mr. Ziegler, this is important. We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t think it was.”
Paul studied them for a moment, his mind racing through the situation. They were here for something more than just a business meeting, and he could feel it. But he wasn’t about to give in to pressure.
“Fine,” he finally said, his voice colder than before. “I’ll give you ten minutes. But don’t expect this to go any further than that.”
He turned and led them into one of the meeting rooms, his footsteps steady, though his mind kept flickering back to Joe and the earlier encounter with Skylar. The tension in the air was palpable, but Paul remained focused on the task at hand. He needed to make sure that whatever deals were made or broken today, it was on his terms.
As the door closed behind them, Maisy immediately made herself comfortable, settling into the chair opposite Paul with an air of entitlement. She was ready to convince him, no matter what it took. But Jeffrey remained more subdued, watching carefully. He knew that their visit could make or break things for both companies.
Paul leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, as he regarded them coolly. “Let’s get to the point. Why are you really here?”
Jeffrey hesitated, but Maisy quickly took the lead. “We want to discuss the collaboration that’s been stalled. My father has been in this business long enough to know that things like this don’t just happen without reason.”
She glanced pointedly at Paul, as if daring him to deny what they both knew.
Paul didn’t flinch. “The reason is simple,” he replied. “Your company’s proposals didn’t meet our standards. We can’t afford to invest time or resources into something that isn’t up to par. If you want to continue, your team needs to step up.”
Maisy’s jaw tightened at the bluntness of his response, but she wasn’t about to back down. “You and I both know this isn’t just about the proposals. It’s about the power shift that’s happening at Martin Group. Joe’s been too distracted lately. He’s not as focused as he used to be. And we both know how important that focus is.”
Paul’s eyes narrowed at her words, a flicker of something crossing his face. But he didn’t respond right away. Instead, he kept his gaze steady on her.
Jeffrey, seeing the subtle tension building, decided to add his own perspective. “We’ve come to offer our support. If Joe needs help, we’re willing to provide it. All we ask for is a fair opportunity to discuss how we can move forward.”
Paul leaned forward, his voice suddenly quiet, but filled with an unmistakable intensity. “Support is one thing. Using that as leverage for your own gain is another.”
Maisy smirked, but her tone softened as she tried to make her pitch. “It’s not leverage. It’s partnership. You don’t have to make this a power struggle, Paul. We both want the same thing—success.”
Paul stood up, signaling that the meeting was nearing its end. “I’m not interested in playing games. Your company can stay in the running for future collaborations, but not at the cost of compromising our standards. As for Joe, that’s none of your concern.”
As he turned to walk toward the door, Jeffrey exchanged a glance with Maisy. It was clear that the conversation wasn’t going the way they had hoped, but the pressure was mounting. They couldn’t afford to leave without getting some kind of resolution.
“Mr. Ziegler, I understand your position,” Jeffrey said quickly, standing as well. “But I hope you realize that Martin Group needs the Williams Group just as much as we need you. Think about what that means.”
Paul didn’t respond immediately. He just gave them one last look before exiting the room. “I’ll take it into consideration. But don’t expect things to change overnight.”
The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Maisy and Jeffrey to exchange frustrated glances. It seemed that their plan to sway Paul hadn’t worked as smoothly as they had hoped. But the battle wasn’t over yet.
As Paul walked down the hall, his thoughts were far from the meeting. His mind drifted to Skylar again. The unresolved tension between them, the kiss that had almost happened, and the doubts that clouded his judgment. He shook his head, trying to focus. It was going to be a long day, and things were only going to get more complicated from here.
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