Page 35 of Summer Haze & Tokyo Craze

Rivalis the first point I jot down,Legal Stuffis my next point, followed byReputation.

As superficial as it sounds, it’s an important point I need to consider for my future. There’s already a bunch of people unhappy about competing with a woman, and a young one at that. Most of them believe I slept my way to the top – how that’s supposed to work when my bosses are women in very public heterosexual relationships, I have no idea.

Entering a public romantic relationship with Adam wouldn’t help my case.

And reputation can absolutely make or break your career. Would it make or break me? I don’t know. I am where I amdespite rumors and hushed conversations about the sex life I might or might not have.

I try to think of other pros, I try to think of other cons, when my alarm goes off and I groan, not thrilled about the sleepless day ahead.

I'm on my second coffee of the day with an extra espresso shot before the first meeting even starts, and my mood is the worst it's been since we arrived in Tokyo. I’m tired, I still don’t know what to do and that grinds on my nerves to no fucking end. Even the luggage chaos at the airport pales in comparison.

"I’m growing a bit worried here," Felix says, eyeing my cup. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Don’t lie to me,” he sing-songs, and I shoot him a stare that makes him shut up and look at me worriedly instead.

“I’m fucking tired,” I groan and bury my face in my hands. “And grumpy. Sorry about that.”

I glance at Adam through a little gap in my fingers. Today, he’s sitting on the other side of the room, probably only because we arrived at the very last second. Usually, he’d pick a seat somewhere close but I need some distance.

“Accepted. Anything else?” He raises his eyebrow at me amusedly.

“No, that’s it.” I roll my eyes at him. “I’m going to take a nap during lunch break and I’ll feel better.”

Lowering my hands, I take another sip of my coffee, just as the presenter walks in and sets up his laptop. Speaking of coffee, I’ve been meaning to get myself a souvenir mug. I reach for my tablet and add a reminder for later.

“No, I haven’t been taking notes, but I’m sure Lily will share her with me!” My head shoots up when somebody mentions my name and I do my best not to bang my head against the table in frustration when I see who.

Chuck is the CEO of an entertainment company from the UK and one of those boomers who think they run the world. It’s by far not the first time he’s been trying to push a secretary role onto me, but today is just really not the day to try and pull this shit with me. Because I’m in the mood for some confrontation.

“What makes you think that?" I ask him in a curious voice, so loud it makes the room shut up and I turn fully to him in my seat, giving him a forced but pleasant-seeming smile. “Pray, tell, Charles. Why, of all the people in this room, would you thinkIwould share my notes with you?”

I can see a muscle in his jaw twitch at me using his real name instead of the self-proclaimed nickname.

"Uh," he stammers, and I cross my arms in front of my chest, raising my chin at him. He mumbles something unintelligible and I cross my arms in front of my chest.

"Speak up. I didn’t hear you.”

"There will be keynotes you can take away after the meeting," the presenter quickly interjects, but I am not taking my eyes off him yet.

I know backing down is the better, non-confrontational thing to do, but God am I in the mood to set him straight, because I’m dealing with this kind of shit way too often.

‘This kind of shit’ being men who think that the only woman in the room is obviously there to take notes, because their lazy asses can’t bother to. I mean, who could ever expect a man to take his own notes? Unheard of.

They’d rather pick on a woman they’re actually intimated by in an attempt to irritate her, and they’re so used to women just taking it that the slightest pushback is enough to fluster them, because they never thought we’d have the gall.

Well, I’ve got news for them.

And especially Chuck should know better. We’ve met at so many industry functions where I introduce myself with name and job title over and over again because he pretends to have forgotten me. I’m so done playing into his little charade of putting me down.

I narrow my eyes at him, fucking daring him to tell the whole room that he’s a sexist piece of shit, but he just continues mumbling under his breath and evading my eyes.

From the corners of my eyes, I see Adam shoot me an amused glance, but I pay him no mind, because I’m on a mission. I continue my hard stare even when the presentation starts andonly turn around when I see Adam start to hide his face behind his hand to cover him laughing.

"Oh, I sense tension," Felix whispers in my ear, and I nudge him with my elbow. “What was that look?”

"You sense nothing," I object and tilt my head from side to side for a quick stretch, because staring like that strained a muscle. Felix's eyes me curiously, his gaze darting between Adam and me, an annoying grin spreading on his face.

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