Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

Fiona's words hit them hard, and they all knew exactly what was at stake. International Glam had only been around for three short years, yet it had skyrocketed from a nobody in the design world to a major player, all thanks to Fiona's exceptional designs.

But parting with five percent of the Bryant family's shares was a tough pill to swallow. “We can go as high as three percent," they finally said after a quick exchange of looks.

Fiona couldn't even be bothered to glance their way. Instead, she turned to Tyler and said, “The shrimp scampi here is pretty good. Pack some up for Jackson to try at home. Let's get out of here."

With that, Fiona and Tyler were ready to leave. They weren't about to waste their time on people who were all talk and no action. Plus, they had a meeting with the Woods family lined up shortly.

It would be wise to see what the Woods family had to offer before making any hasty decisions. The realization of this had the Bryant family scrambling, their earlier confidence giving way to a flurry of whispered debate.

As Fiona and Tyler made their way to the door, they bumped into the Woods family arriving. "Ms. Fiona, you're already here! Looks like we got our timings mixed up. Sorry about that. We owe you three rounds as an apology."

“Exactly, Ms. Fiona. If we'd known you'd be early, we would've rushed over. It's not right to keep you waiting like this," one woman chimed in warmly, linking arms with Fiona and sneaking a peek into the room, spotting the Bryant family. She chuckled, "Oh, so you've got company. Are you all wrapped up?"

Fiona gave a knowing smile and glanced at the Bryant family, waiting for their move. Once they caught wind that Fiona was also meeting with the Woods family, the Bryant family jumped into action. They couldn't afford to lose their edge to the Woods family and miss out on sealing the deal with International Glam.

"Ms. Fiona, if you want to add more

to your order, just let the waiter know," a Bryant family member said, steering Fiona back inside and telling the waiter, "Add another plate of shrimp scampi, and pack two more to-go, please."

Fiona shot a friendly smile at the woman from the Woods family. "I'll just pop to the restroom. Catch you in a bit."

“Sounds good, we'll be waiting for you in the private room,” the Woods family woman replied, tactfully leading her group away.

Back in the private room, Fiona and Tyler were ready to play hardballe "Ms. Fiona, we've had a change of heart. We're ready to meet your terms," one of the Bryant family members started.

But Tyler shook his head. "Earlier, we

ened an olive branch, and you

down. Now the tables have

turned. Five percent? That's just not gonna cut it anymore."

The Bryant family members turned a shade paler, exchanging nervous glances. “What are you getting at, Mr. Allen?"

“We want ten percent of the shares, plus annual dividends.”noveldrama

"No way!” they shot back, their refusal instant. Ten percent would mean serious sway in the boardroom, a level of control they weren't prepared to hand over.