Aurora's pov ( the next day)
Dawn's refuge: 9:00am
I was lost in a dreamless sleep, my body tangled in the soft sheets of my bed. The early morning sunlight peeked through the curtains, casting a warm glow on my face. I had gone to bed late, exhausted from a long day of work, and was enjoying a rare moment of rest.
The phone's shrill ring pierced through the silence, jolting me out of my slumber. I groggily opened my eyes, blinking away the sleep. At first, I was disoriented, unsure of what was happening. The ringing persisted, and I finally reached out to grab the phone, my voice husky from sleep.
"Hello?" I mumbled, trying to clear the fog from my mind.
"Miss willows, it's Lisa. You need to check the blogs. There's a scandal brewing about the company," my assistant said, her voice urgent and concerned.
I sat up in bed, my heart racing as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. "What kind of scandal?" I asked, my voice now fully alert.
"It's about the company's financial struggles. The blogs are saying the company is on the verge of bankruptcy," Lisa replied, her words like a bucket of cold water, snapping me fully awake.
I threw off the covers and rushed to my laptop, my mind racing with questions. Who could have leaked this information to the press? As I scanned the articles, my anxiety spiked, and a sense of unease settled in the pit of my stomach.
One blog caught my eye, with the headline that read: "LEVE FASHION MAGAZINE ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE?" I scrolled down to read the comments.
"Guess the rumors about her lavish spendings were true, can't blame her for wanting to keep up appearances, though" someone named @GossipGuru wrote.
"Time to face the music, Aurora willows. Your company is a sinking ship," another commenter @Truthteller, commented.
The comments kept pouring in, each one more biting than the last. The weight of the situation sank in and I felt the pressure mounting. I took a deep breath and tried to focus on finding a solution, rather than get bogged down by the negativity.
I headed to the bathroom and stepped into the shower, letting the refreshing water wash away the remnants of sleep. Clad in my bathing robe, I headed to my closet and as I got dressed, I chose a professional, yet comfortable outfit-A pair of light blue pants that complemented my plain skin tone, paired with a white chiffon top and black loafers shoes to add a sleek finish to my assemble.
I styled my hair in a neat, pulled back look and applied a light layer of makeup to accentuate features.
With my outfit in place, I grabbed my car keys and purse, and headed out the door. The bright sunlight greeted me as I stepped outside.
As I walked to my car, I mentally rehearsed the day's agenda - meeting with my staff, addressing the financial struggles and finding a way to salvage my company's reputation.
I slid into the driver's seat, started the engine and navigated through the morning traffic, ready to face whatever the day had in store.
As I arrived at my company, I spotted Lily Reagan, the CEO of Revista Magazines and my rival, standing in the lobby. She was a woman who exuded confidence and poise, her tailored suit and designer heels a testament to her impeccable taste. Her brown hair was styled in a sleek bob, framing her heart-shaped face and piercing green eyes that seemed to bore into my very soul.
Lily was a force to be reckoned with in the publishing industry, known for her ruthless tactics and sharp instincts. She was a master manipulator, always playing the game to her advantage, and her sharp tongue could cut down even the toughest opponents. Despite her polished exterior, I knew that beneath the surface lay a calculating and cunning businesswoman who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.
As she caught my eye, a sly smile spread across her face, and I could sense the triumph emanating from her. She knew about the scandal brewing around my company, and I had no doubt that she was reveling in my misfortune. Lily was not a woman to be underestimated, and I knew that I had to be on my guard around her.
"Well, well, well. Look who's having a rough morning," Lily said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I see your company's stock is plummeting. How does it feel to be on the brink of disaster?"
I kept my cool, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing me rattled. "Lily, always a pleasure. I'm just dealing with a minor setback. Nothing a little creativity and hard work can't fix."
Lily chuckled, her eyes glinting with amusement. "A minor setback? You mean like being on the verge of bankruptcy? I think that's a bit more than just a minor setback, Aurora. That's a full blown crises. You know, Aurora, I've been watching your company struggle for a while now. It's almost... sad. You're like a ship without a rudder, drifting aimlessly towards disaster."
I stood tall, my eyes flashing with determination. "We're not going down without a fight, Lily. And I'll make sure to take you down with me if I have to."
Lily's smile faltered for a moment, before she regained her composure. "Oh, I'm shaking. Threats from a company on the brink of bankruptcy? That's rich."
I smiled coolly. "You'd be surprised what we can do when cornered, Lily. And you're not as untouchable as you think you are."
Lily's eyes narrowed, her gaze piercing. "Is that a threat, Aurora? Because if it is, I'm not impressed."
I leaned in, my voice low. "Consider it a warning, Lily. We're not going to go quietly into the night."
I watched as Lily's face twisted in anger, her eyes flashing with hostility before she abruptly turned and stormed off, her bag swinging behind her. I couldn't help but feel a hint of amusement at her dramatic exit, my lips curling into a slight smile as I stood there, shaking my head slightly.
I headed to my office, my assistant Lisa following closely behind. "Lisa, I need you to call an emergency meeting with the rest of the staff. We need to address this situation immediately."
Lisa nodded, her expression serious. "I'll get everyone in the conference room, Miss willows. But what's the plan? How are we going to spin this?"
I hesitated for a moment before responding. "Honestly, I'm not sure yet. But we need to come up with something fast. This news is going to spread like wildfire if we don't contain it."
In the conference room, the staff was assembled, looking anxious and worried. I stood at the head of the table, surveying the room. "Alright, let's get down to business. We have a crisis on our hands, and we need to figure out how to deal with it."
Lisa spoke up, "Miss willows, the blogs are already going wild with this story. We need to issue a statement, or at least a press release, to calm things down."
One of the staff members, James, suggested, "Why don't we spin it as a strategic restructuring? We can say we're downsizing to focus on our core business."
I shook my head. "I don't think that's going to fly. We need something more concrete, something that will reassure our investors and clients."
As we brainstormed ways to contain the damage, my phone buzzed. It was Liam. I stood up, signaling to Lisa to wrap up the meeting. "Alright, let's reconvene later today with some concrete proposals," I said, standing up.
As I walked out of the conference room, I answered the call and walked into my office for some privacy. "Hey," I said, trying to sound calm.
"Hey, are you okay? I saw the news about your company," Liam asked, his voice filled with concern.
I sighed, feeling a mix of emotions. "It's been a tough morning, but I'll manage. We're trying to figure out how to contain the damage."
Liam's tone turned gentle. "Do you want to talk about it over lunch? Maybe we can brainstorm some solutions together."
I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I wanted to mix business with personal life. But something about Liam's tone put me at ease. "Okay, sure. Lunch sounds good."
"Great," Liam said, sounding relieved. "I'll meet you at Bella vita downtown at 1 pm?"
I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Yeah, that sounds perfect. See you then." I said, and he ended the call.